Footprint Indie Dev Team

BBU! #03 - Big blog update for Netherworld! SCREEN inside #03

2012-01-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

Netherworld's restyling is going really well. We now finished working on design, we're now working on monsters color and ambient (tileset and other stuff) design. Here a couple of our early coloring works, note that this is not artwork color but how the monsters will look in the game.

We are also working on animation. It would not be like on Kunoichi No Adventure, a couple of days to draw all the animation, we want to keep the quality as high as possible. We're now working on one of the 15 animation of the main character, we want to reach Rayman Origins quality so we have to work really hard (NOTE THAT FINAL VERSION'S QUALITY WILL BE BETTER).

We have something to show you, can you remember our first screen? Here's how it look now:

BBU! #02 - Big blog update for Netherworld! #02

2011-12-04T08:14:00.001-08:00

After a period of laziness, a long period of laziness, we're working very hard on Netherworld because we really count on it.

We're now working on a new coloring style, we've done several tries but we're still working on it. Here a couple of B/W artwork.

The Leviathan

NOTE: The Leviathan is not a simple artwork, it will be a complete world composed by four levels.
In the next news we'll post several coloring example.

BBU! #01 - Big blog update for Netherworld! #01

2011-11-07T23:38:00.001-08:00

Someone's thinking we're dead, I can bet on it! YOU ARE WRONG! Do you remember that a couple of month ago we were talking about a POSSIBLE big restyling for the game?

...

We discuss about it for a long, long time because it would not be funny to reach the end of the game and then decide to completely redesign it.
So, for this two month we worked on Netherworld's new style and new we're so proud to show you the NEW Netherworld!!

In this news we shown you character's design change, in the following news we'll show how new levels now look like.

BBU! #01 - Big blog update! #01

2011-10-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Wow! A thousand years passed since the last update!
Don't worry, we weren't sleeping!
Kunoichi is going really well and we've done 6 level about 13. I think that's good, right?
We:
- Have made another monster together with its animation.
- Are working on the minigame which you will have to complete in order to continue the game, they won't be hard, do not worry.
- Have almost complete the “Select Level” scene.
- Have completely done the “Save&Load” system (almost the same system will be used in Netherworld and Netherworld: Mobile).
- Have drawn a second version for Izanami run animation.
- Are working on Game Center support.

Here a few pictures:

And...yes....KUNOICHI WILL BE UNIVERSAL FROM THE BEGINNING! It will support iPad, iPod, iPhone from the first release.

Stay tuned and wait for the next BBU! Which will include a video from the game!!

What we have done and what we'll going to do this week

2011-09-14T01:57:00.001-07:00

We made a lots of progress since our last news!

I wrote the entire plot and some dialogues are done together with dialogues-pictures.

And now an important target reached!

After a few (a lots) tries I manage to write an efficient save&load system which will be used also in Netherworld due to its easiness.

I'm also working on a new collision system because the one I wrote have some problems with horizontal collision.

We made the first map and the level design of the first three levels but also the design element for the second world.

We're working on Izanami's new animation.

IndieGoGo page, first video and DevBlog #02!

2011-08-27T01:59:00.000-07:00

We're here again with a lots of news about our game!

First of all: WE OPENED OUR INDIEGOGO PAGE!

You can click on the link above or visit our site and click on the iframe on the right.

Now it's time to talk about or dev progress:
- Die and Respawn function are done
- Final version of all FoxEnemy animation are done
- First level almost done
- AttackAnimation and StandAnimation done (they're not in the video)

Together with IndieGoGo page we released our first video (if it look choppy is due to my MacBook white and not due to the game):

*Note that PlayerAnimation which are present in this video and in all the other beta video have only beta and development purpose, in the final version the player will have better animation.

