Messages

1

Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: Space Grunts update #28 (Early Access) Sci-fi roguelike

« on: November 25, 2015, 10:28:46 AM »

Update 28 is now available: http://steamcommunity.com/games/371430/announcements/

Right now most of the work is doing some testing and interface tweaks for the mobile version. I do still want to add the little monsters that should be bursting out of those alien-purple-pods, so that's something on the list along some extra achievements probably.


interface:

• fix: made smaller buttons clearer when selected
• fix: progress-bar overlapping with “daily challenge” text on map screen

game:

• added: the “Whigo” monster
• change: random radiation now also removed when ventilation turned on
• change: Battle suit now also protects against radiation
• change: Battle suit now also protects against alien-goo
• fix: rooms with exits being lit to soon
• fix: hopefully fixing the leaderboard uploads to multiple boards...
• fix: dropping an item would sometimes crash the game
• fix: ancient-temple could appear twice in a row

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Space Grunts update #28 (Early Access) Sci-fi roguelike

« on: November 08, 2015, 03:21:54 PM »

Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/371430/

I posted here a few months ago when I just started on my first ever rogue-like and my first ever turn-based game, the game has now been available since September in pre-order and now in Early Access with so far only positive reviews and feedback.

Hope you give it a shot and try it out, it's a unique blend of action and turn-based movement, procedurally generated, a lot of secrets and mystery items/events. A large collection of consumables, combo's, rare finds and more.

Game website, with trailer + screens : http://www.spacegrunts.com

Good luck descending into the moon-base !

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Player's Plaza / 25 minutes of Space Grunts gameplay

« on: August 27, 2015, 08:29:02 PM »

Game is nearing completion, and this shows 25 minutes of gameplay from the latest beta:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjlfSb3yfw

more info and access to the beta at [url]http://www.spacegrunts.com/[url]

4

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: August 15, 2015, 05:44:43 PM »

A week of polishing the interface while I get ready to release the "early access" beta to pre-orders.. nerve-wrecking as with all releases!

button and dialog interfaces are now made more bright and "sci-fi"




oh and just some extra eye-candy from one of the early moon-base levels:

5

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 31, 2015, 11:41:00 AM »

A lot of stuff added again to the game this week, mostly making the interface simple and clear to use with either keyboard, mouse, or gamepad (or combo of any of those).



You can now also drop items, making it possible to create a "safe room" with a teleporter-beacon to teleport toward and some health or power items.. or just create room for more interesting items!



Also working on the character select, there are 3 classes, and with most of the game, they aren't traditional:



and finally added a little alien-plant thing (idea came from Brogue) which can either spread healing spores or potion:





I'm working towards a beta, hopefully in two weeks from now, with pre-orders being open for a 30% discount and Beta access for those willing to risk it or wanting to check it out early:

www.spacegrunts.com

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Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 25, 2015, 05:22:16 PM »

more tinkering with the out-door zone.
Changing the lights a bit, and adding improved clouds:



and some people told me it was weird monitors didn't blow up when hit by rockets..
so fixed that!



Also updated the website with the latest images and artwork
you can check it out and sign up here:

www.spacegrunts.com

7

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 22, 2015, 08:05:50 PM »

meanwhile..

I've been adding the animation scene's that setup the story/introduction stuff:



and also added a datacard+cpu system to give some hints, tips, and general lore:



you'll find cpu's sparsely spread around  the moon-based, and datacards even more sparsely in a "collect-em-all" style:

8

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 20, 2015, 07:15:30 PM »

@orangepascal: it`s unfortunate that a spill occurred in your particular dev thread, but it is a function of a bigger issue at hand. But, you asked for a feedback and Krice`s input - however crude or inadequate - qualifies.

In any rate, it`s hard to provide any substantial commentary judging just by gifs and videos - some playable code would be nice, though I don`t suppose your publishing model allows for that.

I indeed asked for feedback, sadly, I'm still waiting for any actual feedback besides the "it's not a roguelike"  

if people, including you, don't see this as a roguelike but as "one of the many" then tell me what makes this seem like not a proper roguelike? give me feedback and it can help me make the game better or at least keep it in mind for my next game

Sadly I can't do a demo yet at this time, but if someone can say it's not a roguelike based on what's shown.. then you can also tell me why it looks like not a roguelike and just "one of the many" (simple info like examples would be cool).  I really haven't seen a game like this so would love to check out the "competition"

9

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 16, 2015, 09:39:26 PM »

Little view on the inventory screen, this is where battles will be won: using the right items at the right time
currently I'm just extending the inventory with as many items as I can come up with, still some months away from release, so should be a bunch of items on release

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Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 15, 2015, 09:56:07 AM »

Mouse controls are now also set (along side keyboard or controller):



And the latest gameplay video, with the new light-system in place
can be found here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tjQaruXQMo

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Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 12, 2015, 08:31:48 AM »

anyway..

working some more on the game over screen, adding the stats. Obviously need some darkening behind the text, but it's getting there:



also added a new enemy type: warper. They teleport near you, take a shot, and warp back out.. hard to counter!

