Synaptic Sugar
@synapticsugar@mastodon.gamedev.place  ·  activity timestamp yesterday

Continuing the series on the evolution of #AgentsOfGroove, another art feature: the club level, as well as the gameplay UI for the button matching portions of the game, both changed a lot over the span of two years. This was the first level we prototyped when we started experimenting on the #playdate!

#gamedev #indiedev#ScreenshotSaturday #pixelart #1bit

This screenshot depicts the current state of the art. The characters are more polished, the button prompts are completely different, larger, and use d-pad icons instead of the letters A and B as before. They're highlighted in different ways, including with flashing rings or stars rather than small flames. The vertical bar on the left is slimmer and has a star about 80% of the way up.
This screenshot depicts the current state of the art. The characters are more polished, the button prompts are completely different, larger, and use d-pad icons instead of the letters A and B as before. They're highlighted in different ways, including with flashing rings or stars rather than small flames. The vertical bar on the left is slimmer and has a star about 80% of the way up.
This screenshot depicts the current state of the art. The characters are more polished, the button prompts are completely different, larger, and use d-pad icons instead of the letters A and B as before. They're highlighted in different ways, including with flashing rings or stars rather than small flames. The vertical bar on the left is slimmer and has a star about 80% of the way up.
Progress is evident in this third shot, with a new disco ball that is more stylized and polished. The background is also more polished, and a whole new DJ console is in the scene, showing a pair of headphones and various knobs, cables, and sliders. The record spinning on it has been redrawn as well. The card in the upper right corner has a smaller size and a border around it, as well as a different font and reads "18825".
Progress is evident in this third shot, with a new disco ball that is more stylized and polished. The background is also more polished, and a whole new DJ console is in the scene, showing a pair of headphones and various knobs, cables, and sliders. The record spinning on it has been redrawn as well. The card in the upper right corner has a smaller size and a border around it, as well as a different font and reads "18825".
Progress is evident in this third shot, with a new disco ball that is more stylized and polished. The background is also more polished, and a whole new DJ console is in the scene, showing a pair of headphones and various knobs, cables, and sliders. The record spinning on it has been redrawn as well. The card in the upper right corner has a smaller size and a border around it, as well as a different font and reads "18825".
The same scene, but with art that is already a lot closer to its final form. There are now four characters on the dance floor and they're much more defined. Sections of the floor, as well as spotlights above, light up as the player presses the buttons corresponding to the scrolling icons, which are completely redrawn and catch on fire when the player is doing well. The disco ball has much more detail, depicting the small mirror sections, and the crowd in the background is also more recognizable and defined. There's now a placeholder DJ console at the bottom, behind the scrolling icons, with a vinyl record spinning on it, but the art for it is still simple and sparse. A vertical bar is on the left side of the screen, completely full. A text label in the upper right corner reads "14800".
The same scene, but with art that is already a lot closer to its final form. There are now four characters on the dance floor and they're much more defined. Sections of the floor, as well as spotlights above, light up as the player presses the buttons corresponding to the scrolling icons, which are completely redrawn and catch on fire when the player is doing well. The disco ball has much more detail, depicting the small mirror sections, and the crowd in the background is also more recognizable and defined. There's now a placeholder DJ console at the bottom, behind the scrolling icons, with a vinyl record spinning on it, but the art for it is still simple and sparse. A vertical bar is on the left side of the screen, completely full. A text label in the upper right corner reads "14800".
The same scene, but with art that is already a lot closer to its final form. There are now four characters on the dance floor and they're much more defined. Sections of the floor, as well as spotlights above, light up as the player presses the buttons corresponding to the scrolling icons, which are completely redrawn and catch on fire when the player is doing well. The disco ball has much more detail, depicting the small mirror sections, and the crowd in the background is also more recognizable and defined. There's now a placeholder DJ console at the bottom, behind the scrolling icons, with a vinyl record spinning on it, but the art for it is still simple and sparse. A vertical bar is on the left side of the screen, completely full. A text label in the upper right corner reads "14800".
A very early screenshot of the Cat and Fox club level from Agents of Groove. The art is still a rough placeholder, but the main elements are there: Daley Bellbottoms on the left side of the rectangular dance floor seen in perspective from an elevated position, another dancer on the right side, the big disco ball spinning on top. A and B button icons are scrolling at the bottom from right to left, and a text label reads "Perfect!" above the lower middle, commenting on player performance with the most recent button press. Another label, right in the middle of the screen, reads "Crank it up!", which was also the working name for Agents of Groove at the time. A third label is in the upper right corner and reads "Score: 5025". Two big speakers are in the back of the scene, at the corners of the dance floor, and the silhouette of a crowd completes the picture in the background.
A very early screenshot of the Cat and Fox club level from Agents of Groove. The art is still a rough placeholder, but the main elements are there: Daley Bellbottoms on the left side of the rectangular dance floor seen in perspective from an elevated position, another dancer on the right side, the big disco ball spinning on top. A and B button icons are scrolling at the bottom from right to left, and a text label reads "Perfect!" above the lower middle, commenting on player performance with the most recent button press. Another label, right in the middle of the screen, reads "Crank it up!", which was also the working name for Agents of Groove at the time. A third label is in the upper right corner and reads "Score: 5025". Two big speakers are in the back of the scene, at the corners of the dance floor, and the silhouette of a crowd completes the picture in the background.
A very early screenshot of the Cat and Fox club level from Agents of Groove. The art is still a rough placeholder, but the main elements are there: Daley Bellbottoms on the left side of the rectangular dance floor seen in perspective from an elevated position, another dancer on the right side, the big disco ball spinning on top. A and B button icons are scrolling at the bottom from right to left, and a text label reads "Perfect!" above the lower middle, commenting on player performance with the most recent button press. Another label, right in the middle of the screen, reads "Crank it up!", which was also the working name for Agents of Groove at the time. A third label is in the upper right corner and reads "Score: 5025". Two big speakers are in the back of the scene, at the corners of the dance floor, and the silhouette of a crowd completes the picture in the background.
Synaptic Sugar
@synapticsugar@mastodon.gamedev.place  ·  activity timestamp yesterday

