More planning

I've done a few things, mainly re-iterating the 'plans' on the map layout, the skills/augments and ammo-types obtainable in Labcoax. The pickups in game will look like below:-

Differing shot types - obtained from bosses

Player upgrades - obtained from mini-bosses

Map reveals as exploration expands

I've been programming and preparing Labcoax to accomodate the plans, so far so good as I've managed to fix most of the logic errors with my limited testing. What do I mean by plans? I had to revise old plans many times. Plans such as the x number of bosses, the different map zones, placement of upgrades, and then justifiable obstacles that ensure the player don't sequence break and crash the game. The plan is far from final, but it gives me something to work with as I continue to piece this mess together.

After this post, I would be shifting focus to adding some content (as opposed to preparing Labcoax FOR content like past months) like new tilesets.

In the previous post there have been a few comments on the inclusion of key configurations for keyboard and controllers. I think this will have to wait (a long while) until I get to the part where I make the OPTIONS menu.

Not dead. Just not sure what else to post or write about.

It's a long road.

2014 March Update - Release v0.5

EDIT#1:Uploaded v0.5b. Check release notes below for changes and bug fixes. Main fix was escaping grapples being too tough.

So many months have past since v0.4, apologies for keeping you waiting for v0.5. I swear I could've given up, but I know nothing good will ever come out of that. Release v0.5 is not a big update, but most of the changes required me to do some refreshing on my codes after being away from Gamemaker for awhile. I hope v0.5 can help tide you fellas over until v0.6.

In a pinch
Labcoax - Alpha v0.5

Labcoax - Alpha v0.5b
Download links (est. size 7.0 MB)
Password:- dtny (パスワード)
[Mega]
[Rapidshare]
[Depositfiles]
Links are also added under the 'Downloads' section.


Release Notes for v0.5b:

• Slight change in code handling jump-through platforms. Fixed bug of being unable to jump when in contact with jump-through platforms.
• Aerial enemy 'Poltergeist'.
• Grapple mechanics changed; now damages-on-struggle-input and loops until player breaks animation.
• Breaking grapple becomes increasingly harder further into a single loop. Breaking grapple only becomes harder following player inputs for the loop, to encourage attempting escape in one-fell-swoop. New loop resets the escape bar drop rate.
• Introduced ammo drop and ammo alternate attack. Obtained via lockers.
• A fresh labcoat has 3 hitpoints, gives 20% damage reduction, is finally useful. Obtained via lockers.
• Two sets of player sprites: Sprite with labcoat equipped & the other without.
• Save-point now interactable but save function is not done, serving only as placeholder.
• Zoom-in/out now for more close-up pixel fun! Just press the  'space' key.
• Press F3 to cycle through a few window sizes when not under full-screen.
• Skill list now visible in pause menu.
• I think pause menu is now prettier.

As usual, couple of notes:

• When equipped labcoat destroyed, chance to respawn as a new labcoat.
• Both shotgun shots are the same. They're to tell me I got the functions working.
• New game & continue game starts the player in the usual test room. Both options are no different for now.
• Choosing difficulty still makes no difference.
• Tell me if v0.5 is working for you by voting in the poll to the right (not visible on mobile view)!
• If you found a bug, tell me in the comment section below!

...
I'll start putting up projected work that I should aim for the next release so I can look back and be reminded what the hell I was actually suppose to do.

Projected v0.6 release:
[Primary]
> New game intro using timeline.
> Continue building actual levels.
> Event triggers.
> ...
[Secondary]
> At least one new enemy.
> Environmental hazards.
> ...

Done some thinkin'

So 'Witch Girl' is out and I'm chugging caffeine

I'd like to know what you fellas think about Witch Girl because I am surprised at the number of sales they're doing. I'm guessing KooooNSoft has plans for releasing future patches with additional stuff since they charged a hefty USD19.00+. I never thought RoR side-scroller to be so popular.

Back on topic...

[the Labcoax progress]
Yet another late blog update, but I'm putting as much time as I possibly can into Labcoax' development. There have been a little running back and forth as I revisited some of the older codes because they were badly coded and were impeding further proper coding. Apart from that, been redoing a few other things:

[the labcoat]

I've decided that there'd be 2 states of the standard player sprites; one with labcoat on and the other without. I'm still deciding what are the bonuses for having equipped a labcoat but as of now, it gives a 20% damage reduction and takes a few hits before being destroyed, from which the heroine will take 100% damage until finding another labcoat. Lockers dispense ammo (for alternate attacks) and labcoats. Enemy grapple destroys labcoat.

[enemy grapple]

In v0.4, enemies will disengage grapple once they climax and drop the heroine before starting over, but I've gotten a few suggestions to make it last indefinitely until player decides to exit the grapple.

