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[WIP]SilverballZ  "Upcoming first-person platformer..."

User is offline   Sanek 

#1

Posted Image
SilverballZ is a zero-budget, first-person platformer powered by Build Engine. While it features the same technology as Duke Nukem 3D and recent Ion Maiden, my newest game is actually a complete antipode of two. The visual style is utterly minimalistic, violence and interactivity is minimal, and the actual gameplay is №1 priority here. It will be almost identical to my previous game, CandyMania, but only better. More levels, more enemies and more challenges will be waiting for you!

Attached Image: S1.png
Your character is a anthropomorphic ball named Silver, and you're one of the silver balls. The evil shapes is your enemies, and your job is to free your friends from them, i.e. you must collect all points to finish each level. For the most part, the gameplay will consist of nothing but platforming and evasion, although some minor button puzzles will be added. Each level will be just one big arena, with some minor variations as big room-small room-big room thrown into the mix. Difficulty will gradually grow from level to level, as well as the size of the levels themselves.

90% of the textures featured in the game was drawn by me, and the rest comes from public domain. Tea Monster is making the enemies right now (see the prototypes below), and I'm still using Mblackwell's code from CandyMania. However, I'm still looking for people who can join the team, and I hope that this theard will help me when I'll start sending more invitations.

I will not call a specific release date, but I think it will be released by the end of the year. I also think that I will release a demo version of the game in a couple of months. After making CandyMania, I beelive that a similar game that will feature such simple yet addictive gameplay can be good and successful if it will be more polished and professional. Stay tuned! :)

Actual screenshots:

Posted Image

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Prototypes by Tea Monster:

Attached thumbnail(s)

  • Attached Image: Czd6icK.png
  • Attached Image: oWATDjp.png


This post has been edited by Sanek: 10 March 2018 - 06:00 PM

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User is online   Danukem 

  • Duke Plus Developer

#2

I gave an upvote for your efforts so far, but I'm not seeing a lot of platforming gameplay potential in those screenshots, especially the last one. Are most of the platforms going to be added in later? Will be they sprite based?
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User is offline   Sanek 

#3

View PostTrooper Dan, on 10 March 2018 - 08:19 PM, said:

I gave an upvote for your efforts so far, but I'm not seeing a lot of platforming gameplay potential in those screenshots, especially the last one. Are most of the platforms going to be added in later? Will be they sprite based?


The design of the levels will be similar to Candymania, and you actually have to do a lot of jumping and evasion in shots 1-3.
The room in the last pic is just a starting area that connects two bigger areas.
All the platforms is already here. Some level will have sprite based platforms.
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User is offline   Poorchop 

#4

I can't see any of the screenshots apart from the attached thumbnails but this sounds cool. The shape theme kind of reminds me a bit of the Adventures of Square but that's not a platformer like this. It's cool to see people doing more with the Build Engine though.
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User is offline   Sanek 

#5

That's strange. Most people can see the pictures.
I guess that's just me using russian website is what causing the trouble.

And yeah, Adventures of Square partially inspired me to do this game. However, the main inspiration comes from old isometric arcades like Spindizzy and Marble Madnes. You know, the rolling ball type of games.
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User is offline   Sanek 

#6

Recently I decided to add a new feature into the game that will change the gameplay considerably, allowing more elaborate layout decisions.
If you ever played a Sonic game (or any platformer for that matter) you'll know what I'm talking about. :)

Attached Image: SBZ12.png
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User is offline   Sanek 

#7

I'm sorry folks, but I think I'll close this project. Here we go again. :)
Of course, I can finish this thing if I want to but unfortunately, there is a business matter that forced me close it. I don't think I will ever make any mods, ever.

I must confess that I started to make standalone mods not only because I wanted to bring my ideas to life, but also because I seriously thought about making a genuie video games some day.
CandyMania was a first try of making it, and SilverballZ is supposed to be a serious project. You may think I'm crazy but I even contacted the EDuke team and asked them if it's possible to release SilverballZ as a commercial game. They refused. Hendricks refused.
He refused because he says that I'm wrong in "assuming anyone will pay you money for Babby's First Game". I thought that I have enough expirence with Build Engine and I made my previous mod as a proof that I can handle project like this. But the real reason is something completely different - a personal dislike of me. In short, Hendricks refused because I didn't follow his instructions right when I asked him to help me with one of issues I had in Candymania. I improved and everything turned out fine in the end. However, Hendricks refused to release a commercial Build game on the account of that single misstep. It's not even ridiculous, it's depressing as hell.

TerminX didn't even wrote anything in our conversation (yet he viewed it once). I he just ordered Hendricks to turn me down, becuse he wrote his last message immediately after TerminX saw our conversation. I can still finish the project and ask for donations or maybe sell some stuff that didn't violate the Build license. Not because I want big money or smth, but because I simply don't want to starve to by the end of a month. If I will just release a free game it will lead me to nowhere. If it wil be commercial game it will allow me and other people who work with me to start their careers in the indie gaming industry. However, thanks to the port owners' arrogance it won't come true. They didn't allow you to sold your game because they don't like it. I have never been so hurt before in my life.
Maybe I'm dreaming too much. Maybe I don't deserve it. Thank you Hendricks, for ruining my dreams!
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User is offline   Hendricks266 

  • Weaponized Autism

  #8

Exhibit A:
Mblackwell recoded most of Candymania for you.

