Sprint 2 Updates

So we have made significant progress on The Hand That Feeds within the last two weeks. We have successfully created a rough prototype on the game and we are currently working on getting abilities, puzzles, etc. in the game.

I’ll break down what each department has done within the last two weeks and what we’ve added to the game.

Programming

• You can now load from the first level to the next level
• You know lose health when you miss an attack
• There is now a base character controller for the game
• You can now combo if you repeatedly tap X or Y. X does a light attack and Y does a heavy attack
• Health potions were added

We have a rough mock up of the Main Menu of the game. The Menu has a background in progress currently but here is what it looks like currently.

Here is a look at when you miss an attack and how much health you lose.

Here is a look at the combo attack. The beginning of the GiF shows the light attack combo and the end shows the slower heavy combo. We will have unique combos in the future but currently it’s just moving back and forth.

Here is a look at the base character movement currently as well. The dash is likely to change because players are using it as a movement tool instead of the sprint so we are currently reworking how fast the player is.

Then here is a look at how the enemy AI works for the game. The lines that you are seeing are the AI’s “vision” if the player is within their vision they will attack.

Level Design

The level design team got the base layout of each of the maps with our current modular pieces. Here is a look at the basic blockouts that they came up with for the dungeon and courtyard level.

The current level layouts are sort of maze like because we want the players to wander around and explore. The different aspects of the levels.

They then took these blockouts and expanded upon them further. By adding enemies to the level as well as potions. They also went through and updated their levels to the most current assets.

Here is an overlook of the most recent version of the courtyard level

Here is a walkthrough video of the dungeon level

Concept Art/2D

Concept art is starting to work on a series of different things. The main concepts that have been worked on so far are the pause menu, control scheme, dungeon concepts, courtyard concepts, ranged and melee enemies

Here is a look at the pause menu that was made up for the game

Here is the look at the dungeon and courtyard concepts that were done. These will help the modeling team and the level designers envision the levels that are wanted in the game. I also had a concept of the trees within the courtyard level since they will be extremely prominent.

I also had the artists draw up some potential enemy concepts for the game. I had them create enemies that didn’t have legs so it can take some pressure off our animators, to where they don’t have to rig them.

Here are the ranged enemies that they concepted

Currently we are looking to go forward with the skull like enemy and the flower. These enemies will shoot things at the player.

They also concepted out some of the potential melee enemies

We are looking to move forward with the floating two armed enemy and the scythe like enemy in spirit of keeping the load light on our animators. Although many of our other team members like the shielded enemy as well. We may also take the eyeball enemy and turn him into a ranged enemy that opens and closes.

Modeling and Animation

Modeling has been working hard to give level designers more assets, so they can spruce up their levels. This should help ground the player a bit more. As well as give more life to the levels.

So far for the courtyard level they have made some planter boxes for trees in the future and added pillars to break up the level as seen below

Then here is a look at some of the assets added for the dungeon level

The modelers also went through and created an asset for the health potion so the player doesn’t have to look at green cubes.

Here is a look at that

We also brought the character to full fruition now by having him fully modeled and textured. He was just passed off to animation to be rigged. So we can start hopefully putting animations in the game ASAP.

Here is a look at him

The floating melee enemy that I mentioned earlier has been modeled and is also in the process of being rigged at the moment. Most of his movement will be in his arms and a bit in the jaw.

Here is a look at his model

The last thing that was modeled was the ranged skull enemy. Our team actually got this one done pretty quickly and a lot of them enjoy his design.

Here is a look at him

We are planning to put a particle effect around him of a flame and he will float around and shoot projectiles at you.

That is a majority of the work that we have completed this sprint! The team has been hard at work. We are currently looking at feedback for the levels and character controller and are adjusting accordingly.

From our initial looks, it looks like players really want a minimap or some sort of fog of war to show where they have been. We are currently looking into solutions for this problem and potentially how many resources it will take to create it.

In the future you can hope to see enemy models in the game, more props and assets for the levels, special abilities, and more!

Thanks for the support!

Sincerely,

The Hand That Feeds Development Team!