Q: Do you think rape grapples should do damage? Should it keep going until player stops the grapple?

[other_things]
I decided I'd complete a short 6-7 panel comic on photoshop because believe it or not, I don't practice much on photoshop if at all. Here's the short comic on Kyrieru recently breaking his stylus, featuring Kuro from Kurovadis. I got lazy half-way coloring.


On the side note ...

Tacokurt created another fanart of Labcoax a couple weeks ago, this time featuring the slime from Labcoax! You can check out his other works at tacokurt@furaffinity (NSFW).

See his previous fanart of Labcoax under the Sketches page.



Also, v0.5 to be uploaded in a day or two - shhhhh

Enemies Mockup

Hey peeps, just wanted to say ...
Lawd it's already December and I can't even see the finish line! Sometimes I keep questioning myself whether I could even finish this. Maybe even this project this is too ambitious. Dangit.

Anyway, I've spent the past week creating mockups of a variety enemies for Labcoax. When creating the mockups, I also have to plan for the enemy's attacks so that it is easy to manipulate ready-made spritework to make them (I'm lazy like that). Here's a couple of mockups compiled:-

Mockup of enemies

*Fanart monster 'Russa' by Tacokurt pixelized!

More mockups

EDIT #2: More mockups added

I might add to this post as I made more, but in the meantime, if you guys & girls thought of an enemy or monster that would fit in the Labcoax world, suggest them in the comments below!
...

Parasite in City

There's a japanese H-developer that is recently making waves on the scene, and there ain't no better time than to do it during the holidays. Parasite in City has just been released a couple of days ago by developers Pixel Factory.

by Pixel Factory

In the game you play a heroine who wakes up one day to find that everyone has turned into sex-crazed zombies (how convenient!) in her city. Stumbling out of her crib, she encounters an undead cop, and promptly falls into a manhole after a short tangle with said cop. It's a shitty start, but it gets better (for the player at least).

The game isn't very long and is split into three stages in total. You have to do complete runs of each stage as losing in one will send you back to the beginning of chosen stage. The game paces slowly, and continues the pace until Stage-3 where you have to suddenly move and act quickly or become overwhelmed by the zombie horde that trails you.

Throughout the game players can unlock 7 animated hand-drawn CGs (frames are not many) in the gallery and omake for in-game sprite sex.

Omake - house of sprited-sex

The art, everything from the in-game sprites (heroine, enemies, background) is phenomenal by H-game standard. The platforming is quite polished, though clunky but I believe the developer intended it. My only complain is the length of the game;- it is quite short and offers very (very!) little replayability for the hefty game price.

I shall stop now.
...

Back to Labcoax

I've conceptualized some number of enemies that might be in Labcoax but I haven't compiled them yet. The concepts are sprites, and I will continue to sprite a few more so I'll have the concepts put up soon as a blog update. One week tops!

That's all I have for now. Keep checking this week!

Oh and a Happy Thanksgiving day to you dwellers of the New World!

Bogged down

Hey y'all.

I know it's been forever since my last post and I apologize for that. Responsibilities and work load is currently at an all-time high so I'll be bogged down with RL for a little longer before I could resume work with Labcoax. Whilst busy, I did get a thing or two nearly done, such as one of the intro images (there's a total of 12 images I believe, making a sprite depicting a little event) for Labcoax below:

LBCX Intro under construction

As you could see, it's still lacking shadow/shading and hair! You may think that I've got it all figured out, but figuring out what hair to give characters has always taking up lots of time for me. So there's still long ways to go.

On the bright side, user tacokurt @ Furaffinity.net recently (actually it's been a whole month) made a fanart featuring the heroine of Labcoax and a monster creation of his/her own! The art style is pretty distinctive so check it out at tacokurt@furaffinity. Site contains furries (doh).

I'll answer to questions in the comment section regularly so that it won't seem like I've fallen from the face of the planet.

Damsel Quest

Another western developer AzureZero has recently released a stealth-based hentai platformer Damsel Quest! just about a week ago on both his blog and DL-Site.

[Image removed in compliance with Blogger terms]

The game features a princess who was captured and imprisoned by dark forces in a castle. Player takes control of the princess and help her escape (or not) the dark forces that seek to do explicit things to her should she be captured. So check out the demo of Damsel Quest is available at AzureZero's blog and support if you wish to see more from him!

Away for the Weekend

It seems Labcoax won't be seeing much coding & spriting action this weekend as I've got to be some place else, which means I'd be without a computer. But that doesn't mean there won't be progress! I'll take the opportunity to complete and  hopefully clear out the plot holes. Remember that there's no written text in-game so the story's gonna be told visually.

And that's pretty much all I have this time. Kinda tired actually.