Posts by AlexMartial

How (and Why) to Write a Great Game Design Document

Hello, guys

I want to share with you my last article about necessity of GDD creation, common mistakes with that and some tips (from our experience) how we can avoid them.

Every indie developer or team has asked themselves how best to manage the development process. Is it obligatory to use detailed documentation, such as the legendary game design document (GDD)? What are the most common mistakes, and how can they be avoided?

For those who have searched for answers to these questions, I want to share our team's experience of creating our GDD.

http://gamedevelopment.tutsplus.com/articles/how-a…ment--cms-23545

Hello, everyone! We are publishing the seventh article from a series about main Sol-Ark's features - Skeletal animation for sprites [Blocked Image: http://media.indiedb.com/cache/images/g…_1_cut3_opt.gif] This week Sol-Ark is showing off its skeletal animation engine. This is how we create sprites, by hand, that will populate our game world and carry out the player’s will and commands. [Blocked Image: http://media.indiedb.com/cache/images/g…dics_layers.png] Each sprite can be made of more than 20 layers, some of which you may see exploded and bloody in the game after a meteorite impact or enemy assault. [Blocked Image: http://media.indiedb.com/cache/images/g…mar27_2_opt.gif] These layers are individually rotated and placed to create the individual frames of an animation cycle, which consist of around 25 frames. It is a lot of work, but it gives us precise control over each sprite’s movement, piece by piece, a bit like Legos. Read full article on Sol-Ark's IndieDB page Join us on our website to know more

Eric makes amazing music tracks. We've already met with him in past on gamedev.net website. Eric is a big friend of indie teams. He shared his music with us by free and allowed us to use a few tracks in the video of our early build. Now we have our own composer in the team, but he gets his inspiration from different references including Eric's music. Eric, great thanks for your music. /Sol-Ark's team.

Quote from Thrik

My super-geeky Donkey Kong Country article just got spotlighted on Kotaku. Naturally it is of the highest quality and should be enjoyed by you all.

http://kotaku.com/todays-selecti…n-co-1687301484

http://ryanjw.kinja.com/solving-donkey…tery-1686648924

Great article, Ryan! Thanks for sharing! I spent a much more than a month in the past, playing in a DK.

You've done a lot of work. I like very much your graphic style - it looks very atmospheric. Good luck in further development.

It looks very-very cool! Keep working. Best of luck!

Hey, Ryan! I understand. Everything is OK - I'll change our activity here. Thank you for critic!

Hello, everyone! We are starting to publish a series of articles about main gameplay features of Sol-Ark (there are 17 of them) on IndieDB website.

Here is the first article in that list - indirect crew management.

[Blocked Image: http://media.indiedb.com/cache/images/games/1/38/37689/thumb_620x2000/Responsibility_distribution.jpg]

In Sol-Ark you command the ship’s Virtual Intelligence System which gives commands to the crew. You will appoint the specialization of NPCs, highlight problems and issues, and set their task priorities.

An Engineer will be less accurate (and brave) in battle than a Soldier, and if you send a Medic instead of a Biologist to investigate a new species of alien plant, well, don’t be surprised if they return without a head, or are infested with an unidentified parasite.

[Blocked Image: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hwfW4Dp7KDE/VOO7yO79tQI/AAAAAAAAAbo/mfcpQRHHD-M/s1600/%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%84_6.gif]

At the helm of the Sol-Ark’s V.I. System you will designate the location for tasks to be performed and relay the commands directly to the crew. Highlight areas to undergo construction, select wall types, solar arrays and other subsystems to be crafted and installed by (hopefully) responsible and trained Engineers and workers.

To know more - check our page on IndieDB website.

Follow us on Sol-Ark's official website to receive the latest news.

Hello, everyone! I'm updating the thread with a regular news from our blog with devlogs.

Take a look at new screenshots and gif files, as well as full description of work, which has been performed over the last week.

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[Blocked Image: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ji7PtrGLDM/VN5tQWw1TXI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/gtt7O8eFzpc/s1600/2015feb13_12.png]

Check our IndieDB page and official website to know more.

Hello, everyone!

I'm updating this thread with GIF, which demonstrates different map levels in the Sol-Ark by this time.

[Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/images/gif/444.gif]

The first map level - is micromanagement. On this level you are responsible for indirect NPCs management and their life support.

The second map level - is a local space. On this level space battles and interaction with space objects, like an asteroid, take place. Also, this is the place where random events, like gamma-burst or space maser, appears.

The third map level - is a star system. This map level is used for navigation and traveling.

In the future there will be the fourth map level - arm of galaxy for interstellar travelling.

