Games WIP: Twilight Punkster

Twilight Punkster - Released



Dana, a punkster who hacks her way through Advancity to survive the hard life of the slums - hacking traffic to avoid the Enforcers or tuning her nanobots to tap into superhuman power to overcome confrontation. While making new friends and overcoming obstacles, a sinister plot unveils itself...

...and the faith of the species depends on the strength, the mind and the courage of a punkster and her friends underneath the twilight sky.

It is not intending to fulfill a niche market. Its genre comes closely to cyberpunk action packed RPG, but mostly inspired by many comics like Biomega, the Amazing Spider-Man, games like Baldur's Gate, Secret of Mana, LOTR: Third Age, Final Fantasy 7, Persona 3 and 4 and TV series like Dragonball Z, Thundercats and Bravestarr. Note: I am not an expert or claim to be; if you feel I incorrectly named or referred something, let me know

Follow the game progress on GameJolt:
https://gamejolt.com/games/twilightpunkster/263815

Some images, so you can see other WIP screenies on my Unity Connect page:
https://connect.unity.com/p/5924c78d32b306001a705825

Let me know what you think of the art and the impressions you get from the screenies.
Like them - if you want - on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/twilightpunkster/

Also, I keep a Twitter devlog: https://twitter.com/twpunkster.

 

Good to see you finally showing things publicly!

My first impression is that it is "very black", the second impression is that I'm not sure what style exactly you want to go for, because I see a mix of textured / untextured, outlined / not outlined, and detailed / simplified assets.

I assume you went for full black shadows to save time on fleshing out the scenes with assets? The lack of ambient light reminds me of the dark days of 90s CGI, if you know what I mean. If you want to keep the full black shadows and go for a comic look, I'd suggest to push that further and as an experiment try to take out the gradients from the spotlights and make them razor sharp like in Sin City comics, where everything is either white or black. And try upping the shadow resolution and setting lights to hard shadows. Personally I'd also add some heavy antialiasing, but that might be a personal preference.

I'm not a big fan of the font. Finding good comic fonts can be really hard. Back when I was looking for them it seemed that many of those actually being used in comics aren't even available for purchase, because they are custom in-house fonts.

These might be interesting for you:
http://www.blambot.com/
http://hans.presto.tripod.com/links004.html

Good luck!

 

One of the reasons of placing it in WIP. The art style is a mashup between comic and anime. The difference is indeed noticable, as this is footage from test runs. The buildings are "generated" and the purpose at this point is polishing.

Yes. As you know, lights and can be super time consuming; at this point the mechanics are mostly done. Also using a combination of baked and realtime lights is a separate flow. As you already know, I use TDD and BDD testing. Small issues noticed late (like an animation going faster than the movement speed), requires a quick build. With over 90+ scenes, I cheat a lot during development and design.

Yes, definitely going for a comic look, and thank you for noticing the gradients. Luckily most of those gradients are spots in special prefabs, so I am going to check that out. Good input!

Haha, that's an area where nobody seems to agree. The fonts used for the dialogs are actually purchased and recommended (with exception of Bangers used in combat). Thank you for the links. Now since you are giving valuable feedback; which kind of font do you think would be more fitting?

Thank you for breaking my heart Be as cruel as possible.

 

I've had long discussions about readability of serif vs sans serif fonts with a client, and looking for some scientific stats to back up my arguments, all I could come up with was a study that says readability is mainly influenced by what people are used to read. I've read entire books written in sans serif font where others would complain about the font after only 2 pages. According to @frosted my typographic advice is not on par with my other art-related feedback, so I guess I'd rather let others ponder on the font choices. What I can say though is, don't set entire sentences in italics, use that very sparingly, like for emphasis of single words. And try not to vary letter sizes within one text area. If you want more emphasis, use bold text. Maybe search for a popular text-heavy comic webblog that uses a comic font and see which one it is?

Can you link where you bought the font you are using?

I'm trying not to break it. The way I see it holding back useful feedback out of politeness, is the truly cruel thing to do.


Looking forward to see your progress, keep us updated.

 

Fixed. Done.

It was a font package, the font family is Comic Book though.

I was kidding Love your concrete feedback - and even better that you are using solutions in how to improve further.

I'll post some changes here, but I'll do most of the active stuff on https://twitter.com/twpunkster. Feel free to join my three followers (two being bots).

 

From the images - I'm getting an interesting stylistic connection to Blade Runner mixed with a cyber punk theme. I don't know if this is intentional or not, and it might be due to the camera angles and staging, but it's interesting. There are certainly worse films a game can invoke memories of.
Following.

 

What are you using for visual scripting? I'm using Playmaker which seems to work pretty well, but I'm curious what other people like using.

 

How about I tell you more a mix of Bioware and Akira, and following a more traditional gameplay of the good ol' JRPG days. Thank you for following!

