QuickiePal
Jul 16, 2015
W00t! Time for a video. It's been a while and I enjoy making them just about as much as your enjoy watching them.
We got one of the first final rooms from Mark Ferrari™ in the game a few days ago and we're dying to show people. We've also been doing some work on lighting using shaders and magic. It's first pass, so there will be a lot of tweaks and changes, but it's looking really promising.
All the inventory icons are still temp art, so ignore them. I SAID IGNORE THEM!
We started out with a quick wireframe version of the QuickiePal, just so we could get a sense of how the room fit into the overall game, how wide it should be and other very basic layout issues. It's not worth spending too much time on the wireframes since we want to have the freedom to cut or completely redo the room without any loss of work. As soon as you've invested time in something, it's hard to throw it out, even if it's the right thing to do.
One of the changes we made as the move the building over the right so when you entered from the left, you weren't immediately at the building. It feels less cramped with a small parking lot.
After it had been in the game for a couple of months, Mark took a quick pass at a tight layout in black and white. He likes to work in black and white so he doesn't spend valuable time on trying to figure out colors. Hopefully we can get Mark to do a post on his process. It's all bla-bla-pixel-bla-bla-vanishing point-bla-bla to me.
After the black and white had been in the game for around a month, Mark went on to the final stage seen in the video. We take these small steps so we're sure of everything before too much time in invested. Mark spends a lot of time on color and light, so making changes to the black and white version is quicker.
There will be a polish pass on all of the final rooms, but that won't happen until everything is in the game, probably around January.
- Ron
Why are you still looking at the temp inventory icons?
I want to walk down that path right now.
Having said that, the style looks like Fm-Towns Zak. So that's how Mark's art fits the MM style characters....
The only negative feeling I have right now is as though the backgrounds are in a 16-bit quality, while the character are in 8-bit. If that makes sense.
I know this is all temporary art.So in the end it will not look like this. I just want to say that one needs to have this gut feeling that the characters need to fit into the beautiful backgrounds that Mark Created, while also having the link to Maniac Mansion. But that can hopefully be done by shading or some subtle graphic thing.
Both the 16 bit feel of Mark and the 8-bit feeling of Maniac Mansion (that made us support the project) are important.
What I am saying is that it would be great if the things could be combined.
But if the only solution is a sort of "switch" between 8-bit and 16-bit that would also be great (like the switch between classic and updated monkey island 1 and 2 in the updated versions.). I know this is a lot more work than you have budget for. But Now I have drinked 3 beers, so I am honest and such. But the best thing of course would be if there is only the real version. Maybe it could be explained in FMV-intro (yeah, I know I am the only one who could think that would be cool. Because it breaks the style of 8-bit retro... and most stuff. Man, my brain is messy when beer)
And i know the final characters and backgrounds will blend very well together.
Paralax is smooth and I dont like the shadow underneath the text. Black outline is enough. Character would deserve shadow spot as well.
I also like the animated parts of the background, which keeps it alive.
Not sure If you are going to make two versions with daylight as well... good job!
Talking about bla-bla-vanishing points though, does the interior of the Quickie Pal have a different one from the rest of the scene, or am I looking at it wrong?
The art is amazing. The lighting is a great touch, but not overdone.
The flashing lights really add to the scene. Is the Quickie-Pal sign an animation? Do you expect most rooms to include some level of background animation like this?
On question though, are locations going to have different versions for different times of day? Or will it be like most adventure games where, say, Scabb Island is always night but Booty Island is always day?
For the record I don't care if there is only one version of each location. I'm more curious about how the team feels about the logic and trying to handle this in a way that doesn't jarr with audiences.
It truly warms my heart.
To be honest, it would have probably been a good idea to settle on the style for the game much earlier on, but that is a bit tricky when you haven't done anything of the sort in so many years.
I could very well imagine that, in the event another game like this is born from the success of Thimbleweed Park, they'll settle on *and* stick with one design style all throughout.
I quite like the blend. It is the brainchild of all the experiences of the past, combined with the desire to do something new, but well loved.
It might take some getting used to, and they obviously already have :). So can we.
First of all, I'm *SO* glad I was able to make your day with my comment. Me making your day made mine. :-)
Second of all, when I said it looked "too good", I meant that the color scheme and non-flickering resolution looks to be beyond any hardware's capability at the time of the classic LucasFilm/-Arts graphic adventures. I don't see it as any sort of flaw–quite the contrary, I've been sharing Mr. Ferrari's art with my Pixel Artist buddies–I just see it as anachronistic.
Then again, considering what Rare and Nintendo were doing with Donkey Kong Country in 1994, maybe *I'M* the one who needs a lesson on what came out when.
The same with the lighting tricks: they are great and beautiful, and seem to work perfectly -- but that sort of thing was just not available then. The burgeoning stylistic notions and technological limitations forced artists and programmers to focus their efforts in the real important points, resulting in a very economic (in use of technique not cost) yet effective style. It looks like a very interesting technological challenge to solve, and you've done so very effectively; but engineering play and technique should not be the driving force of the game.
Ron, please do not take this as any slight against the work or the progress so far, I cannot stress how beautiful it looks. It just does not fit with the early/mid 1980s style you were aiming for and that we were lead to expect. Your goals and your tastes may have changed, I can appreciate that; but then you can't really describe it as a "new game from the 1980s that you just discovered" (or however you phrased it in the past).
To me, right now, it looks like any other "retro-looking" modern game. Perhaps better looking that the typical ones, since Mr. Ferrari's talent are legendary; but the *feel* I get watching the video is of a "retro-chic" modern style, which is a shame.