Continuing the series on the evolution of #AgentsOfGroove, another art feature: the club level, as well as the gameplay UI for the button matching portions of the game, both changed a lot over the span of two years. This was the first level we prototyped when we started experimenting on the #playdate!

#gamedev #indiedev#ScreenshotSaturday #pixelart #1bit

This screenshot depicts the current state of the art. The characters are more polished, the button prompts are completely different, larger, and use d-pad icons instead of the letters A and B as before. They're highlighted in different ways, including with flashing rings or stars rather than small flames. The vertical bar on the left is slimmer and has a star about 80% of the way up.
This screenshot depicts the current state of the art. The characters are more polished, the button prompts are completely different, larger, and use d-pad icons instead of the letters A and B as before. They're highlighted in different ways, including with flashing rings or stars rather than small flames. The vertical bar on the left is slimmer and has a star about 80% of the way up.
This screenshot depicts the current state of the art. The characters are more polished, the button prompts are completely different, larger, and use d-pad icons instead of the letters A and B as before. They're highlighted in different ways, including with flashing rings or stars rather than small flames. The vertical bar on the left is slimmer and has a star about 80% of the way up.
Progress is evident in this third shot, with a new disco ball that is more stylized and polished. The background is also more polished, and a whole new DJ console is in the scene, showing a pair of headphones and various knobs, cables, and sliders. The record spinning on it has been redrawn as well. The card in the upper right corner has a smaller size and a border around it, as well as a different font and reads "18825".
Progress is evident in this third shot, with a new disco ball that is more stylized and polished. The background is also more polished, and a whole new DJ console is in the scene, showing a pair of headphones and various knobs, cables, and sliders. The record spinning on it has been redrawn as well. The card in the upper right corner has a smaller size and a border around it, as well as a different font and reads "18825".
Progress is evident in this third shot, with a new disco ball that is more stylized and polished. The background is also more polished, and a whole new DJ console is in the scene, showing a pair of headphones and various knobs, cables, and sliders. The record spinning on it has been redrawn as well. The card in the upper right corner has a smaller size and a border around it, as well as a different font and reads "18825".
The same scene, but with art that is already a lot closer to its final form. There are now four characters on the dance floor and they're much more defined. Sections of the floor, as well as spotlights above, light up as the player presses the buttons corresponding to the scrolling icons, which are completely redrawn and catch on fire when the player is doing well. The disco ball has much more detail, depicting the small mirror sections, and the crowd in the background is also more recognizable and defined. There's now a placeholder DJ console at the bottom, behind the scrolling icons, with a vinyl record spinning on it, but the art for it is still simple and sparse. A vertical bar is on the left side of the screen, completely full. A text label in the upper right corner reads "14800".
The same scene, but with art that is already a lot closer to its final form. There are now four characters on the dance floor and they're much more defined. Sections of the floor, as well as spotlights above, light up as the player presses the buttons corresponding to the scrolling icons, which are completely redrawn and catch on fire when the player is doing well. The disco ball has much more detail, depicting the small mirror sections, and the crowd in the background is also more recognizable and defined. There's now a placeholder DJ console at the bottom, behind the scrolling icons, with a vinyl record spinning on it, but the art for it is still simple and sparse. A vertical bar is on the left side of the screen, completely full. A text label in the upper right corner reads "14800".
The same scene, but with art that is already a lot closer to its final form. There are now four characters on the dance floor and they're much more defined. Sections of the floor, as well as spotlights above, light up as the player presses the buttons corresponding to the scrolling icons, which are completely redrawn and catch on fire when the player is doing well. The disco ball has much more detail, depicting the small mirror sections, and the crowd in the background is also more recognizable and defined. There's now a placeholder DJ console at the bottom, behind the scrolling icons, with a vinyl record spinning on it, but the art for it is still simple and sparse. A vertical bar is on the left side of the screen, completely full. A text label in the upper right corner reads "14800".
A very early screenshot of the Cat and Fox club level from Agents of Groove. The art is still a rough placeholder, but the main elements are there: Daley Bellbottoms on the left side of the rectangular dance floor seen in perspective from an elevated position, another dancer on the right side, the big disco ball spinning on top. A and B button icons are scrolling at the bottom from right to left, and a text label reads "Perfect!" above the lower middle, commenting on player performance with the most recent button press. Another label, right in the middle of the screen, reads "Crank it up!", which was also the working name for Agents of Groove at the time. A third label is in the upper right corner and reads "Score: 5025". Two big speakers are in the back of the scene, at the corners of the dance floor, and the silhouette of a crowd completes the picture in the background.
A very early screenshot of the Cat and Fox club level from Agents of Groove. The art is still a rough placeholder, but the main elements are there: Daley Bellbottoms on the left side of the rectangular dance floor seen in perspective from an elevated position, another dancer on the right side, the big disco ball spinning on top. A and B button icons are scrolling at the bottom from right to left, and a text label reads "Perfect!" above the lower middle, commenting on player performance with the most recent button press. Another label, right in the middle of the screen, reads "Crank it up!", which was also the working name for Agents of Groove at the time. A third label is in the upper right corner and reads "Score: 5025". Two big speakers are in the back of the scene, at the corners of the dance floor, and the silhouette of a crowd completes the picture in the background.
A very early screenshot of the Cat and Fox club level from Agents of Groove. The art is still a rough placeholder, but the main elements are there: Daley Bellbottoms on the left side of the rectangular dance floor seen in perspective from an elevated position, another dancer on the right side, the big disco ball spinning on top. A and B button icons are scrolling at the bottom from right to left, and a text label reads "Perfect!" above the lower middle, commenting on player performance with the most recent button press. Another label, right in the middle of the screen, reads "Crank it up!", which was also the working name for Agents of Groove at the time. A third label is in the upper right corner and reads "Score: 5025". Two big speakers are in the back of the scene, at the corners of the dance floor, and the silhouette of a crowd completes the picture in the background.
GlaireDaggers
@glairedaggers@peoplemaking.games  ·  activity timestamp 2 days ago

