Grave Prosperity: Redux- part 1
Grave Prosperity... Remake??
But what you didn't know about is the Remake that is now in the works!
That's right! I have had enough people asking for it that I have started work on a direct remake of Grave Prosperity: Redux! The remake will focus on remaining as faithful to Redux as possible, while improving on all the minor technical flaws that held the original back. So combat fixes, movement, animation etc...
In fact, in stead of trying to explain it to you, why don't I show you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgIAUXOXUIw
And a screen shot of the game in its editor:
http://orig00.deviantart.net/655b/f/2017/073/0/d/bringing_back_an_old_project__by_darkroom_games-db2bahw.png
So this is not just an idea, it is a work in progress already. I apologize for the massive gap in time, but sometimes a creator needs a little vacation to recharge. Plus House of Velez is still in the works as well. Just remember that this is all being done by Dark Room Games, not LDC Studios. Here is a discussion thread if anyone would like to talk about the project:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/363480/discussions/0/135511455874368791/
BAD NEWS BEARS!!
I have been quietly working on a fresh title that has no ties to my previous work at all, however, and it has been spectacular! I have formed a new company named "Dark Room Games" and the new game is called "House of Velez." The aesthetic is similar to my usual work, but this game is pure horror. No action. Not having the distractions of keeping up with social media updates or trying to reinvent my own old ideas, this game is coming to life much more fluidly than anything else I have ever done.
The demo is close to being ready for Greenlight, so look out for that within a month's time! And I do apologize again for the extended silence on the goings on with my projects!
There is now a Youtube channel for Dark Room Games, and I have a single clip from House of Velez right now:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQLF-aN1soWYfv_XCJhZ_og
And the new company email is darkroomindiegames@gmail.com if anyone has any questions!
Thank you all for your support even during the tough times!
The Next Generation of Grave Prosperity
It's still too early to make its Greenlight page, but I would like to post the completed opening FMV here so people can see where it's all going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_iyLVH1Ab0
Grave Prosperity was never presented with a story. It was meant to slowly unravel as the game progressed through its episodic play. Unfortunately that meant that nothing was known about the Protagonist either. It made it difficult to really care about Amber and what she was doing. With City of Amber I decided to make it in the exact opposite way.
This time you will know your character's past, her feelings on that past, and where she plans to take her future- all right out of the gate. Even her body is a representation of her history and character. From the battle scars that cover her back, to the large wings tattooed under them which represent her desire for freedom from her current life. Everything tells a story in this game. And the rather thickly laid on theme in the intro will have heavy influence over the creatures and horrors Lilly will encounter in Prosperity. There aren't just unexplainable nastys crawling around in the dark anymore. Now many of the monsters (and sometimes locations) will be a product of Lilly's own personal demons and faltering sanity.
There is a lot going into this on all fronts, and I am very excited about its completion!
An Interesting Realization Has Dawned On Me!
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**Taistelusopuli**
"That was a nice fight It seems though that evading Malik's swings is more about luck than timing..? The space is so small. I might be wrong though"
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This was very interesting to me, and it caused me to explain and really break down what is going on inside the project.
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**LDC Studios**
"Haha yes, it definitely takes some practice to get used to his attacks. But by the time you get to him you'll have had so much practice from fighting other smaller creatures that any flinch from an enemy will have your muscles trained to either block or dodge immediately. That is the main draw I want to come from this game. Players developing skill in themselves from experience while fighting throughout the story. I don't want grinding for experience points and increasing stats to be the safety net that carries them to victory. Answering this will actually give me the opportunity to really explain why/how I've done things the way I have!
Mechanically, the game is rather shallow in the sense that everything takes place on the same two dimensional plane, so I have to add depth by making enemies that are unpredictable and always unique. They are tough, but fair. As quick as the boss Malik may be (or any other enemy you may encounter), Amber is just as quick. And the quicker the player becomes, the quicker Amber becomes, giving you the edge. Also, having the enemy and the protagonist on the same plane means that no one is handicapped by things like a poor sense of depth perception. That means that the enemy is always within reach, and so are you. This levels the playing-field to shear skill and timing.
