FLStudio as my primary DAW, plus some FL and VSTi plugins/DAWs like Native Instruments Kontakt, Morphine, and reFX Nexus. I'm mostly using Nexus for the Mineko soundtrack as it has the nicest and most natural-sounding array of orchestral instruments. I'm dying to pick up Tonehammer Requiem, as it would have been epic for this soundtrack, but unfortunately I just can't afford it right now. Maybe for the seq...er... another project.
Or you could miraculously find an orchestra that wants to play the music for the app for FREE... That would be awesome
Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated and all that I do apologize for a lack of proper updates here. As Mindfield pointed out I have a lot of stuff that I'm juggling right now. I actually pop in and read here and post randomly during most days, even if I don't update this thread... Writing responses on Mineko topics takes a lot more time and thought than I've been able to spare this week. Right now I'm "off the grid", limited 3G/EDGE access with my iPhone, but I promise a great set of updates and news this coming week
CD, you owe us no apologies whatsoever! This thread continues to be one of the best and greatest examples of developer-fan interaction I've seen *anywhere* -- when it comes to communicative developers, you're up there with the very best.
You might want to fix the character movement. Moving diagonally is oddly much faster than vertically/horizontally, since the distance of two diagonal pixels/squares/units is much larger than between two vertical/horizontal units. Also so far there is no combat in the game? The trailer only shows several minutes of walking around.
It's still in a very alpha stage. Those previews are very early development, mainly just the framework. There's still a lot of work to do before it reaches any significant level of playability.
OK, let's see if I can start addressing a lot of the posts, questions, and concerns that have cropped up here while I have been away (and stuff from even further back that was missed ): Let me say that there are definitely similarities to games like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Shiren the Wanderer to be found within Spirit Hunter Mineko's design. I don't want it to feel like a "rip-off" of those games, but anyone familiar with playing them will be right at home with Mineko. If you never have, there will be in-game info to help you along My preferred "post-game" dungeon would be exactly like that as well, start at experience level one, and no equipment, and see how far you can make it (probably in a 99 floor dungeon, as a nod to Shiren and Fay's Final Puzzle)! I can understand how some people would like to use their hard-earned (or hard-traded) equipment so the best scenario might be TWO post-game dungeons... one that allows items to be brought in, and one that does not. Both of these would start you at level 1. Of course there would be two separate leaderboards for these variants Really want these available only after beating the main quest (hence labeling them "post-game" dungeons), but I might allow them to be unlocked automatically after X number of deaths or some such trigger. That way people who just can't overcome the main game can see what the fuss is about.
Continuing my dig through earlier posts... I do have plans for levers and other objects you can interact with. Many of these appear only in the castle, but some will be found in the world leading up to there. Levers will mainly be used to open secret passages or unlock doors in the castle. Other types of objects will have unknown or random effects- should you drink from a fountain? Maybe, maybe not! Yep, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon was a roguelike, and as I said there are bits and pieces coming from there as well as Shiren the Wanderer (another Chunsoft classic). The whole thing will hopefully feel about as fresh and new as possible while adhering to some of the base roguelike concepts! My big goal for Spirit Hunter Mineko was to have multiple environments that had different "feels" to them, instead of all floors being bland and generic dungeons. Each one has obvious graphical differences to make the journey more visually pleasing. They also have a wide variation of different layouts (Rogue dungeons were always a 3x3 grid, but Mineko levels are much more varied and complex in design). Most importantly each new area you arrive at will introduce new and different motivational features, different things you can interact with, and things that can affect gameplay strategies. I agree with you- If we eliminate the much hated "food/eating" motivator, why put a single new motivator in it's place when we can have a lot of more interesting and subtle (or not so subtle) things to bump you forward in the quest. The forest is a good example, with the potential of a nice sunny day, or thunderstorms, and nightfall if you take too long in the journey prior to the forest. The castle introduces new things like levers, doors you can close and lock, and so on. These ideas combined with meeting new types of monsters as you progress will keep tactics and combat fresh I like the ideas of various achievements for *how* you finish the game, and will do my best to create a lot of cool ones that are worth trying for! Well, riding other monsters is a cool idea of course! I think that there's room for that activity in the sequel planning, but its not part of the design in Demon's Reach. As for other methods of traveling the game world- you might not be walking all the time... and you might be able to get from one area to another without passing through the space in-between... Monster "recruiting"- You'll be able to set and use traps, and one in particular will be good for capturing a monster for later use. Full details will on this will be coming as I get closer to release!
Well, you come back with some ever more amazing stuff, CD! Spirit Hunter seems like a game to end all games .
We're still here. Both a bit busy lately, but we're chugging along. Currently looking at buying an epic audio package that will make the music even more suitably epic.
Yeah, Mindfield had some awesome ideas and I had a specific feel for the audio in mind. This is leading us to pick up an amazing piece of software to assist in the epic music goal... I can't wait to show off the results As for general Mineko news updates, we've both had parents or in-laws visiting plus an overdose of good old "day-jobs" lately which has slowed game development work to a crawl! Some of you may have heard about the other project I am brewing: "Rogue Touch EX"... initially planned to be a simple animated remake of Rogue (and therefore Rogue Touch), it's design is changing quite a bit. I will still make a simple animated Rogue using these graphics at some point soon, but the "EX" project is actually going to get some additional monsters, gameplay, and magic to go along with the pretty artwork! Why am I talking about this here? EX characters (yes, plural) will live in the Spirit Hunter Mineko universe! This crossover lets me test out some of the magic system and other gameplay ideas in a simpler game, and ensures I can put the best shine on Mineko. Never fear, things are quiet, but we're still working!
Good update, Kevin! Looking forward to whatever you have brewing... Day jobs... I remember them... But this job isn't a day job anymore. Now its 24/7! Can't wait to see any Mineko stuff no matter how small of an addition it is.
Thanks Josh, I'm also eagerly awaiting Rimelands to see all the great stuff you've been working on! Fortunately my "day-job" is running my own business (been doing that for over 12 years now), so no going to the office and punching a clock for me. Of course I'm harder on myself than most any other boss would be! It's crunch time on a big programming project right now, but soon I'll get back to games at full speed. If Mineko and the EX projects are successful, I might be able to close up my consulting business and create games full time <dreams of it right now...>
Whoa, first I've heard of Rogue Touch EX! AWESOME! I'm also definitely feeling that idea to integrate the Rogue and Mineko universes. Very cool indeed.