GameFlow, a secret tool and Seneral's Node Editor.

 

@Martin_H taken the notes from your feedback, and revamped the areas with more light sources. I like to keep things pretty dark though - life sucks in the slums



Also, you can find a #wip video here (a bit of audio testing):
https://twitter.com/twpunkster/status/875683059701620737

 

In regard to the fonts, I still get a variety of responses from Slack, Discord and Twitter.

https://twitter.com/twpunkster/status/877175402279645184

Really appreciate the feedback!

 

This sentence is very confusing. You use the word "comics" but most of the things you mention aren't "comics" at all.

I apologize if you're not a native English speaker, but comic isn't the correct word there.

Additionally, it looks like you're referring to many different things. It sounds like you're addressing stylistic influences as well as gameplay influences. Otherwise I'm not sure how this is inspired by both Baldur's Gate and Final Fantasy 7.

...how is it inspired by BG, anyway?

Anyway, with such broad influences it would be good to nail down what they mean a little more clearly--otherwise all you're doing is name-dropping. Is it like Bioware games because of real time with pause combat? Like FF7 because of the city? Like Persona because of the--I don't know, never played Persona. Like Secret of Mana because of multiple character perspectives?

I'd love to see the gameplay (from the perspective of someone playing, not just the video with her kicking the guy). It seems interesting. I'm always up for more non-fantasy (especially present-day/sci fi) RPGs.

 

Sorry, my bad - I meant Biomega Busy weeks. In regard of the gameplay, making a trailer has been quite a horrible job - but working on it.

 

I feel ya. I do this for my day job, and sometimes it can get - complex and cumbersome.
What is your process for capturing gameplay? What video editing software are you using?

 

For capturing gameplay, I use my own tool autocat that supports automated playthroughs. It can record. For quick ones, I just use Quicktime screen recording with soundflower, and use Handbrake to encode to MP4. For video composition I use Blender. Not so much because of its features, but I've been using it to for cutscenes and other stuff.

At the moment everything is extremely busy to get ready for the release.

Let me try to explain some things with using common jargon how the universe works. Eventually, you'll have to play the game so it makes sense. With inspired, I mean that I've analyzed the game and looked at its content, its UX and its mechanics.

Let's do the Baldur's Gate first.
So, no - it is not a AD&D, space-bar pausing, roll-a-dice game at all.

1. the environment is inspired by Baldur's Gate.
Well, it will make sense in some days - but basically, one of the cool things I like about Baldur's gate is the way exploring felt like. Even though it wasn't "3D", for that time, it felt realistic enough. The environment and the maps were not only large but you could spend hours and you had to walk around with care; danger was around every corner outside of city walls.

2. the character and party interaction is inspired by Baldur's Gate
Even though the taunts were basic, I still remember the characters today as if they are real people I knew. Even though there are 5 typical party members, the total hero cast is 10. Some are unlockable, some are optionable. You could say that its the player,

3. the action is partially inspired by Baldur's Gate
Twilight Punkster is not about magicians or ancient lore, so "Magic", "Mana" or "the Force" do not exist in its universe. However, it builds on two principles for combat.

The first is "inner strength" (a stat you build based on experience, social bonds) that can be unleashed to a physical energy form (you could relate it to Qi), which behaves like having magical points that require replenishing; sleep.

The second are NOTS - nanobots that can be hacked to perform superhuman abilities. These hacks are controlled by Combat Applications, shortened as Capp's, that are similar like spells from the spellbook. Capps can be "crafted", purchased from stores or dropped as loot (very rare), that are instantly available from 4 slots.

There is more to combat though, but that isn't inspired by Baldur's Gate. The standard combat are primary and secondary attack, dodge and block which are influenced by the equipment the characters have. You can however hide in shadows or for example a dumpster.

4. the learning mechanic is partially inspired by Baldur's Gate

In essence, Candlekeep is a big tutorial, but succeeds in getting a "feel" for the setting of the Sword Coast. This happens in a similar way in Twilight Punkster.

And move on to the Amazing Spiderman:

1. the nerdy gadgets are inspired by the Amazing Spiderman.

Spiderman has a complex alterego - Peter Parker. The troubles of himself to survive while having a great responsibility are often well highlighted early in the comics. If you read the comics, you'd know that the "webbing" is actually not a trade from the spider bite, but an invention Peter made:



This lead to scenarios where Spidey would run "out of web" and increases the sense of "danger". Like running out of ammo in Resident Evil.

But it doesn't end there; look at his enemies. Often they are not only powerful, they are very intelligent. Their existence are caused by accidents or acts of desperation in combination with technology: Dr. Octopus, the Lizard, Green Goblin, Venom and the list goes on. Sure, the science does not always add up - and that will be the case in Twilight Punkster.

2. the character alter ego's are inspired by the Amazing Spiderman.

