Wolfire Games Blog

No new alpha this week

2012-05-14T05:12:08Z

This week I focused on internal features, such as .zip file archive support, texture compression on background threads, and preparations for the upcoming Linux build! These features are all still in progress, though, and difficult to show in their current form, so I thought I should save them for an upcoming video.

Art Asset Overview #31

2012-05-09T03:00:45Z

This video shows off a new level I'm working on while attempting to refine the visuals. I would like to achieve finished-looking levels in the next few weeks so that I can focus more on level design and less on art assets.

I spent some time on new terrain textures and more experimentation with the detail objects system. I was trying to make the wooded area on this new map look more like a real forest floor with various debris and different plants. I also tried grouping a lot of smaller objects to a rock, and then copying out the group rather than spending a lot of time adding tiny unique details to each rock I place.

Be sure to watch it in HD!

Getting the details right for each environment takes a lot of work, and each area seems a lot bigger once it is full of stuff, so I have been contemplating the idea of doing a few different missions on each environment for the final story mode. One way to keep that from becoming stale would be to change it a bit every time you visit, like having the mission take place at a different time of day or under different weather conditions.

If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe below.

Overgrowth a178 video changelog

2012-05-07T07:48:28Z

Here is the new weekly Overgrowth alpha video!

Don't forget that you can help support us, try out our weekly alphas (such as the one in the video), and chat with other preorderers in the Secret Preorder Forum by preordering Overgrowth. If you'd like to see real-time news about Overgrowth, you can follow me on Twitter at @wolfire.

Be sure to watch it in HD!

The features highlighted in the above video are as follows (as well as some that didn't make it into the video):

Animated debug text using webkit
Set up proper animatable wolf rig
Started to overhaul level load system
Updated angelscript to 2.22.1
Fixed memory leak when saving shadow textures
Fixed occasional crash on quit in angelscript destructor

Thanks as always for all the support! See you guys in IRC and the forums.

If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Also, feel free to support us by preordering Overgrowth!

Overgrowth a177 video changelog

2012-04-30T06:51:44Z

Here is the new weekly Overgrowth alpha video!

Be sure to watch it in HD!

The features highlighted in the above video are as follows (as well as some that didn't make it into the video):

Added left-handed parameter
Added DebugText system
Added same-side sheathing animation
Added animation for swapping weapons from one hand to the other
Changed weapon system to array of 'slots'
Scripts can query each others' array values
Fixed problem with throwing weapons
Hooked up the cat scabbard as a weapon
Added per-animation weapon ids

Thanks as always for all the support! See you guys in IRC and the forums.

If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Also, feel free to support us by preordering Overgrowth!

Overgrowth a176 video changelog

2012-04-23T06:24:01Z

Here is the new weekly Overgrowth alpha video!

Be sure to watch it in HD!

The features highlighted in the above video are as follows (as well as some that didn't make it into the video):

Initial dual wielding
Initial scabbard wielding and sheathing
Can active-block from ragdoll
Fixed problem with back and side rolls
Started on attachments (like bags)
Support for animating multiple weapons at once
More accurate stab decals

Thanks as always for all the support! See you guys in IRC and the forums.

If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Also, feel free to support us by preordering Overgrowth!

Introducing the Humble Botanicula Debut

2012-04-19T17:05:14Z

The latest Humble Bundle promotion has arrived: the Humble Botanicula Debut!

Be sure to watch it in HD!

Pay what you want for Amanita Design's brand new game, Botanicula, along with Machinarium and Samorost 2. If you pay more than the average price, you'll also get Windosill and the Czech full-length feature film, Kooky (dubbed in English)! The games are DRM-free and work on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and soundtracks are included (when available) for your out-of-game enjoyment. You can also get a redeemable Steam key for the games if you pay more than $5.

In Botanicula, you must guide a motley band of tree creatures in a journey to save their home from brooding, spider-like invaders. With a huge cast of charming characters and an original soundtrack by the Czech alternative band DVA, Botanicula is the latest and greatest example of Amanita Design's unique storybook vision brought to vivid fruition in a point-and-click adventure/puzzle game.

Because Botanicula has important environmental themes, we've included the World Land Trust, an international conservation charity focused on protecting threatened habitats, as the charity for this promotion.

The other games in the bundle are remarkable experiences in their own right. Read on to learn more!

Machinarium

In the point-and-click adventure game Machinarium, players guide a heroic little robot on his quest to save his friends from a trio of bullies in a dilapidated machine city. Machinarium won the Independent Games Festival (IGF) Excellence in Visual Art Award in 2009 for its incredibly detailed environments and the unique personalities of the many characters inhabiting the city.

Samorost 2

In Samorost 2, players guide a valiant gnome who must save his dog after it is abducted by a pair of fruit-stealing aliens. Samorost 2 won the Independent Games Festival (IGF) Award for Best Web Browser Game in 2007, and was one of the first games to showcase Amanita Design's unique narrative vision with a strong, visually-anchored adventure.

