Being an indie developer means that you have to take care of the marketing as well. And nothing is more powerful than cool images.
In this video, I take the time to explain how I start with the sketch and go from there by defining the lighting and the environment. I talk about what is important to me and how I solve difficult problems within the illustration.
So sit down and have a look at how this illustration comes together.
[previewyoutube="OZ82ejW74rU;full"]
And don't forget to play the free demo and add Leif's Adventure to your wishlist! Thank's a lot!
Hello Ghost, my friend.
Leif’s Adventure Netherworld Hero features a unique two-character system. Our hero Leif is supported by the supernatural and super-cute sidekick Ghost. In the single-player mode, you can switch between two characters at the push of a button. Or you share the fun with a friend in coop mode and each of you plays one of the characters.
The two protagonists have totally different abilities and gameplay styles. While Leif is a traditional action-adventure hero Ghost has some unique tricks up his imaginary sleeves. And only as a team, the two can succeed.
In this article Ghost is the star so let’s have a closer look at his specific skills.
Let’s start with the obvious first. Ghost can fly. This means he can reach areas where Leif can’t go on his own. But since the two characters can’t strive too far away from each other Ghost should make sure that his friend will be able to follow by activating or moving around specific platforms.
But there are other ways our ghostly friend can shine. There are many other specific objects in the environment that Ghost can interact with. For example, slow down hazards, activate flowers to give Leif a boost when floating, activate switches to open doors, collect hard to reach loot, or activate hints in the environment. There is much more for Ghost to do so just give it a try. Important to note: If something is glowing blueish the chances are high that Ghost can interact with it.
Ghost seems small but he is surprisingly wreckless maybe because he can’t take any damage. So be fearless when playing with him as well and use his abilities to explore every nook and cranny in the fantastic worlds you will wander around in.
But Ghost has also his week spots. He is not the biggest fighter. But this does not mean that he is useless when Leif swings his weapons. Ghost can stun enemies to give Leif the upper hand in a tight fight, drop stalactites on bigger-than-life monsters, or distract enemies so Leif can sneak up from behind. And if you’re very creative you can use Ghost to lure enemies into vicious traps.
And we should not forget about the phantoms! Leif can't even hurt them before Ghost demasks and drags them into this dimension.
There you have it. Ghost is not a simple sidekick he is an integral part of this unlikely duo and only together they can overcome all the challenges this big adventure throws at them.
You can play the demo today in single-player or coop mode! And don't forget to put it on your wishlist!
Let's Play! Danjuls the friendly Indiegame Viking and the Dev!
Today, I have a very special rebroadcast. Dan the friendly Indie-game-viking plays the work-in-progress intro of Leif's Adventure and talks with Roman the developer of Leif's Adventure: Netherworld Hero.
We talk about the ideas behind the game and how I set up new levels and a lot more interesting stuff.
If you missed the rebroadcast today. You can visit Dan's Youtube channel and rewatch it there.
Let's have a look at how to equip Leif and hunt down one of the five ancient monsters in Leif's Adventure. Rewatch the broadcast here:.
[previewyoutube="sFKtc0DZ0qc;full"]
Don't forget to wishlist Leif's Adventure. Thank you very much!
A closer look at Leif's Adventures weapon and armor system.
In this article, I walk you through the gameplay features and give you an exclusive insight into the battle system, weapons, and armor and what Leif will encounter on his quest through the worlds of the Netherworld.
[previewyoutube="lDQixS-Yicg;full"]
Leif’s Adventure is inspired by Nintendo titles such as The Legend of Zelda which have been a great influence on my career. The world is a homage to the great games I grew up with mixed with unexpected, unique features. So, let’s take a closer look.
The World
The world of Leif's Adventure is connected by the roots of the World Tree. There are six worlds with Ariiobora at its center for you to explore.
From Hammerfall the snowy mountains of Leif’s village to Broken Cave, a world full of crawling monsters in depth below ground, to the desert lands in Sandfalls. Each world will challenge you differently and you must put your skills to the test.
Need a break from the fighting? Return to Arribora, buy new potions, equip yourself with protective armor and new weapons, or just wander around and explore the unique world of Ariiobora.