Dr Octavius, Curt Connors, Norman Osborn, Eddie Brock. They are the alter egos of the villains. They have a history, a reason. This makes them more than 1-dimensional characters. Creating good villains is hard. A good villain is someone you detest for their actions, yet make it difficult not to sympathize once you learn about their past. Never used in the movies (at least the ones I've seen), but even Jonah Jameson controls "Spider Slayers" and becomes a more active "villain"; but his main role is a passive one - defame Spiderman.

The star cast in Twilight Punkster are made with the principles of alter egos. They make the characters not only interesting, but give reason to their existence and abilities.

Eventually, when the game is out, I can highlight some things better.

Now you understand the process, the following will be quick:

Secret of Mana
The top down view. Early on, I had a ring like menu. Didn't make it in the final version. Three characters and the strategy menu.




LOTR: Third Age
This gem from the GameCube is all about showing off big time. But what I love the most is how you always stand outnumbered, but certain choices that affect the environment in battle, like the choice to attack the ladders in Helm's Deep.

In Twilight Punkster you have "sabotage", which allows you to perform similar tactics on objects in the level.

Final Fantasy VII

You'd think that Advancity is pretty much inspired by Midgar. It isn't. Fun fact; it borrows more from Blade Runner, Akira and Judge Dredd in that aspect. Final Fantasy VII has a great little mechanics. One of them is where the characters can "disguise" themselves or fool NPC's to infiltrate.

This is also an integral part of Twilight Punkster, where being able to disguise is a second - but not secondary! - mechanic to be stealthy. The mechanic itself however works similar like Hitman 2: Silent Assassin; except you don't need to kill someone to impersonate them.

The materia system in Final Fantasy VII is something I really appreciated; having a lot of variety and building the character and its most effective combat abilities is something you can drown in. I have no intention to make this a SJW thingie when saying: the party in FF7 was very diverse. Yes, Cloud being mister spiked hair, but Tifa and Barrett and Nanaki are pretty much the diversity I love to see in a game.

The party in Twilight Punkster is diverse. It mocks the typical spiked hair boy by a skater girl with a beanie who isn't modelled after Angelina Jolie - but with a burning rage and fighting skills that would make Bruce Lee proud. Jenna, being blonde, super intelligent and super privileged does the Batman thing; takes on the angry gang members with her bare fists in the night, where her daytime activism for better life can't reach. Debra is a notorious hacker, who loves girls and would do anything for ratsteak (yes, rats). Ryan is a family-man, a scientist with a big heart and a hippy in a lab outfit, where Eugene as former gang member changed his ways and uses his street experience to overcome problems. Just like in Final Fantasy VII, these details are not obvious. It is intentional, however - and contributes how different people, with different backgrounds and different skills can collaborate and save the planet. With all your powers combined, I am ca.........

Remember "bust in or take the stairs"? Twilight Punkster is designed around this replayable mechanic. It's core is about 5-room dungeons. Busting in means taking the risks for experience and loot - more action packed - while "take the stairs" is about strategy and puzzling. No spoilers But I think you'll get the idea soon enough.

Persona 3 and 4

In my opinion, the best games ever. I love the setting of a mystery that unveils, the story and the embedding of anime. But I also love the humor. While things are quite serious, there are epic moments with food poison, assumptions, gossip and foxes. A character like Teddy just make me laugh out loud.

Twilight Punkster is a dark game, it is quite disturbing sometimes if you really let things sink in. But there are moments that will make you smile. Another inspiration was to go for a different experiment when it comes to music. Instead of supertechnie or typical cyberpunk, I went for a more house/club direction.

TV series like Dragonball Z, Thundercats and Bravestarr.

Twilight Punkster is made with the idea to be like a comic; it is build for additions with DLC. How this will work is something that will be explained soon enough. The player, creates the comic as the story progresses. Dragonball is famous for its saga's, Thundercats and Bravestarr have storyline that focuses on character development over episodes. The comic that came from the original Thundercat series made it more vivid and especially The Return gives a the struggle of a powerful villain and it was very dark - most people didn't like it; but I loved the twists and subtle hints of something deeper. In that sense, it had the same impact as alternate reality comic Batman: Red Rain. Bravestarr is a weird cartoon in every way, but I just loved how it works. A space cowboy with native american origins, a cybernetic horse with an attitude, and 4 special, temporarily powers that increase his senses. However, I love mostly how the old gold rush was molded into a space environment and have watched the series again to look how to combine the old with the futuristic; analyzing how the designers shaped objects like beds, chairs, cabinets and so on. Dragonball Z is for me about overcoming unbeatable enemies and the strength of social bonds. The dynamic interaction between the group is epic; where Yamcha used to be a enemy, he becomes a reliable ally for life and beyond death. The complex relation between Goku and Vegeta doesn't need explanation, nor does the growing friendship between Gohan and Piccolo. Trunks from the future has a complex relationship with his father, but it changes after his near death caused by Cell. Vegeta still struggles (and fails) being the perfect father, but subtle you see his efforts. Twilight Punkster uses social time to grow bonds; the more you interact with the other characters, the more stronger they get or unlock things about them to enable a deeper level.