Ended up writing a tool in Godot which allows me to quickly iterate on & render out prerendered backgrounds. At runtime, a stencil buffer is used to composite the background with dynamic geometry such as players. Looks pretty darn convincingly like an old PS1 game I think, and workflow is very convenient!

BTW: I'm currently looking for work and I love working on tools like this in any engine. So if you need somebody who loves automating things to make other peoples' lives easier, consider: Hire me please!!

#gamedev #indiedev #psx #godot #retro #lookingforwork #hireme

Footage of a Godot project, showing me moving a cube around with an AnimationPlayer attached, and then pressing a button which bakes out a bunch of prerendered stills. At runtime, these images are composited with a low-poly player model in a style which looks very similar to old PS1 games like Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7.
Footage of a Godot project, showing me moving a cube around with an AnimationPlayer attached, and then pressing a button which bakes out a bunch of prerendered stills. At runtime, these images are composited with a low-poly player model in a style which looks very similar to old PS1 games like Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7.
GlaireDaggers
@glairedaggers@peoplemaking.games  ·  activity timestamp 2 days ago

Ended up writing a tool in Godot which allows me to quickly iterate on & render out prerendered backgrounds. At runtime, a stencil buffer is used to composite the background with dynamic geometry such as players. Looks pretty darn convincingly like an old PS1 game I think, and workflow is very convenient!

BTW: I'm currently looking for work and I love working on tools like this in any engine. So if you need somebody who loves automating things to make other peoples' lives easier, consider: Hire me please!!

#gamedev #indiedev #psx #godot #retro #lookingforwork #hireme

Footage of a Godot project, showing me moving a cube around with an AnimationPlayer attached, and then pressing a button which bakes out a bunch of prerendered stills. At runtime, these images are composited with a low-poly player model in a style which looks very similar to old PS1 games like Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7.
Footage of a Godot project, showing me moving a cube around with an AnimationPlayer attached, and then pressing a button which bakes out a bunch of prerendered stills. At runtime, these images are composited with a low-poly player model in a style which looks very similar to old PS1 games like Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7.