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Post Anthrocon25 and Game change thoughts
3 months ago
Starting with AnthroCon25, I had fun! Things just felt a lil lack luster for me this year not selling, as I feel like I had a lot less "to do" in a way. A bit less interaction with folks and such. I'd not have been able to offer a lot of commission slots, but it'd have still be fun. I did however, still have a lot of random encounters with folks all around! Folks spotted me with my LED bag and knew the animations on it. I just feel bad if I was caught on the move and didn't get to just chill and chat too long like down at the waterfront.
Tried to go to the vore meetup panel, as I know a lot of folks that go to the meet-up and such, but the panel was a shitshow. Limited space, too many people, long line, not everyone got to go in, hard to find people. It was kinda chaos, but I did find some folks to chat up in lil bits. Went to a room party right after and got to meet some peeps and play a couple games.
I had fun, it just felt a bit less memorable this year.
As for the game thoughts. I've been still stewing a bit on how I'd like to structure the changes. I want to do something that's simplified, but still keeps the character feel and works well enough translating what I made for characters and the ideas I have for them. Adding in a streets of Rage style z axis def changes some things that might invalidate or make worthless some of the moves and ideas. I'm also considering a platformer format of some kind, sort of Smash-styled approach to it, focusing more on platforms, and maybe a lane system akin to Fatal Fury for certain things.
SoR-style or Smash-styled, both have their pros and cons with design implications I must consider. I have the SoR style thing working fully with Gejhi currently, and I've been toying with button layouts for attacks, I'm likely keeping a 3-attack-button system, just "sequence," "utility/strong" and "special" with no command inputs other than the simple forward-forward or "button hold charge" type thing to keep input structure straight forward, along with making sure all characters use the same button layout and command structure so that people don't need to remember different command lists for each critter. Some attacks I made for already existing characters are being removed for this format, but saved for when I revisit the more typical fighting game format I built, that's a side project I'll make for later to expand the characters out for fun.
The two character tag-system is staying. I figure regardless of the format I settle on for this single player focused game, the tag system would be a fun spin on it. Giving the player 2 characters to go ham with and vary the in-game utility of. The ability to block attacks is also staying, but attacks will be more volatile to breaking guard (also grab attacks that ignore it), so guard wisely. Most enemies will also be able to guard, but effectiveness and frequency of it will vary with enemy type and color palette (alt color palettes on enemies aren't just "the stronger version," but rather a behavior variant that may do different attack patterns and move around differently. Red might piss-and-vinegar rush-down, blue might hover around just out of your attack range with wait to sucker punch ya)
I'm still thinking on the right blend of elements, but I know I'll come to something I find fun. I want it to be something I have a blast making and playtesting myself like I did the fighting game format.
I do intend to still make this game difficult, as I like a good amount of challenge, but there will be a difficulty setting to tweak the experience, don't worry. One of the first things I'm going to do as a public test built, is make a unlimited survival mode that slowly ramps the difficulty up so I can get a difficulty math for enemy stats and behavior scaling correctly, also the frequency that "champion" variants of enemies (and bosses) show up.
But for now, format and control layout is what I'm playing with for now.
Tried to go to the vore meetup panel, as I know a lot of folks that go to the meet-up and such, but the panel was a shitshow. Limited space, too many people, long line, not everyone got to go in, hard to find people. It was kinda chaos, but I did find some folks to chat up in lil bits. Went to a room party right after and got to meet some peeps and play a couple games.
I had fun, it just felt a bit less memorable this year.
As for the game thoughts. I've been still stewing a bit on how I'd like to structure the changes. I want to do something that's simplified, but still keeps the character feel and works well enough translating what I made for characters and the ideas I have for them. Adding in a streets of Rage style z axis def changes some things that might invalidate or make worthless some of the moves and ideas. I'm also considering a platformer format of some kind, sort of Smash-styled approach to it, focusing more on platforms, and maybe a lane system akin to Fatal Fury for certain things.
SoR-style or Smash-styled, both have their pros and cons with design implications I must consider. I have the SoR style thing working fully with Gejhi currently, and I've been toying with button layouts for attacks, I'm likely keeping a 3-attack-button system, just "sequence," "utility/strong" and "special" with no command inputs other than the simple forward-forward or "button hold charge" type thing to keep input structure straight forward, along with making sure all characters use the same button layout and command structure so that people don't need to remember different command lists for each critter. Some attacks I made for already existing characters are being removed for this format, but saved for when I revisit the more typical fighting game format I built, that's a side project I'll make for later to expand the characters out for fun.
The two character tag-system is staying. I figure regardless of the format I settle on for this single player focused game, the tag system would be a fun spin on it. Giving the player 2 characters to go ham with and vary the in-game utility of. The ability to block attacks is also staying, but attacks will be more volatile to breaking guard (also grab attacks that ignore it), so guard wisely. Most enemies will also be able to guard, but effectiveness and frequency of it will vary with enemy type and color palette (alt color palettes on enemies aren't just "the stronger version," but rather a behavior variant that may do different attack patterns and move around differently. Red might piss-and-vinegar rush-down, blue might hover around just out of your attack range with wait to sucker punch ya)
I'm still thinking on the right blend of elements, but I know I'll come to something I find fun. I want it to be something I have a blast making and playtesting myself like I did the fighting game format.
I do intend to still make this game difficult, as I like a good amount of challenge, but there will be a difficulty setting to tweak the experience, don't worry. One of the first things I'm going to do as a public test built, is make a unlimited survival mode that slowly ramps the difficulty up so I can get a difficulty math for enemy stats and behavior scaling correctly, also the frequency that "champion" variants of enemies (and bosses) show up.
But for now, format and control layout is what I'm playing with for now.
Have a bit to think on, cuz I still wanna do something outside of the ordinary with the idea, like I was with the fighting game format.
Felt like jimmy johns was practically a secret meetup spot, i ran into a couple friends there at different times, not just you XD hope to catch you again another con! <3