I also want the players to have to learn how each encounter works, and realize that no two creatures will ever approach you the same way. They're being created as organic individuals that act in their own unique way. So some may dodge attacks, some may block, and some may even try to counter. With these possibilities always being present, that means that the player's play-style will have to constantly adapt to the adapting threats. The story itself is not based in realism, but I want the combat to feel real in the respect that you are a stranger to this place and you will never walk into a situation fully knowing or understanding your opposition. In the game, as in real life, stats fall second to skill, meaning all you can truly rely on in this hostile environment is knowing yourself and use what skills you have/develop to survive.
I'm hoping that these things will keep the game fresh and consistently challenging. I don't want players to have just another mindless hack n slash on their hands. You could say that I want Grave Prosperity to be the "Bullet Hell of Hack N Slash," which demands extreme focus and accuracy at all times a threat is present."
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Sometimes I don't even understand the motivation of the things I create, but having to think on and answer to a comment like his is very revealing even to myself. I never full realize the logic behind what I'm doing until long after I've started! Haha!
Check Out The New Combat System!
https://youtu.be/GafypITKMNM
Upcoming Combat Video!
This is a screen from a coming video that will finally be showing off all the new combat mechanics for the patch. The video will be complete within the month!
Happy New Year!
Below is an image of one of Amber's DLC costumes. If you remember toward the end of part 1 during her conversation with Gabriel, Amber reveals her extensive military background (Which is still present in the new patch). So this piece of DLC will represent that. And yes, the costume does come with the assault rifle!
New Mechanics Video has been Posted!
You will also notice a new Stamina Gauge set at the top. Similar to the Souls series, this will prevent jumping, dodging, attacking and sprinting abuse. So no more spammery! Players will actually have to think and use their resources in a tactical manner.
First Official Patch Video Has Been Posted!
Some things will obviously be subject to change. Things like the title screen and the ending FMV. That was just implemented as a way to end the video. Anyway, check out the new video in the Videos section andI would love to hear all your feedback!
First Official Patch Video Coming Soon!
So, to start, you'll notice yet another change in Amber's model. Funny story, actually. Basically once word got around that Miki was being removed from the story line there was a bit of an uproar in my inbox. I never realized just how much people liked her character... Until I got a nice pile of emails that made it nice and clear! Some were more colorful than others, but it was actually very endearing to find how passionate the fans of the game are. Now I still don't get the draw to her character, as she never had enough screen time to develop a good solid personality. Not even back in the RPG Maker XP days. But whatever it is about her, people like it. So since I didn't have much personality to draw from, I decided to just give her image to Amber. Amber is still Amber, she just looks like Miki now. It seemed like a pretty good idea at the time and I hope it makes everybody happy! So here's lookin at you, crazy fans! Haha
Aaaanybut, the video will be released by the end of the month. What can be expected is a more exploration and story driven game, rather than such a combat driven game. There will still be combat, but not the rage-inducing difficult kind of the former Redux. Gameplay draws a lot of inspiration from titles like The Witches House and The Evil Within. Both amazing games from two very different sides of the industry (Indie and AAA).
Also, the setup is changed now as well. I initially wanted to do the classic 1990's RE style menu system, but unfortunately it proved to be a bit beyond my skills up to this point. Once I got more than 1 item in the menu things got a bit... Off. That's ok though. I have a much more suitable HUD and menu system running now. The HUD looks very much like The Evil Within's, and the item selection menu is all real-time, similar in looks to the way The Last of Us did it. It's all been tested and it works perfectly, so no worries in losing out on this one.
Wellp, with all that said, how about some screenshots from the coming video? Check out the Artwork section to see the latest screenshots from the Patch!