Journal #8: Development Updates news - Z Warrior Chronicles

Sorry there hasn't been an update video or picture release in a while. I'm getting these new models re-modeled and animated in the most efficient set up that I can, so naturally that's taking some time. There are a few ideas I have in mind that should change ZWC a lot though, for when I get back to work in Unity.

1. Hitsparks. They're going to be remade completely. If you remember the early version of ZWC where I just made characters like Goku SSJ & SSJ3, there were orange flashes made of 2D sprites oppose to just the white & black particles that I have now. I'm not sure why I changed it, but I was watching those older videos, and man, those hitsparks looked far better. I'm definitely going back to that style, so it will feel like a major improvement and make your hits that much more satisfying, promise.
2. Warping. There's going to be a new warping ability. If you double tap CTRL, it will teleport you behind your opponent and put a hault in their movements if they don't react quickly. Try to imagine Budokai 3's teleportation system except instead of doing a heavy hit afterward, you're free to do whatever you want.
3. Combos. This will change a lot. The way combos work at the moment is so you can press LMB virtually forever, and then heavy attack at you're own leisure. I had it like this because I never anticipated I'd have Speed Melee as awesome as it is now, so I figured having infinite combos would serve as it's own Speed Melee. Now that Speed Melee is in, infinite combos are out, meaning the LMB combo is going to get nerfed, and the last hit of it will knock the enemy back oppose to just string back to the first hit.
4. Heavy attacks. For now, these won't be altered. I am still considering whether or not to make them chargeable, for now they won't be because I see no reason to. But the idea is there, so we'll see what happens. I make no promises, but there is a chance.
5. Special Attacks. These are game changers. Right now, you charge specials and fire them, all while holding the same button. The new system I have in mind will be just one button press to fire the attack, and then it is sustained until it either hits something or ends at it's own momentum. This means that every special will now charge faster, so say goodbye to that 5 second Kamehameha. It also means that you won't have to stress your fingers by holding down middle mouse button during beam struggles, you can just fire the attack and focus your attention to firing intimidators and getting back energy. Plus it should REALLY speed up the combat.

So together, they'll look something like this:I run up to Raditz. I combo him and knock him a bit back with the last hit. I dash up to him and combo him again, this time ending it with a heavy attack upwards. He's flying diagonally into the sky now. I double tap CTRL to teleport behind him. He knocks against me and stuns for a second. I begin comboing him some more and this time hit him downward. I teleport again and hit him downward again, right into the ground. In other words, remember how I was teleporting all over the place in the SSJ3 ZWC vid? Well, yeah. That.

As I think about that above scenario, I realize I will need an animation for people to get up from the ground. Damnit XD.

So those are the 5 ideas I have in mind. There are also a bunch of new animations I've added, along with a new process for animating that totally brings the models more to life. I'm also trying to emulate Budokai 3's model/shading style to a degree, but with my own twist on it. The only thing I've really taken from them is the idea of a small torso with big arms, everything else is more or less my own.

One really awesome and inspiring thing I found out is that I actually used a replica of an idea that Budokai 3 used. Not even a copy of it, but I was playing it and noticed that they did something identical to how I did it. When you have two lights -- one to illuminate characters and one to illuminate the scene -- you have to change between them in order to have the character lighted while the background dims. The problem with this is that any shadows of the character you want can not be seen because the character light isn't lighting the terrain, so I thought I just couldn't get a way around it. It turns out, neither could Budokai 3, hence why when every character uses a special attack, their shadow disappears. It's a small thing, but it really put things in perspective for me and told me that this project is well within my grasp.

These companies themselves have used a technique that I have used sub-consciously, and they were well above my league. I am just really motivated ever since that realization and every single comment saying that this game can't live up to those has been nulled in my mind. I can win. I can do this. Yes. Yes. Yes. It's only a matter of time.I'll try to keep this update fairly short because I know how I can get going with my rambles, but I just felt as I should keep you guys in the loop at least, instead of just making a post to say I'm alive.

The to-do list is very cumbersome though, and these animations are taking some time. I just haven't found the right motivation to animate, I'll have to watch some Monty Oum to get that kicking again. But at least my animation & modelling skills are back at their peaks, but it will suck when I get back to scripting.If I had to pick one downside to working alone, that would be it. I have to work in shifts between the different jobs, so it's like I'm playing a game and have to keep up 3 different bars of skill, but getting up one bar means the others are depleting, so I have to switch to get them up, but then the one I spent so much time getting up goes back down so I have to switch and then it happens again!Basically, I have to do a lot of warm-ups, but it's clearly working so hell, a necessary evil I guess :).

The next ZWC should be the one that says "Wow, this is it. The best DBZ game ever" because I really want it to spark that interest and get my name out there. I have looked all over forums of people suggesting ideas that more or less make up ZWC, so if I can please all of those people, then that will justify my hard work to a level I can't even describe.That's what makes this "job" the most worthwhile in my books: those comments. When I see one, I get all excited because I am about to get an opinion that influences all actions from that point on. Of course, some do it on a larger scale than others, but they're still there!

(And I understand that saying it's the best DBZ game ever is arrogant and conceited, but I have to fuel my motivation. Don't worry, there's no cockiness behind it, I just want to have faith in both my project and myself, and limiting my expectations is no way to do that.)

So if you are reading this, please drop a comment down below. I read every single one, and reply to those that are game changers (I am saying that a lot). I can't get paid for this, but those comments show me that I don't need to.

As long as people can appreciate ZWC for what it is, and don't mind sending more ideas my way at the same time, I can rest in peace.Anyway, thanks to all who are supporting me -- even though there are so few who do! And I will try and get this Supreme ZWC out there for you all to enjoy, fap to, and play to death, as fast as I can.

P.S.: A man who's name I will not disclose because I'm not sure if he would permit it has asked if he could do some music for ZWC. I told him that I need my Falconer, but some background music for the levels would be great. So it looks like ZWC is going to get some awesome, SAGAS-esque background music!