Blacksburg, VA; April 03, 2015 –
Things are picking up on the battlefield, as the battlefield is literally being created! Our original design used a 9×9 grid of cubes to make a 3D board. This would allow us to use better skins for each cube. After much deliberation, we are now implementing a 9×9 grid of tiles. Because the game is going to be played on a 2D vector (with a few 3D graphics), we felt a grid of tiles would be more efficient and easier to manage. They are easier to manage because the square tile art we decided to use fits perfectly on the tile, and do not need to be multiplied for the cube.
Speaking of art, we are also designing the tiles to represent the different terrain on the board. For the background layer on the tiles, we decided to make vibrant balls. Vibrant balls you ask?! When the balls are aligned they show each individual tile without needing the grid. This will create a more immersive board. Also, when we add layers and effects to the tiles, the balls become less vibrant, but still visible. This will keep the objective of the game clear while adding some flair.
Lastly, we are working on a prototype using Gamemaker. As per peer request, we are developing our mid-level prototype using Gamemaker. Gamemaker is easy to use and does not require a lot of the high end development to start letting people test our game. This will allow us to release our game sooner for testing, while continuing to develop it in our primary game engine.
Our goal for the next week is to finish initializing the board so we can move on to the pieces. Once the board and pieces are finalized, we’ll focus on programming movements, turns, and possibly an A.I. As the beta gets closer to being finished, we will start asking fans to join us in our first closed beta.
Remember, when Abraham Lincoln was told he had one hour to prepare for battle, he spent 45 minutes sharpening his sword. So sharpen your swords and I hope to see you on the battlefield soon!
For more information, contact Joe Wileman at wjoe113@vt.edu.
