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Feel free to join at https://discord.gg/VmqwgsxWkW!

Small (and big) update: Game play footage!

(Sorry part of the gif is occasionally cut off - the camera has a bobbing effect I didn't think about when selecting the screen region)

Thank you!! I've always found that drawing out what I want my software to do always helps, with an added bonus of helping communication. I'll definitely pass on the art complements! 

I just heard about GifCam last night, so I will definitely try that! 

The team has been busy making the game into a game. We've gotten a lot of the sprites done for Drate and the world is mostly put together. We have a basic map laid out for The Game.

Overall, there's 3 objectives in different sections of the game. First a key, which functions as the platforming tutorial. Then, a battering ram, which forces you to use your elements to adapt to challenges. Finally, your skills are tested to find the final, missing piece of the door.

Right now everyone is focused on implementing puzzles. We've been making sprite assets like wild and coding up their functionality in the game. We've also finished all of Drate's forms. 

Unfortunately, my gif maker is not working well so I can't show the game in action (I'll try to update later!) As penance, please accept these frogs.   

Water, Ice, and Steam

A lot of this week was dedicated to getting our mechanics to function properly. The overarching concept is that, as a water elemental, Drate is able to transform between three forms. Each of these have an advantage and disadvantage.

In liquid form, Drate is able to run left and right, jump, and looses water while standing on a dry surface. The constant loss of water forces players to navigate quickly though the level while dashing in between water sources.

In solid form, Drate can move, but he "freezes" at different sizes depending on how much water he had. While frozen, Drate continuously melts. Although this doesn't allow water to evaporate, it does revert him back to his liquid form over time. 

In gaseous form,  Drate can fly and pass through some objects. However, he also loses water much faster. 

Using these mechanics, Drate will be able to navigate throughout the world in order to find a way to enter into a door that is remaining frustratingly shut for him.

Tomorrow, the team and I will be finalizing how the world will be set up. I'm excited to update you then!

Valks: Small update in regards to our Github: [...] It's actually spelled correctly now
Lyn: Is there even a canon spelling?
Valks: Streemlyn Ext
Lyn: there we go
Peter: Memelyn Ext
Valks: memelyn.ext
Lyn: lyn.exe
Lyn: you run it and all it does is call sleep(50000)

Ok, this devlog is only a little bit late but here we go! 

Streamline (Steamline?) Exit is a game about a water elemental trying to open a door. I'm really excited about this project because we have quite a large team. We all went to university together, but as some have graduated, we haven't been able to collaborate as much as we did before. Right now, our Discord has eight members and I can't wait to see what we come up with!

The game is a platformer that uses the concept of water to inform its game play. Drate, our elemental and currently an Eevee, is able to switch between three forms: water, ice, and steam. This will allow you to solve specific challenges in order to open a mysterious door...

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?

Hi! I go by Lyn or Nil depending on the person and either is fine! I'm a university student and I've run a video game development club far too long to never have actually made a whole game before.

2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?

I did not participate in the last jam, but I'm participating now because I want to run one of these. And I'm of the opinion that you have to experience something before you try to recreate it.

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

Stardew Valley is my all time favorite game and I've been wanting to make something like it for ages. This jam is not that jam, but it's still on the projects list. 

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

I've used Gamemaker Studio in the past for some small stuff, but not extensively. Hilariously, the largest game I've made was a school project where I was basically told how to implement everything.

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

Honestly, games of all kinds are my main hobby. Most of my friends are people I play dungeons and dragons with, and I like talking about games both from an industry and art/design perspective.

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

Goal 1: Make a game; goal 2: have the game actually work. More specifically, I hope to learn how to use Unity so I can go on to make larger games that I'll want to really dedicate myself to working on. I've already learned a couple things from one of my teammates who usually leads our projects about leading projects myself, so that's also going to be a very interesting perspective to take!