Exhibit B:

View PostSanek, on 10 March 2018 - 05:56 PM, said:

Posted Image

This sprite is clearly ripped off from the Babe Land robot mouse. Really?

Exhibit C:

View PostTrooper Dan, on 10 March 2018 - 08:19 PM, said:

I gave an upvote for your efforts so far, but I'm not seeing a lot of platforming gameplay potential in those screenshots, especially the last one. Are most of the platforms going to be added in later? Will be they sprite based?


I'm not denying you a license because you didn't listen to me. I'm saving my own time and trouble trying in vain to convince you of the reality of the situation, because you did not listen to me in the past, and instead giving you a quick no.

This post has been edited by Hendricks266: 21 March 2018 - 10:30 AM

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User is offline   Sanek 

#9

A: I never said I worked on it alone.
B: It was a prototype. Just to show what a character will look like. Yes, it's based on the existing sprite.
C: He didn't even saw the game. I told him that gameplay-wise it will be identical to Candymania so he'll know what to expect. Basically I wanted to make the same game with a different setting that will have a commercial basis.

What did you try to say with this post? "Look at my fucking exhibits ABC it prove that Sanek's not right"? What a low, rotten, toxic nitpicking.
You just ruined everything I hoped for. I'm sure that even if this project will be finished and ready for release you'll still refuse to do anything with it because I was guilty of not listening to you that one single time. I wanted to ask about it early because it could be worse if I would bet my time, energy and personal savings on it and then recieve a refusal. It turns out it can't be even worser than now.

This post has been edited by Sanek: 21 March 2018 - 10:41 AM

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User is offline   Forge 

  • Speaker of the Outhouse

#10

Sorry to hear about another dead project.

Sanek, if you wanted a license, it was your job to convince Hendricks to give you one.
I didn't partake in the conversation, but if you showed up in PM and simply said, "gimme". You should expect to be turned down.

It's not wise to bring this stuff up in public either; especially if you're going to make unfounded accusations about other people's motives and reasons.

Unless you like burning bridges.
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User is offline   Jimmy 

  • Let's go Brandon!

#11

Okay Sanek. You know, I don't browse the forums much anymore. It's not that I don't care, I'm just at a juncture in my life where other things have taken priority. That's okay, it happens to all of us in modding communities. Now here's the thing, I've gotten a few PMs from assorted members of the community pointing me to this thread laughing at you and inevitably attempting to bait me into trolling you.

I'm not going to do that.

How old are you my man? I know you were a kid when you first joined the community, and you did kid things and I don't hold it against you. I've tried to encourage you as much as I could, because you do show promise despite your unrealistic ambitions. Some of your maps I've played are actually pretty good. But you've still got a lot of maturing to do. I've seen you take legitimate criticism as outright attacks before. Maybe I see a little bit of myself in you. Your behaviour doesn't do you any favours.

At this point in your community life you can do one of two things:
1) Accept you're immature and try to grow
2) Dig in and never change

Number 2 is a road both of us know you don't want to go down. But you might do it anyway if you can't swallow your pride a little bit. Your behaviour doesn't help you accomplish your goals.

I know Hendricks and TerminX well. I've done things that have really pissed both of them off. They know my character. I've apologized, in earnest, and we moved on. They don't hold personal shit against people, but they don't play around either. If you consistently act a certain way they take notice. I hate to call others out or name those who shouldn't be named, but really look at how much it took for them to ban Robman from this place. He had to go way over the line. Others like myself or High Treason have been given chance after chance to stay in the community. They're not authoritarians. But they do expect you to control yourself. You show a lack of self control that worries them I'm sure.

CandyMania was a small project. This isn't a criticism, just a fact. And you spent much of the time working on it feuding with another member and begging for help and trying to guilt others for not helping you. It is what it is. It's an immature way to work. It shows you weren't willing to learn to program. This is key to Hendricks' decision.

You contacted two dudes who JUST released the preview of their game. Think about that for a second. They know the work it takes. You're one guy. You have shown that you *need* others to do work for you. Put yourself in their shoes. It's a waste of their precious time.

How much work has been done on this project? 5%? 10%? You made a mistake, dude. If you really wanted to release this game as a commercial product you made the biggest rookie mistake possible. You have nothing to show for the proposition. Your game should have been at least 50% done, if not 75%. You don't even have a finalized main character yet.

Furthermore I have a hard time believing that this game is the difference between you eating and starving. Look, I'm a hustler. I have a job and a personal business. I spend a lot of time trying to make more money. If you're that broke you just need to get a job dude. You make indie games for the love of it, not the money. If you're that dedicated to being an indie game developer then you would move on to somewhere else where you could make and sell a game. But you're not. Because this isn't about that. This is about you not getting what you want. It's immature.

