{"id":1043,"date":"2013-11-15T19:33:01","date_gmt":"2013-11-16T03:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/haymanquarterly.com\/blogs\/?page_id=1043"},"modified":"2013-11-18T22:21:00","modified_gmt":"2013-11-19T06:21:00","slug":"the-devils-railroad","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/haymanquarterly.com\/blogs\/the-devils-railroad\/","title":{"rendered":"The Devil’s Railroad"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Devil’s Railroad<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Development Status: Pre-Alpha<\/p>\n

Category \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014 Story driven, sidescrolling platformer
\nFile Size: \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 14.2 MB
\nGM Version: \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 GM:Studio
\nVista Compatible: \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 unknown
\nChanges Screen Resolution: \u2014\u2013 no<\/p>\n

Latest Version<\/span><\/strong> (as of Nov ??, 2013)
\nDOWNLOAD:<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/dl.dropboxusercontent.com\/u\/46956737\/The_Devils_Railroad_003.exe<\/a><\/p>\n

Previously posted downloads:<\/p>\n

The Devil’s Railroad 002:
\nhttps:\/\/dl.dropboxusercontent.com\/u\/46956737\/The_Devils_Railroad_002.exe<\/a><\/p>\n

Jam 12 Release Version (horribly<\/em> unfinished):
\nhttps:\/\/dl.dropboxusercontent.com\/u\/46956737\/The_Devils_Railroad.exe<\/a><\/p>\n

\"tdr_logo_splash_001\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This is the story about John, a blues musician, whose wife divorced him to marry a banker. John, despondent at his failed marriage and saddened by the fact that another man was raising his daughter, took to riding the rails as a hobo.\u00a0 During one particularly alcohol-filled evening, John was approached by a demon who promised John fame and fortune if he could make his way to Nashville and strike a deal with the devil.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

DevLog<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Entry 1<\/span> (from the Games topic)<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span>(Time is hours and minutes since JamStart)<\/p>\n

2:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
I finally got home from work about an hour after JamStart. \u00a0I had a few ideas, but I was slightly stumped on how to mix evolution with trains. \u00a0I wanted something unique. \u00a0I discussed this with my wife and she helped brainstorm a pretty good story line. \u00a0She said she would help with writing the narrative while I start working on the game mechanics.Here’s the gameplay core: \u00a0Fighting bad guys on a moving train.I am opening GM:S now.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2:45<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
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I poked through the other entry logs to see the other ideas. \u00a0Looks like only one other game will be slightly similar to mine.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

6:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
I have a little hobo guy placeholder, basic platform movement, and moving boxcars. \u00a0Collisions with the side of the moving train need to be ironed out. \u00a0Too tired to keep going. \u00a0Brain is mush, can’t concentrate. \u00a0I’m going to relax and possibly take a nap. \u00a0I just hope I don’t sleep too long.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Screenshot<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
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\"TrainScreen_001.PNG\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

17:25<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
I finally made it back to my computer. I’m gonna work on some art assets.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

31:00<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
I’ve been at it all day. \u00a0I spent too much time on an animated character sprite today, but I learned a few things. \u00a0I found some train pics on the web and converted them to sprites. \u00a0I created a ground and track background. \u00a0I still have parallax backgrounds to make and implement. \u00a0I’m close to having player movement finished, but I need to implement attack with animations. \u00a0I still have to create the story phases and different levels. \u00a0Seems like a lot to do. \u00a0I hope I can get it finished. \u00a0So, enough writing… \u00a0Back to work!!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Screenshot 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"TrainScreen_002.PNG\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

39:50<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
Finally!! I got past a problem I was having with the train’s movement. \u00a0Of course, the solution was much simpler than I was trying to do at first. \u00a0haha! \u00a0But a lot of wasted time spent there. \u00a0Time to get cookin’!!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

46:25<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
I’ve been distracted with creating that Title Splash up there. \u00a0I hope I have time to finish coding and stuff. \u00a0Yikes!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

68:20<\/strong><\/p>\n

God**** forum! \u00a0My post didn’t update costing me 20 minutes to rewrite and post! \u00a0Arrgghhh!<\/p>\n

Let’s see If I can remember what I wrote.<\/p>\n

I created my own animated character sprites and they took forever to make. \u00a0They aint much, for the time I spent. \u00a0But they’re better than non-animated and borrowed. \u00a0The only thing I stole from the webs were the train cars (although I did customize them) and the pictures for the logo splash. \u00a0Thank you kindly, webs!<\/p>\n

I procedurally generated the train to eliminate room building and facilitate differing train lengths per level. \u00a0It was very difficult and time consuming to iron out, but I managed it and learned from it.<\/p>\n

For the first time, I made the beginnings of a pretty good AI enemy. \u00a0“The Bandit” runs along the top of the train, avoiding the gaps between cars by jumping. \u00a0He is also controlled by different states: \u00a0wandering, chasing and attacking, running away, robbing the locomotive (so to speak). \u00a0Very time consuming and a new experience for me. \u00a0I learned a LOT here, too.<\/p>\n

I hope I can get a win\/lose mechanic finished in these last few hours. \u00a0Also, I still need backgrounds, sounds, music, start screen & menu, HUD, and levels. \u00a0LOL!!! \u00a0Oh well, it was a good try. \u00a0I’ll see what I can finish before the time runs out.<\/p>\n

Screenie #3<\/strong>\u00a0(with debuggin’ infos\u00a0\u00a0\":P\"\u00a0)<\/p>\n

\"TrainScreen_003.PNG\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Entry 2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I couldn’t stand the fact that I was unable to implement the scrolling, parallax backgrounds, so I fixed that issue right after the deadline. \u00a0Still a very unfinished game at this point, but at least it looks a lot better.<\/p>\n

\"screenie<\/a><\/p>\n

Entry 3<\/span><\/strong> (11-18-13)<\/p>\n

After spending several days lost in social media, I’m going to make an attempt at continuing this update.<\/p>\n

Since the GMC Jam’s deadline on October 28th, I’ve continued development on this game (minus the social media and website update distractions). \u00a0Here’s a list of changes and additions. \u00a0Screenshots to follow.<\/p>\n