Gary's Blog

Fig.1 - Progress Gary here. This week I made various cloud sprites that scroll across the background, as well as flying insects that spawn across the world and make the place look more lively. I also stopped background objects from clipping into each other. I also started a bunch of things that I haven't finished entirely, such as a new alien which requires the player to lure it to stand on 'plates' to tame it. Mechanically it is pretty much complete, but still needs the art to be done. Fig.2 - New alien mechanic so far (Alien 01 sprite) I made another new alien, which is easily tamed by distracting it with the robot. It's completely finished mechanically and the sprite sheet is finished bar the walk cycle, which still needs work. I'm happy with the idle animation though: Fig.3 - New alien I also started an 'exotic' alien, which is rarer and harder to tame. The sprite sheet for it is finished, and I've made a start on the mechanics.

Gary here. This week I made the game logo: Fig.1 - Game logo It'll build itself in the title screen when the game starts. I also finished the alien from last week I wasn't happy with: Fig.2 - Finished Alien I started making the sky, such as making a big Jupiter for the background and a couple of it's moons, when I began experimenting with perspective cameras to render objects that are supposed to be further back (trees in the background, etc.) higher up and smaller. They also move slower as the player walks by the further away from the camera they are. It still needs playing with to get right as objects clip through the background then disappear as the player moves away, but I think it looks pretty cool so far (particularly with the aliens while they're in the background) and is worth the investment to fix. I made a tile sheet for the ground with different toppings of snow and ground 'decals', which spruce up the ground tiles with underground

Gary here. This week I remade and improved the script that controls the alien and got all the needed interactions working. I just need to make aliens 'wander' back and forth when not engaged in any activity. My other goal for this week was to create the sprites for the first alien: Fig.1 - Alien 01 sprite sheet Fig.2 - Alien 01 idle animation In addition I created some particle effects. Mainly, the constant snowfall on Europa. It consists of small, fast moving snow that go all the way down the screen as well as bigger, slower snow that disappears halfway. It needed to crumble up so I made a simple sprite sheet for it: Fig.3 - Snow sprite sheet I also gave items that pop out of chests (as well as the grinder and rocket) cool particle trails, using this sprite sheet: Fig.4 - Trail sprite sheet That and the snow look like this in Unity: Fig.5 - Particle trails I got a second alien working - this one must be fed until it is full, then will be tame. It

Fig.1 - Chest Hey, Gary here. This week was spent practicing pixel art - I started with making a chest that items would pop out of when found. It took me a very long time to get the sprite right (and that was just one sprite out of what would be an entire sprite sheet!). Whilst I'd likely get faster and better over time, it was too much of a risk to continue with this art style considering how many sprites I will need to make and I'd likely run out of time. Fig.2 - Revised chest I went back to a similar look I'd used for the bait, with large pixels and not nearly as much detail needing to be added (which to be honest I preferred, as its a more unique look). I made a few more throughout the remainder of the week, such as the: Fig.3 - Robot Food item Coin item Robot item A particle effect of question marks for when an alien is confused Stars that flicker in the sky (another particle effect) To prove my point, none took anywhere near the same amou