Kunoichi DevBlog #1: news and Basic enemy artwork+sprite

2011-08-13T07:27:00.001-07:00

We finished all Izanam's state animation (run, jumpUp, jumpDown, attack, idle) and we're working on GUI (buttons, lifebar and other stuff).
Oh...yes...We also finished the endless level and now we're working on the platform levels.
We'll write the dialogues next week together with enemy animation and dialogues animation. Next week we also open our funding page on IndieGoGo and we'll offer a lots of perks.
Here a pic of one of the enemies:

Kunoichi No Adventure - Release date, price and other info.

2011-08-08T04:31:00.001-07:00

This is our third project.
Another platform, nothing related to Netherworl. This game won't delay Netherworld's release.
We hope to release it on September or in the first days of October for 0.99$.
There will be three major update:
- the first one will bring a new game mode
- the second one will bring GameCenter
- the third one will bring retina display or universal app feature
It will be composed of 15 big levels. In order to proceed you'll need to collect items and resolve puzzles.
There will be three kind of enemies and a couple of boss.
Next week will post pic about the enemies.

New comics concept and future update!

2011-06-29T05:02:00.000-07:00

A long time since the last update.
We're working very hard to complete the demo for October-November but we're also working on the comics.

Do you remember the old concepts?
Forget about them.
We must change the graphical look due to a request by our publisher.
So let's take a look o the new concept.

Now let's talk about the next news.
In the next news here on Indie DB we'll release a new screen of the game with HUD and a new and never seen character!

First screen for Netherworld!!!

2011-06-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

As we said our level working process is:

First concept
Second Concept
Third Concept
Final Version & Digitalizing
Try it & minor fixes

Here a picture to show you the difference between the FirstConcept state and the ThirdConcept. Obviously the final graphic will be BETTER then this.


Click for a full size picture

No main character here because we're changing his color. When it will be ready we'll release an upgraded version maybe with GUI.

We want to remember you that the demo will be available after summer.

Animation's week! How we organized our work and comics news.

2011-06-02T06:14:00.000-07:00

So, we're here again. This time we'd like to talk about how does things work here in Footprint Games.

We divided our work into weeks. One week will be dedicated to X stuff then to Y stuff and again to X stuff until X and Y point will be finished.

Now X and Y point are animations and level design. Our main point will be structured into different part.

For example for level design we'll proceed in this way:

First concept
Second Concept
Third Concept
Final Version & Digitalizing
Try it & minor fixes

Now we have the 1.5 concept (something between first and second concept) for the first world (four levels at all).

Well show an exemple for the first level the next week.

This week is the Animation's Week the next one will be again about LevelDesign.

We'll soon release the final version of the main character (colored) and some places artwork.

Now lets talk about the comics. As you know we're working on a comics based on what happened before Netherworld events (we're doing the same with Dispersio:Requiem) here some concept about characters (who know who they are?)

Dispersio Random news + Requiem menu video!!

2011-06-02T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well, we have a lot of things to say, let's start from the begining.
We're working hard to bringing you Dispersio Requiem as soon as possible. It won't be like with the previous chapters (long development time and short game) it will be completely different, believe us.
Here a video of the main menu.

Note that the final game could be different.

We'll release other development video to show you some new features from this next chapter.

The plot of Dispersio will be completed by the comics.
Yes, you already know about it but now we're near to have a publisher.
Yeah! We're in contact with a publisher for a PHYSICS release of Dispersio Graphic Novel (provisional name).
As we said the novel will talk about 0-8's mission but you'll see a lot of “underground” stuff. If anybody will buy it we'll release also another comics about Kurt's life before Dispersio events.

Dispersio Requiem

2011-05-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

Ok we talked about Dispersio ReAlone (the remake of Alone) but the most important news is the third chapter of Dispersio:

Dispersio: Requiem

With Requiem we'll introduce all the new mechanics of Dispersio ReAlone and, obviously, some secret stuff.

“So I'll never see the Re version?”

No no no, you'll see them, you'll play them but you have to wait, not to much because, thanks to our new organization process and to iTGB, our developing process will be shorter and the game will be far far far longer that the previous chapters.

