Game Maker Day 5: Great Expectations
So today I made the most progress towards what I will call a finished product thus far in the project. I've actually created the first (and second) rooms that should actually be playable by the time I'm finished! I am trying to decide just what I will say in these project diaries from here on out, because I don't want to reveal everything about my game before people can play it. That said, I'll sketch out a few things I accomplished today.
Firstly, while doing some planning on paper a few days back, a guide-like NPC came into existence. I hadn't planned on including him, but as I wrote more and more of the plan, I thought he would make a good framing device to help the player out, as well as explain a couple aspects of the game scenario. So he exists!
I've also implemented a few dialog/exposition methods. Actually that reminds me. I redesigned the interface around a "small panels floating over the gameworld" metaphor, rather than a large frame within which the gameworld appears as a window. So that worked out pretty well. I had a bit of help on that one, talking to a more experienced Game Maker user, so thanks for that! Ok, so having established a better user interface, I have a couple ways to send text messages to the player, and have implemented a couple of them.
My game now has a 'hub' room, which is where the player will access the four other rooms/areas of challenges. Following that, the very first part of the first temple is in place. I have a final puzzle set out in my mind for that temple, but need a couple other challenges and tasks, so that's what I'll be working on in the next day or two. Oh, did someone say spiders??
Observe the AAA quality artwork in my game!