Weapons
Speaking of equipment: There are over 50 unique weapons. From an axe, longsword to battle speers. Each weapon brings a unique advantage. Defeat an enemy and pick up their weapon. But choose wisely.
Damage System
When you equip your hero with a weapon you should think about its damage value, its durability, and the type of damage the weapon deals. A weapon should deal as much damage as possible. But what is it worth if the weapon is extremely slow or breaks after just a few hits? So, there are many things to consider.
The power of the elements
The damage system in Life’s Adventure is based on the Rock, Paper, Scissor principle. The three elements are FIRE, ICE, and ELECTRICITY.
Fire stops ice, ice beats electricity and electricity is stronger than fire.
Always consider the elementary effect a weapon can have. Because this effect can make your weapon extremely effective against certain types of enemies, but on the other hand can be less effective in other cases.
The final attribute to consider is the attack speed. Weapons come in three main types. One-handed two-handed weapons and spears. The two-handed weapons are generally slower. But each weapon has its own speed attribute. So, make sure to test every weapon that you can get your hands on. On top of this, each main type has its own air attack. Two-handed weapons can to a powerbomb one-handed weapons are extremely effective against flying enemies since you can wield them while jumping.
It is up to you to equip your weapon loadout in a way that lets you deal with all the challenges that you will face.
Inventory
Your inventory has a limited storage capacity. There are different ways to earn inventory expansions. These are extremely valuable because they give you the possibility to take more items with you. More weapon types or extras health potions to heal your battle wounds.
Armor
Speaking of battle wounds. Best to avoid them altogether and you can do that with the right armor. Gear up and change your wardrobe for better protection.
Just like weapons, armor sets also have different qualities. They can strengthen your defense and influence your attack speed. But watch out for the elemental influence. For example, strong fire protection might be a problem against electro enemies.
Leif's Adventure: Netherworld Hero will be released later this year on Nintendo Switch and Steam, but you can already try the features for yourself in the free demo on Steam:
Game-Development Video Logs - How to create an enemy!
Welcome to today's steam-development-update! Today, I would like to share this video series about how to create an enemy with you!
The Design:
First, you need the idea! To get a clear understanding of how the new enemy should look like I create a dozen of sketches. After that other details like weapons and colors are defined. When all is set in stone the artwork needs to be prepared for the animation process. [previewyoutube="vDaGGZ0I60c;full"]
Die Animationen:
Next, the new enemy needs to learn to walk. Each enemy requires about 12 different animations. Walking, attacking, getting hit, dying, and so on. Check out the second video to see how this is done for Leif's Adventure. [previewyoutube="lnhIxpEGcPc;full"]
Die Animationen:
Last but not least the enemy needs to know what he should do in the game. How should he react to the player. Will he be almost unbeatable or just cannon fodder? All this is defined in the last video of this series. [previewyoutube="B0EIarGhdZ8;full"]
I hope you enjoyed these insights into game development.
Leif's Adventure will be released later this year on Steam and the Nintendo Switch. Make sure to play the demo and wishlist it today! Thank you!
In his dreams, Leif relives his mother’s tragic death. His mother passed away giving birth to him. The guilt and longing for a mother he never knew overshadow his dreams. Each night he fights to save her, only to wake up and to realize that no matter what, he will never be able to change the past.
Leif’s father too is haunted by the past. The death of his wife turned him into an overprotective father. He is scared to lose Leif and will do everything to keep him out of harm’s way.
A father struck with grief and an older brother, Ragnar, the seasoned warrior that everyone looks up to. Leif feels small in the shadow of his family. Will he ever be as brave as his brother? He looks up to him and dreams of becoming a strong warrior like his brother, that protects the village and is trusted by everyone. Ragnar is held in such high esteem that he was chosen to undertake the monthly dragon ritual.
Leif’s village honors the belief that two dragons fight an eternal battle in the sky. The dragon serving the light and the dragon creating the darkness. This battle has been going on since the beginning of time.
The villagers believe that they must bring the dragon of light offerings each month so that he remains strong and defeats the dragon of darkness. The ritual is key in keeping the balance between light and darkness.