Someone say to us: “We have to wait to much time to see the new version of your game, release a single chapter please!”

After reading that comment we think “No, never” but after a couple of minutes we realize that it was a good idea.

This chapter will be the end of Dispersio this mean that after that we'll release Dispersio ReStart and ReAlone.Yeah a single chapter but Requiem will be a single chapter with three chapters into it so the price won't be 0,99$ for two reasons:- The quality of the game will be higher of the previous, this mean more work for us.- This game will include three chapter into one.

However the game will be free for the first 100 people which will buy the comics.

Ooooooooh yes the comics.The Graphic Novel will cover the chapter 6 and 7 of the game. These two chapter should have covered the “before crisis” part of the plot.0-8 and his mission are now the main characters.The novel will be a one-shot B/N comics.

We're sorry because we cannot say to much about it but this is a proof that we're working hard also on Dispersio and not only on Netherworld.

Promotional artwork for Dispersio Novel

2011-05-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

Here a promotional concept for Dispersio Graphic Novel

More info about the plot will be released as soon as possible.

Dispersio Alone USCITO!!

2011-04-29T15:28:00.001-07:00

Ok. Finalmente è uscito.
Fin troppa gente si chiederà il perché di questo ritardo. Chiariamo fin da subito che il gioco era pronto fin da Gennaio.
Usavamo, dico usavamo perché ormai abbiamo abbandonato, GameSalad e il quel periodo doveva uscire la versione successiva.
"Sarà sicuramente migliore" pensavamo ma, ahimè, non fu così.
La nuova versione non ci consentiva di pubblicare il gioco, in pratica eravamo bloccati. Risolvono il bug, finalmente possiamo pubblicare ma le animazioni e il movimento degli oggetti smettono di funzionare, in pratica il gioco non poteva andare oltre la splashscreen.
Nello stesso periodo la InstantAction fallisce e la comunità che sta intorno a Torque si trova in un limbo dal quale vorrebbe fuggire. Sono mesi un po' incerti perché ci sarebbe piaciuto adottare iTorque (avendo esperienza con la versione PC dell'engine) per Dispersio ma non sapevamo quale poteva essere il futuro dell'engine, preghiamo quindi per una nuova versione di GameSalad.
La nuova versione non arriva ma le animazioni ricominciano incredibilmente a funzionare.
Guarda caso adesso Torque è stato comprato da degli strani signori e torna in vita con un price cut non da poco...tutto a 99$ mentre prima era a 750$.
Inutile dire che ne abbiamo approfittato.
"Cavolo quante cose possiamo fare adesso!" ho esclamato dopo aver giocato un po' con l'engine. Volevamo far subito Dispersio ReAlone ma buttare nel cesso Dispersio Alone non ci sembrava giusto. Abbiamo quindi rattoppato il rattoppabile, risolto il risolvibile ed abbiamo spedito tutto alla Apple.
Ed ecco che il 29/05/2011 esce Dispersio Alone e la versione Re è già sotto i ferri.
Non aspettatevi però di vederla in poco tempo perché nel periodo in cui GameSalad ci aveva abbandonati e Torque era praticamente in come ci siamo dati allo sviluppo di Netherworld: Gates of Hell, un platform per dispositivi “tradizionali” e mobile.
Questo però ha iniziato a destare subito l'attenzione di un bel po' di gente, in tanti ci hanno chiesto di collaborare, altri ci hanno fatto richieste indecenti ed altri hanno semplicemente detto "figo" inutile dire che questo ci ha fatto muovere verso una direzione ovvia.
Sì, ci stiamo concentrando sullo sviluppo di Netherworld mettendo in secondo piano Dispersio, questo è il secondo motivo del ritardo della versione full di Alone. Dopo tutto Netherworld è ciò con cui volevamo presentarci ma che poi abbiamo deciso di mettere da parte perché pensavamo fosse giusto fare la gavetta con un gioco più semplice da realizzare.
Non per questo Dispersio verrà trattato male ANZI, Dispersio ReAlone sarà forse una delle migliori esperienze disponibili per iOS. Grazie all'enorme flessibilità della nuova engine (soprattutto se confrontata con GameSalad) possiamo fare le cose in modo drasticamente più veloce e professionale.
Parliamo quindi di cose interessanti, le features che verranno introdotte con ReAlone saranno:
Trama completamente riscritta
- Grafica di gioco completamente ridisegnata.
- Nuova, e più professionale, GUI.
- Gameplay più longevo.
- Quasi tutti i minigiochi saranno “RandomGenerated”.
- Nuove aree nell'ospedale.
- Fisica migliorata.
- La città distrutta sarà esplorabile*.
- Pulsante “plus” nella schermata principale.
- Applicazione universale.
- GameCenter.
- Ovviamente gratuito per tutti coloro che hanno acquistato Dispersio Alone.