12

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 12, 2015, 07:45:19 AM »

so what's missing in your opinion? would love to know, cause perhaps I can still work some of the things in, that's why I joined these forums after all!

Every man and his dog has their own set of definitions.  You'll get Person A fervently saying that if it's not turn-based, then it's not a roguelike.  And Person B emphasising some other different point on the scale as more important.  I've played procedurally generated, turn-based, grid-based, etc games that were definitely not roguelikes.

Ultimately, it's not enough to want to make a roguelike, your game has to bear enough of a resemblance when seen and played.  And you have to be willing to say it's not a roguelike, but it is a whatever "with roguelike elements" or use a nonsense term like roguelikelike or roguelite, if it's more honest.

If you can look in the mirror and say without being self-serving, that it is a roguelike, then just say it's a roguelike.  But if you hold it up and compare it to a traditional roguelike, like Brogue, Rogue, Moria, DCSS, etc and it bears no resemblance, then what is it worth to call it a roguelike?

Trying to please people on forums is standing there while they're pissing in the wind.  You'll feel confused and unclean, and certainly won't be any better off.

It is a roguelike, it's that simple, and it has a lot in common with something like Brogue, since I actually play that since I started developing this game and took a lot of ideas and concepts as inspiration.

I'm not here to please people on this forum, I was hoping to get some constructive feedback from people to see what they would like to see in a game, since there is still room to add gamedesign elements to this one.  And I believe this forum is part of my target audience, so who better to ask.

so far I just have to defend my game being a roguelike so perhaps this isn't the audience I was aiming for

 

13

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 11, 2015, 08:17:26 AM »

Turn-based doesn't mean it's a roguelike. Lot of games are turn-based. Chess is turn-based.

so it might not be the standard turn-based roguelike.. but that's kinda the point of creating something new

Games like that were invented in the 80's. It's actually what you see in these mobile games, they are exactly the same as 8-bit games back in stone age. But I guess there are plenty of new players as well who play these kind of game the first time, that's why they sell and I guess it's good for the developers.

I knew my hardest problem would be to convince some of the hard-core roguelike defender players that's ok!
but yeah it's turn-based AND it's a roguelike.  Even tho that's hard to define, going by this site's own defination (http://www.roguetemple.com/roguelike-definition/)  Space Grunts has:

- it's turn-based
- it's grid-based
- there is permanent failure
- there are procedural environments (from layouts, to special rooms, rare items, etc)
- there is an inventory with items that change the outcome of your battles and progress
- you play with a single character
- there will be random conflict outcomes

so what's missing in your opinion? would love to know, cause perhaps I can still work some of the things in, that's why I joined these forums after all!

14

Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 11, 2015, 05:52:14 AM »

Based the videos he linked, it seems pretty clearly turn-based rather than real-time. In the second video (this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmeUh26TALY ) there are two early spots in particular where this is extra noticeable: around 0:27 when the player spends a longer than usual amount of time aiming (and yet, no enemies react to the delay), and then around 0:41 in the flame trap room: the on/off states of the traps is only changing when he moves. It looks possible to take turns very quickly, but they're definitely still turns.

yep, trust me it really is turn-based, and it really is roguelike.  As I said in the original post, I'm trying to create a hybrid of turn-based and action arcade.

You can play this game quick like a shooter if you want, but you won't get very far, the turns are instant so there is hardly any delay when you run around and just keep pressing the direction keys/buttons (if that's how you wanna play it).

The inventory system is still in development and growing as I add a lot of items, this is where some of the tactics will come from as you have to decide what to use and when to use it, with a limited amount of inventory slots, you'll also have to decide what to grab and what not.

so it might not be the standard turn-based roguelike.. but that's kinda the point of creating something new

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Early Dev / Re: Space Grunts - in development

« on: July 10, 2015, 05:50:17 PM »

The game is Space Grunts, designed as an action arcade game, but plays like a turn-based roguelike..

No it does not play like turn-based roguelike. It's just an action shooter.

it does actually, but okay