Kooky

The Czech film Kooky tells the tale of a stuffed bear on a quest to return home after being thrown away, featuring an imaginative blend of live-action sequences, stop motion, and puppet animation. Kooky was directed by the Academy Award-winning director Jan Svěrák, and Jakub Dvorský, founder of Amanita Design, was the film's art director. The version of Kooky available from this Humble Bundle is in 720p and is dubbed in English.

Windosill

Windosill is a delightful point-and-click puzzle game built around odd visuals and surprising interactions. The creator, Patrick Smith of Vectorpark, creates novel games and animations that deliver toy-like interactivity alongside clean, intricate visual art.

The Humble Botanicula Debut will only be live for a couple of weeks, so don't delay! Head to the site to get Botanicula, Machinarium, and Samorost 2 while supporting the World Land Trust's worldwide nature conservation efforts, and pick up Windosill and the film Kooky for beating the average!

Art Asset Overview #30

2012-04-14T00:44:30Z

I have been really busy this week with moving to San Francisco, but before I left I was able to finish a few art assets. For these sets I focused on making sure they worked well with the existing gameplay, and were more fully optimized so that I can put more models in each level.

Be sure to watch it in HD!

I made these sets to test some ideas about level design and set dressing, but I will need to work on a lot more assets before I can be sure about the results. I am pleased with them so far though, and I think they are better than a lot of my older work.

I am still trying to get settled here in San Francisco and find a new place to live, but once I get moved in I will be hard at work on some new levels to better showcase these models!

If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe below.

Overgrowth a175 video changelog

2012-04-09T05:53:22Z

Here is the new weekly Overgrowth alpha video!

Be sure to watch it in HD!

The features highlighted in the above video are as follows (as well as some that didn't make it into the video):

Added stances, attacks and parries for one-handed dog sword
Stuck weapons are physically active
Sheathed weapons animate more accurately
Fixed several weapon bugs
Torso IK is now pose-relative, allowing for sideways stances
Items can trigger mirrored animations
Cat rapier now uses the move-set of the one-handed dog sword
Cat dagger now uses the move-set of the dog knife
Characters wait a couple seconds after opponent is defeated before letting their guard down

Thanks as always for all the support! See you guys in IRC and the forums.

If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Also, feel free to support us by preordering Overgrowth!

Overgrowth a174 video changelog

2012-04-02T06:42:10Z

Here is the new weekly Overgrowth alpha video!

Be sure to watch it in HD!

The features highlighted in the above video are as follows (as well as some that didn't make it into the video):

Characters can now sheathe one weapon and then pick up another
Added effect for removing weapons that are embedded in bodies
Nav mesh objects are no longer hollow
Added functions to directly access variables in other scripts (GetIntVar, GetBoolVar and GetFloatVar)
Fixed occasional persistent item lens flare
Fixed idle guards sometimes walking slowly backwards for no reason

Thanks as always for all the support! See you guys in IRC and the forums.

If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Also, feel free to support us by preordering Overgrowth!

Announcing Overgrowth: Villages!

2012-04-01T04:26:29Z

After speaking with the experienced and successful developers at this year's GDC, we realized that we were making a lot of serious mistakes with the design and development of our game. With their advice in mind, we went back to the drawing board, and came up with a new plan that will allow us to reach a much broader audience in much less time. We're proud to announce Overgrowth: Villages for Facebook, iPhone, iPad and Android!

You may have noticed that the art direction has changed slightly. Previously we designed the game's appearance based on our own tastes, our own sense of what was interesting to look at. What a narcissistic idea! Designing for oneself is a common mistake for young developers, and a red flag indicating a "lifestyle business" that has no real future. To correct this mistake, we shifted the art direction to focus on the most profitable target demographics: children and their mothers. Apparently children are an especially appealing demographic, because they don't always understand that they're paying real money, and will happily run up a $1000 bill on their cell phone!

Unfortunately, the art direction wasn't our only serious mistake. We were also designing the game in entirely the wrong way, wasting time on layered tactical choices and detailed mechanics. But why? Because we enjoy those things? An experienced designer will always design the game to be rewarding for the company, not for the player. In Villages, we redesigned the mechanics to exploit known psychological biases and fallacies to extract money from our target audience. Using a few simple techniques, we can trick people into paying a ransom for their own time, without ever realizing what is going on! Here's an amazing presentation by an inspirational game designer, explaining some of these proven techniques.

You may have noticed that we haven't actually mentioned what the game is like. That's because we can't, sorry! It's very similar to an existing game, and if we describe it, the authors of the original game will sue us. We can't afford to pay them off until our first round of VC funding is complete, but that should be wrapped up soon, and then we can give you all the details.

For everyone who has already preordered Overgrowth, you will get 30 free Koynz in Overgrowth: Villages. Or 50 if you refer at least ten friends!