Queste sono le aggiunte decise fino ad oggi. Ovviamente qualcuna potrebbe esser tolta ed altre aggiunte.
Prima di giocare Dispersio ReAlone però dovrete aspettare ma l'attesa sarà spezzata a una gradevole lettura.

Dispersio Graphic Novel!
Il fumetto di Dispersio.
Nel fumetto si parlerà della missione assegnata a Zero-Otto e quindi dei fatti antecedenti alla distruzione della città (facendo anche luce su questo fatto) ma precedenti all'arrivo di Kurt nel futuro.

*Con città non intendo solo la città ma anche negozi e case (ovviamente non tutte)

Develop a game is not only code.

2011-04-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, developing a game is not only code, graphics or sounds it's also wood, wire and some plexiglas.

If you ever seen a documentary about animation or disney's studios you probably seen an animation table.

Netherworld graphics is full hand drawn and hand animated using a Wacom Tablet but before to draw something on PC we need to draw it in the real word so we need an animation table for our team.

...

But...

…

How much does it cost?

A serious animation disc cost 500$ or 600$, a table made for this disc cost more than 100$.

So we decide to build our own animation table. My brother (he's the 2D artist and animator of Footprint Game) design it and I build it.

I spent 30€ for the wood, 5€ for the screws and the pivots, 20€ for the plexiglas and 15.50€ for the lighting system.

Three days of work and we finally made it:

Click to visit our Flickr album!

We finally did it!!

2011-04-15T13:24:00.001-07:00

A lot of time have beed passed since our last news about...us but now we're back and with a thousand of news.

You maybe haven't notice it but we have a new domain and a new, and better, site. Today is a big day because we also manage to send Dispersio Alone to Apple and you will be able to play it in the coming days.

Yes, yes, we know, too much time to release it and there's no iPad version. We know but you'll play the iPad version, don't worry. But you have to wait because we want to concentrate on Netherworld: Gates Of Hell (click here for more info).

However we'll release a Dispersio Alone 2.0 and it will come with a lot of addition. Here the list.

Sure addition:

UNIVERSAL APP (so you will buy once and play on iPhone, iPod and iPad)
Completely redrawn graphics
New soundtrack
Longer game play
More minigames (every minigames will have two version)
You'll be able explore the ruined city and some shops and houses
Developed with a far better engine
More explorable areas in the hospital

Maybe addition:

Game Center
Intro video

Unfortunately the price will be higher than 0,79€. It will cost 1,59€. Only the 2.0 version will cost 1,59€ so if you buy the 1.0 version you'll get the updated version for free!

Now it's time to talk about Netherworld, our “big” game and, yes, it's a big game for real.

We officially start to work on it on 1^st April.

The real question is:

<<When will you release some real stuff?>>

And my answer would be:

<<Be patient, on September you'll see, you'll play and maybe you'll fall in love.>>

So, wait for September and, if all will go right you'll be able to play a demo of the first level.

Let's try!

2011-04-08T04:15:00.001-07:00

This post have no purpose.