Name: Sol-Ark [Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/cache/0/e03b29…0360dad4cfc.jpg] Genre: «Sol-Ark» - is an indie-project focusing on 2D space faring real-time strategy/sim (RTS) with some Rogue-like and Sandbox elements. It’s an old-school hand-made flash project [Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/images/sketch/…4/maplevels.jpg] Short description: Sol-Ark is a 2D Space RTS with sandbox and rogue-like components. Expect gameplay mechanics designed with player choice in mind and an immense universe to make those decisions in. Missions and storylines drift from seriously somber to hilariously violent with every new area explored, and random events punctuate these encounters to create a dynamic experience that’s part procedural generation, part astrotechnic action puzzle battle-scarred deep space handcrafted indie celestial celebration [Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/images/gif/2015may1_2.gif] [Blocked Image: http://media.indiedb.com/cache/images/g…/2015may4_3.gif] A few of Sol-Ark's Features: Crew morale systemOne of the most interesting mechanics we've introduced is a morale system for NPCs, consisting of varying degrees of four moods. These moods affect how any given NPC will perform a task. Ask a happy NPC to switch out a reactor core and they might do it in half the time, whistling all the while. Ask a depressed NPC to do the same task and they may open the airlock and jettison themselves, and other crew members into the unforgiving void of space.[Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/images/sketch/…20ekipazha1.jpg] Random eventsThe game will feature dozens of events ranging in class and severity. You'll encounter pirates, miners, derelict stations and celestial phenomenon that will alter your crew's mood, send you on quests, and engage you with ambushes, full frontal assaults and other intergalactic shenanigans. Expect naturally occurring lasers to sever your ship, and be wary of the allure and intrigue of alien-infested cargo adrift in space.[Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/images/sketch/…repiatsviia.jpg] Sandbox Style ConstructionYou'll be building your ship from frame, to floor, to wall and ceiling. You can shape and build the ship to your own liking and compartmentalize its systems however you see fit. Do you want your ship to look like a massive triangle of death, surrounded by torpedo turrets, lasers and cannons? Go for it. Want your ship to be shaped like a massive cat head? Please give it a shot, and send us some screenshots.[Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/images/sketch/…iy%20korabl.jpg] Last video:

Approximate release date: middle/end of 2016 Technology: ActionScript 3.0 with AGAL, API - FlashDevelop. Platform: Multisystem Language: English, Russian Inspirations for developers: “Faster than Light” (FTL), “Dwarf Fortress” (DF), “Ancient Domains Of Mystery” (ADOM) and “Laser Squad” (LS) projects. Project's beginning: May, 2014 Status of project: pre-alpha version, preparation for Steam Greenlight campaign Sol-Ark's official website Press-kit Official blog (devlogs) Page on Steam Community Page on IndieDB Pages in social networks: Facebook Twitter Instagram Music: The game has its own OST (examples here). Composer - Eugene Guliugin. Team: Main core of the teamAlex Sayenko (Ukraine) - game-designer, producerJustin Hellstrom (USA) - second game-designer, writer/scenaristDmitrii Demenkov (Ukraine) - lead programmerEugene Guliugin (Russia) - composer, sound-designerEugene Usmanov (Russia) - lead 2D artist, concept-artistOlga Petrovskaya (Ukraine) - web-designer These guys helped us in their free time Tomas Seniunas (Lithuania) - second programmerLuke Bourne (UK) - third programmerAlexander Horiakov (Ukraine) - community-manager More info about the project you can find on the Sol-Ark's website and on the Sol-Ark's blog with devlogs. Special thanks (indie helps indie): 1. HASTE project's team for their assistance and consultations.2. Indie Games Developer group on LinkedIn and its creator - Julian Ross for his mentorship3. EmpiresInRuins project and its team leader - Emiliano Pastorelli4. UMOGA platform for team searching and its creator Maxime Lutin

Hello, everyone! My name is Alex.

I lead and represent the team, which has been working for almost 10 months on Sol-Ark project. This week we've hit top-20 on IndieDB website again!

[Blocked Image: http://solark-game.com/cache/8/98af7ff966343d50a918c886d492ba4d.jpg]

Short description: Sol-Ark is a 2D Space RTS with sandbox and rogue-like components. Expect gameplay mechanics designed with player choice in mind and an immense universe to make those decisions in.

Missions and storylines drift from seriously somber to hilariously violent with every new area explored, and random events punctuate these encounters to create a dynamic experience that’s part procedural generation, part astrotechnic action puzzle battle-scarred deep space handcrafted indie celestial celebration

[Blocked Image: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0plYsgrl6a4/VNXe-YXP2-I/AAAAAAAAAYc/DRLb0jkEBBw/s1600/%D0%BF%D1%88%D0%B0_16.gif]

Check Sol-Ark's official website to know more.