Leif’s brother was chosen to bring the offerings to the Dragon’s horn at the top of the mountain so that the dragon of light can feast and replenish, thus gaining strength for a new cycle of battles.
Leif dreams of becoming an admired warrior like his brother. But Leif's father thinks differently. Leif’s future is set in stone. He is destined to be the blacksmith's assistance.
Fire and steal instead of the cold blade in battle. Forging the blades for the warriors instead of becoming one himself.
At night Leif sneaks into the village tavern to listen to songs of heroes’ past and dreams about becoming one himself. He dreams that one day they will sing a song about his epic battles.
But someone is never seen of late at the tavern. Leif’s brother Ragnar is keeping watch at night. Something is keeping him up and he gazes upon the darkness weary of an evil force. Leif tries to understand what is going on with his brother. His brother is keeping a secret from him. But what could it be? He will find out soon enough.
On the morning of the ritual things are unraveling fast. Leif's village is attacked by Phantom Warriors. No mortal blade can harm these evil forces from another dimension. Only the dragon sword Ragnar carries can defeat them. Leif's father wants to protect Leif. He doesn't think Leif to be strong enough to fight in the battle. Instead, he is sent away to find his brother.
Leif runs as fast as his legs can carry him to the top of the mountain where he believes the ritual to be taking place. But things have taken a different turn of events. For there is no dragon, but a great evil awaiting Leif.
Leif arrives too late. In horror, he watches as his brother is fatally wounded by an evil foe and thrown into a magical portal. Little does Leif know that the evil force he witnessed has been the cause of the danger brought upon his village. Minjaar is the master of the Phantom Warriors and the darkness lurking in the shadow of his dreams.
Now it is upon Leif to save his brother and his village. Leif has no choice but to jump after his brother through the portal. And so his quest to the Netherworld begins. The quest to save his brother, village, and most importantly learn the true meaning of being a hero.
Join him when the game is ready later this year! Put it on your wishlist now!
A new level is born!
GAME DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS!
A new level is born
Leif’s Adventure combines six big worlds into a single, exciting adventure. Creating these worlds and filling them with challenging puzzles, fights, and riddles is a lot of work. But Leif's Adventure is coming along nicely.
A level is created out of several layers. In the gif above you can first see the ground structure of the level. In the next step, the background and the filler or wall elements are added. The next is integrating dynamic lights to give the environment an interesting look. As the last step, I love to add a lot of decoration to tell a story. In the Sandfall level, we visit a fallen tiger kingdom that has been destroyed by an evil witch and is recovering slowly.
Breathing life into the level
But a level would be nothing without inhabitants and maybe even more important foes to fight. For the Sandfall level, I have created the Tigros. This old tiger-tribe has been fighting against the crazy witch Kara for the last 10 years and have finally managed to get her behind bars.
The foes in Sandfall
Next to Kara, there are many bigger and smaller foes waiting for you. Somewhere hidden in the catacombs of Sandfall awaits Angur the snake god! He is a master of the elements and will challenge you with magical elemental defense and attack tricks!
Minjaar will also ramp up the forces he sends against you. In Sandfall you will face a new phantom warrior type! A very big one:
Make sure you work as a team and combine the abilities of both characters to fight your way through the level.
Bosstime
Every good level needs a final challenge. In Sandfall you will face off against the evil witch Kara in an epic airship battle. You can control the ship with Leif and fire the canon with Ghost. Together you can win this fight.
Make sure to put Leif's Adventure on your wishlist to support me!
Join the monster hunt!
The December dev-vlog update is here:
We have a very special episode of OneManOnMars Dev-Vlog today! Melina, my wife is joining me on a monster hunt! Together we will take on one of the game's side quests. Search and hunt down one of the 5 ancient monsters. This is part of a side quest of Leif's Adventure: Netherworld Hero. So join in and let's see if we succeed in this journey!
There are many surprises waiting for you. For example, we will show new enemy types, new weapons, new areas, and much more. Furthermore, we present the quest preparation process of equipping new weapons and armor before going into one of the levels.