I hope this kind of gives you enough reason to believe I'm not name dropping. I've done a lot of research (and I still do), did a lot of refactoring over the past year. My gut feeling says that if you enjoyed those, you will certainly appreciate and most likely love Twilight Punkster.

 

At Indigo 2017 - a dutch game event for indies - I will have some machine coated prints of an 8-page comic of Twilight Punkster. A trailer will be up shortly!

 

Working on the last minor things - here is the current gameplay look:

 

Revamped the city.

 

Still looks very VERY (too much) dark to me, as someone else stated above. Pure black shouldn't be used except for very few/limited instances. Even walking out into the woods - in a relatively uninhibited part of the country - does not equal complete blackness after a couple minutes of eye adjustment. Even complete blackness in space has ambient bleed. The total darkness of the scenes make the visuals look off/incorrect.

Regardless - I'm still really interested in playing this!

 

For those afraid of the dark, some extra light. Also revamped some other tiny things at the same time.

I was quite brave and threw the Twilight Punkster trailer on Reddit too!

 

Changes, added little emissive boost to some materials. Changed the terminal booths with a deep pink emissive and rotated them to a different angle.. Created two streetlight alternatives and patches the prefabs, so the street lights are not equally intense. Boosted car lights to work better with the blooming. Moved tiny baked lights to simulate the ad boards to bounce.

 

Short footage of the minigames and testing the new light changes.

 

Nearly had a crash and burn moment - not back on track, but on track to get back.
No fancy stand and presentation for Twilight Punkster, but that stuff happens.

 

Fixed up some lights in the interiors.

 

Some other interiors from the slums of Twilight Punkster.

 

It has been a while since I added some updates about Twilight Punkster. At the moment awaiting for the GameJolt verification process, so close to a release (at last).

So, what changed? A lot, actually.

1. First of all, I wanted to maintain a retro style, but the visibility was an obstacle for some people. Hello, dithering and excessive use of light shafts to bring the environment to life. It took some tuning to get the right palette and keep the original atmosphere.



2. Replaced all building geometry with detailed ones, added textures and imposters, super mesh baked them to maintain performance, adjusted a fancy shader to have the billboard ads not only emit light but take advantage of the Metal and Vulkan capabilities of Unity.

3. Revamped all the indoor styles to become more vivid, with details that just give that extra edge.




4. Improved the combat system by simplifying it, adding a timer per battle to keep the pace up, made the action buttons centered and highlight and created a special rule system to allow combo's for combo's. Went from a 3x3 combat grid to a concentric battle system (read: a crazy action packed version of the game Go, in 3D) and keeping the UI as minimalistic as possible. Changed from crazy angles to fixed angles with exception to special attacks. Added a lot of violent particles, like bloodshed, and blasts and moved the comic like text effects to a separate layer as a more subtle effect (than the original in-your-face). Made a difficulty learning mechanism to keep the challenge up, but to dynamically adjust itself when getting too difficult for the player. Added a bonus for players who can defeat their opponents with more than 25% of the timer left. Made action points from the cards deplete only per battle.




5. Added alternative ways to complete side quests
Extended stealth options for the player, allowing to "outsmart" the enemy instead of brawling only - from cracking, hacking, social engineering to pickpocketing and sneaking




6. Added technical features under the hood
For one, all UnityScript is gone. Second, using the Metal and Vulkan features, instanced materials, optimized shaders and moved from my own implementation to a input control framework that was way more flexible and less prone to get hammered by the Unity editor. Super optimized the camera post processing and moved from multiple LUT's to a more powerful way to create a vintage tonemap (sadly at expense of RenderTextures).

As always, the latest news on https://twitter.com/twpunkster but definitely take a look at the FB page https://www.facebook.com/twilightpunkster/ or from the marketplace directly: https://gamejolt.com/games/twilightpunkster/263815

 

I really like what you did with the dither and retro palette effect, but it causes heavy color banding. You could try adding a static (animated would look terrible) noise effect with color noise enabled. If I remember correctly there is one in ColorfulFX if you have that. Some color noise should help force the color band transitions into visually more pleasing dithering patterns. At least for my game that worked when I experimented with such effects.

 

It's now published in Early Access on GameJolt. If you encounter bugs or performance issues, feel free to DM, like most games, I expect two/three updates; so use the GameJolt client to get auto-updates. Hit the follow button to keep track of the progress on this game. No money for the game, but you got a nice YouTube channel? Leave me a message and I'll see if there is enough reason to enable the partner program.