Dev log 1

Hey! I meant to get this up yesterday but was having issues getting my project submitted, but looks like all is set and good now, so here it is. Also, I go into a bit more detail about what this game is about on my main project page if you would like to check it out! It's pretty rough right now, but I hope to keep expanding it as I develop the game more.  

Well here is my first dev log for WW1 - No Man's Land! Not much to show right now, but besides just talking about what I have completed so far, I am also planning to include code snippets to explain how I programmed some aspects of the game, in hopes of helping other fellow game devs or even getting pointers for improvement! So look out for these as well. Anyways, let's get started with dev log 1!

Programming: 

So far, I have managed to get a prototype version of what the troop selection system may look like. I am still trying to solidify the mechanism used to demonstrate what actions the player has set for each troop. Getting this right is important so that players can review their moves before confirming them (and potentially cancel to modify them prior to launching the attack). Right now, the moves the player has assigned to each troop are demonstrated in an iterative manner, though I think what will make it less confusing is if I make the demonstrators play only when the player is hovering over a troop that has been given an action to perform, this way they only see the action on the troop they want to see it for, rather than having to wait for all troops to demonstrate their actions before finally getting to see the one they want to. Below is a video showing the current progress on this movement mechanic. Note that all of the art shown is placeholder as well. 

Tomorrow, I am planning to make that change I mentioned above, along with these 2 additions: 

1. Allow users to confirm all their assigned moves, so that all the troops can finally move up and perform the attack together. 
2. Allow users to cancel moves they have assigned so that they may modify their strategy. This cancellation will only be allowed though if the player has not yet confirmed all their actions.

Early artwork: 

I do not really have much in terms of new graphics to show, but here is some of the art I created for the physical board game version of this project (which is also on my main page): 

These are what the troop pieces looked like in the board game. There were British and German forces. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the french troop pieces made, but I will make sure to do so for the computer game version! 

This is what the cards looked like, separated into a lethal and non lethal category. It is going to be interesting programming the behaviors of each of these in the computer game version! Especially the grenade toss and step on mines one (going to be super fun drawing the explosion effect!)

And of course, I can't have the board game without the board itself. The in game version will have a similar perspective, though it will be pixel art and make use of Unity's tilemap systems along with some cool shaders to spice things up a bit more! 

Devlog 2

Also, here is today's progress! 

As planned in devlog 1, I went back and reworked the action demonstration system so that now, it only plays when the user is hovering over the troop they want to see it for. I also added in the ability for the user to cancel moves they have set (prior to confirmation), along with the confirmation button which confirms all of the moves the player has set and allows all the troops to actually perform those actions. I think it is going to be awesome seeing all the troops move up as one while at the same time, once the card systems are in, seeing things like artillery strikes coming in! 

Tomorrow, I am planning to address the issue where the player can place troops in grids that already contain an allied troop, and also get started on the attack system so that the troops can start shooting. Going to be fun! 

Devlog 3

Not much to report today. I managed to add in the mechanism that will prevent the user from moving troops to grids other troops are already set to move to, and also got started on the attack assignment mechanic. I am thinking about making a devlog only once a week now, since posting everyday is not really allowing me to really show much, so I think updating my schedule this way should be better. So devlog 4 will probably not be out until next Friday. I'm certain there will be a good amount of progress to show off in that one though!

Devlog 4

Made some good progress this past week! Here is what I managed to get done so far: 

• Implemented the turn based system, so users can now take turns making their moves
• Got the attack system up and running 
• Got the dice system in, and fully tied it to how many moves the player can make 
• Fixed a ton of bugs with the assignment of moves 

Here is a vid of the progress up to now:

Up next: 

• Fix some more bugs that have appeared with the assignment of moves 
• Start programming the card systems, and once done, think about other cards that might be cool for the game to have (like the ability to call in a bombing run with a WW1 plane, or the ability to call in a tank, etc!) 
• Start designing the final layout of the UI, since right now its kind of a mess
• Finally, once the card system and UI layout designs are all ready, I will begin working on some environment art

I think I can definitely knock out bullet points 1 through 3 by end of next week. Super excited to get started on the card systems, though figuring out how to represent each using template art will be a bit tricky (and look boring, but better to be sure the underlying system is solid before spending time on art for it). 

Anyways, until next week! Thanks for checking this out! 

WW1 - No Mans Land Devlog 5

Some more progress has been made. I was able to lay out the beginnings of the card system, ranging from mechanics like card shuffling, using cards, drawing cards, etc. I still need to implement the actual card behaviors though, but in this vid you can see the prototype version of the artillery card behavior in action. A couple of bugs I have to fix too, but so far nothing too major. Once I get this card system 100% complete, I will need to come up with a final layout design for all the UI (right now it is just placed so I can use it to test the various systems). After that though, I am planning to either get started on the enemy AI, or maybe even start working on some art to get rid of all this placeholder art. 

WW1 - No Mans Land Devlog 6

Alrighty, nearly all the card prototype systems are complete, the only one missing is the patch up troop card, which will allow the player to revive a dead troop by calling a medic over to a location with a dead troop in it. I think the cards really do add a lot to the game, super happy with how things are looking. 

There are still a couple of things I would like to fix though, such as allowing the player to also assign a shooting decision at the end of a movement decision, since right now it is really difficult to get a shot off without losing a troop like 99% of the time. 

In terms of what happens after I finish the patch up troop card, I am still deciding on whether or not to start programming the AI, or get started on creating the UI layout and art for the game so that I can get rid of all this placeholder art.

Seeing how Devtober will end tomorrow, this will be probably be my final post in this community, but I will keep posting weekly devlogs on my main itch.io page for this game, so stay tuned if you are interested in following this game!

Thanks!