Animator vs Animation

GDC 2007

Check out the notes from the tutorial day titled "Core Techniques and Algorithms in Shader Programming" at GDC 2007.

Evil Invasion

I've just found another top-down shooter! Evil Invasion is an rpg-meets-vertical-shooter (a bit like what we're aiming for with Soulreaper) created by VH Games. The gameplay is quite enjoyable even though it feels somewhat crude.

Keyboards

I just found out that the Optimus Keyboard is being showed at this years CeBit trade show. If you haven't heard about the Optimus yet, then check out the picture below and this link (also check out the Optimus project blog). It's a 114 keys keyboard where every key is an OLED color monitor with a resolution of 32x32 pixels. The system is 100% configurable either through their own API or through a configuration program.


Rediscovering this keyboard made me google the name a bit to find some more information. I didn't find much, but I found an interesting list of the "Top 10 most beautiful keyboards". My favorite was one of the honorable mentions: the "Steampunk Keyboard Mod".

Baboo Violent 2

It's good to see another group working on a game based on a top-down view. Babo Violent 2 is a free multiplayer top-down shooter developed by RndLabs. I haven't tested it yet but it seems really cool.

XNA Game Studio Express Update

Oh joy, oh joy! XNA will finally get bitmap based font support amongst many other updates - check out the list here! Now if only they get Reflection.Emit so we'll get some serious scripting possibilities (one can dream!)

The evidence is finally here

Maps, maps, maps

I've been thinking a lot about how the maps should be created in Soulreaper lately. The plan is to have semi-randomly generated levels like in Diablo but there's an added complexity since the world map is also generated randomly. I'm thinking about using a set of predefined occult symbols as the basis for generating world maps. These symbol/map files will contain enough information for the algorithm to generate exciting world maps with a good distribution of quest places. I think the final look of the world map will be similar to the following map from Final Fantasy XI

Soulreaper characters

I've been doing some updating on the character section of the Soulreaper wiki. I'm just starting on a basic stat system, but the flesh of it will have to be worked out when some characters are up and running in the engine.

Soulreaper - the belly's starting to grow

Long time, no write. I've been really busy lately since I've been working both with Soulreaper and my daytime job. It seems we've come a long way with regards to the Soulreaper classes - even though we're far from finished. I started to create a document containing all class related information yesterday and I'll have it up as soon as possible. I'll have to have a look at how easy/difficult it is to put those kinds of tables into one of our wiki pages - I guess there will be some nasty html tables involved.

With respect to graphics, we've decided to go 100% top-down like-Alien Breed, Mageslayer or the early GTA games. It means that we don't have to draw out all the frames for the different orientations and I believe it fits the overal vertical shooter theme.

Here are some examples of games with a top-down view:

Alien Breed (1 & 2)

Mageslayer

Here's an example by Niklas Jansson of how good top-down can look - now if only he'd work with us on Soulreaper!