I hope you understand where I'm coming from. You could be a vibrant member of the community, you just have to make that choice. Feel free to PM me.

This post has been edited by Jimmy: 21 March 2018 - 12:12 PM

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User is offline   Sanek 

#12

Thank you for your post, Jimmy. Perhaps the analysis of the situation from the 3rd side is what I needed right now.

I do not understand the problem, if I work with other people and ask them for help. I've never said that I take the credit away from others, and I was ready to share everything with them. If you'll try to be jack of all trades some areas will definitely be weaker than others. It's like I can't even ask them about anything unless I learn how to program, while it will be much more time-efficient to split different responsibilities between different people.

i admit that I didn't have the patience to ask about it later when I've made more progress with it. I just couldn't wait when I needed the answer for such important matter. On the other hand, it will be just awful if I'll made the demo and then they refused. I know that I have a very big ambitions about the game; however, the game itself is anything but ambitious as I intended to make it as minimalistic as possible so other people will have smallest amount of job possible.

I don't know if it's too late to apologise for everything or not. I don't know if they even respond to me if I'll ask them about it again and I'll made at least a demo to show the game off. Anyway, I want to apologise to Hendricks and TerminX for my behavior. It was very immature of me and I'm sorry. I hope that some day we can talk about it again.
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User is offline   Player Lin 

#13

It's never too late for apology before the point of no return(banned or something very bad). :)
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User is offline   Sanek 

#14

View PostPlayer Lin, on 22 March 2018 - 07:29 AM, said:

It's never too late for apology before the point of no return(banned or something very bad). :)


I'm not sure if I reached that point, unless the guys will accept my apology.
I'm not making the decisions here, so being calm and accept reasonable criticism so I can improve is the best way of behavior for me right now....
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User is offline   brullov 

  • Senior Artist at TGK

#15

I have to add that you won't make money for living with such game. It's not bad, it's just for a small amount of people who can be potentionally interested in purchasing. The real life is that games do not bring millions of dollars. Specially if you are level designer for Build Engine. So if you want to earn some money, learn how to code or to draw. Nobody cares that you need money right now and you do not have time to get those skills. It will take a lot of time, but nobody says that making games is easy stuff. There are some trends and quality frames even for the indie games, with my unprofessional view, you will get around 500 sells in a year if you put 1-2$ price for this game, do not forget to add steamcards, lol.


I had to learn pixel art, which gives me a chance not to starve so often. I have started studying it in 2013 and began to get profit only in 2015. Some good money I got only in 2017 when my skill became more professional. However I still have a lot of things to learn. I also want to make games, but I am not ready right now. It's a very hard process which reqiers a lot of experience and patient.
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User is online   Danukem 

  • Duke Plus Developer

#16

View Postbrullov, on 22 March 2018 - 12:18 PM, said:

There are some trends and quality frames even for the indie games, with my unprofessional view, you will get around 500 sells in a year if you put 1-2$ price for this game, do not forget to add steamcards, lol.


tbh I doubt that even 500 people would notice it, let alone buy it. And that's not an attack on the project, that's just the current reality with the glut of indie games right now.
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User is offline   Jimmy 

  • Let's go Brandon!

#17

View PostSanek, on 22 March 2018 - 06:30 AM, said:

Thank you for your post, Jimmy. Perhaps the analysis of the situation from the 3rd side is what I needed right now.

No problem, like I said before, I see myself in you. I was like King Moron of Duke Nukem 3D. Now I'm just King Fuccboi of Duke Nukem 3D. Ayyyy

View PostSanek, on 22 March 2018 - 06:30 AM, said:

I do not understand the problem, if I work with other people and ask them for help. I've never said that I take the credit away from others, and I was ready to share everything with them. If you'll try to be jack of all trades some areas will definitely be weaker than others. It's like I can't even ask them about anything unless I learn how to program, while it will be much more time-efficient to split different responsibilities between different people.

There's not a problem with getting help. The problem was how you went about it.

View PostSanek, on 22 March 2018 - 06:30 AM, said:

I don't know if it's too late to apologise for everything or not. I don't know if they even respond to me if I'll ask them about it again and I'll made at least a demo to show the game off.

And like it or not, that's their right. They don't have to license their engine. If you can't get EDuke32, there's tons of other engines out there.
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User is offline   Sanek 

#18

To be honest, I knew deep inside that they'll refuse to make it commercial. And I knew that even if it will be released this way, not that much people will buy it so I can invest into new games, let alone make a living. But recently I began to feel that this might be the last chance for me, and that's why I was so upset after I got rejected. And it's even worse when everybody's laughing at you and telling you that you'll never make it.
Anyway, it's only my fault that I dreamed about the whole indie gaming thing and tried to make it real. Maybe I'll try it another time, but under other circumstances. It will be better to just forget about the whole thing so we can all return everything the way it is.

As far as my creative works go, I'll better stick to Duke 3D maps by now.
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