I still hold hope that you can reign in Mr. Ferrari's talents and modern styles a little bit, and return to the roots from which you always intended this game to spring. :)
-dZ.
I'm too addicted to the nostalgia of the early games, was blown away by the first animated gif, heck, i even begged to not completely get rid of the blocky verb font. I was a bit baffled at first to see the changes, like you.
But lets be fair. In the old days one was blown away when the VGA or FMtowns versions of the games were released. In one update Ron made clear to make use of advanced techniques which were not present back in the days. Think of it as the FMtowns version of the game.
The more i think about what to expect from the game it is not a direct copy of the games i love, its something new, shiny, unique, what haven't be done before.
While staying true to the roots of the genre. As an example, early screenshots showed a smooth gradient in the sky, its now dithered (ugly/glorious), which is a resemblance to the palette restrictions of the past.
It was advertised as a "true spiritual successor to Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island." Graphic wise its the the big heads of MM and the backgrounds of MI.
A successor (hopefully) also implies to make improvements on the technical side. This is the case now. Im happy :)
In short, while there are changes in style, its not even close to a complete change of direction. And it definitely does not look like "any other "retro-looking" modern game"!!
(And thank you all for sharing the whole process!)
I guess what I'm really saying is: It's a new game, it is exactly where it's gotta be. It's everything I'm hoping for, so far!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thimbleweedpark/thimbleweed-park-a-new-classic-point-and-click-adv
"It’s like opening a dusty old desk drawer and finding an undiscovered LucasArts adventure game you’ve never played before.
Here's another piece:
"We like big pixels. Huge ones. Pixels that have their own Zip Codes. Pixels a family of six could live inside of and still have room for Uncle Pete when he drops in unexpectedly on his way to the coast.
We had a lot of fun building Maniac Mansion, there was a charm and simplicity to the art that let the game design shine and your imagination run wild."
I don't see that in the video.
I fell in love with the old Lucasfilm games, and I just adore what I'd today call "simplicity" in them. Today you'll need willpower and the strong desire to "settle for less" before realisation hits you, that sometimes "less is more".
That being said, the path taken is less so much about retreading old steps. We deviate early, and so, this game now looks like like it was released in 1991 to 1992 instead of the eights. Personally I adore the look all the same. But I've also said that, since it's been a while since Ron and Dave have been doing this, it's an evolutionary process, and we're seeing mutations, the best of the best "interbreeding" and producing a new result. So if another game is going to be made after this, the decision to stick to a very specific style from the get-go will be much easier.
Since Mark is doing all the rooms in black&white initially, can we have a black&white version of the game?
Do the stars glimmer? A lot of beauty of a scene can be had with stars that aren't static. Having that pixel just ....pulse slowly ... I've seen it in other games. It is a very simple, yet a very beautiful effect. It could be one of those things where Marks experience with color cycling could really come in handy. It could be very simple to pull off, for him.
THAT IS AMAZING!
.
.
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Sorry, just felt like an all-caps moment! I really LOVE how this is coming together. But what a tease! Ron stopping and not going through any door! Arg! I want to explore the rest of the game world so badly!
The lightning is a really nice touch ans helps to blend it all together. I wonder how the character and background art fits together in bright daylight, where no lightning merges them?!
The black Box of horror needs to go ;-)
The relatively basic shapes combined with Mark's phenomenal colour work, creates this very distinct modern-retro look - quite like nothing else I've seen before. I'm loving it!
Note me down as another fan of having an option not to have the shadowbox behind the text. Looks rather odd.
I love the light effects, how subtle yet powerful they are!
But, in comparison to those backgrounds, doesn't the character feel a bit... flat?
It looks and feels 10 times better than I ever could have hoped for.
Thanks for all the hard work and for letting us mortals have this great insight in the process
Also sorry if this question has been asked before, but what resolution do you anticipate the final game will run in? I've never been a huge fan of mixed-resolution assets (think the Windows versions of DOS Humongous Entertainment games, where the artwork is scaled from 320x200 but the mouse is 640x480), and I think the scaling for the character when she moves further into the background is awkward. What are your thoughts on running the game at the same resolution as implied by the background art? Is this way more complicated than I realize?
I think the higher resolution increases the smoothness of all movements. In 320x200 animations and scrolling are far away from being smooth. But the character scaling should not go along with smaller pixels, I think.
Q
QU
QUI
QUIC
QUICK
QUICKI
QUICKIE
QUICKIE PAL
The circles were built into the above 8 states. To animate, I turn each state on/off as needed in a loop:
script flashQuickiePal() {
while (TRUE) {
for (local x = 1; x <= 8; x += 1) {
objectState(quickiePalOutsideMainSign, x)
breaktime(1)
}
for (local x = 1; x < 3; x += 1) {
objectState(quickiePalOutsideMainSign, 0)
breaktime(1)
objectState(quickiePalOutsideMainSign, 8)
breaktime(1)
}
breaktime(2)
objectState(quickiePalOutsideMainSign, 0)
breaktime(2)
}
}
I ignore the temp background...
Mmmmm, beautiful sunset.
Fantastic! Did not expect the use of lightning and shaders and this kind of fancy stuff from old a guy like you. :)
I really like it!
The video seems to blend the dithering effects away when not viewing in HD mode, which made the look feel slicker at first for me. Small laptop screen maybe adds to the effect... The last screenshot and HD version reveals the true look, fortunately.
P.S. I swear I ignored all the inventory items...mostly.
I guess there will be an option in the game to restrict the screen to original resolution (or multiples). And scaling options like in scummVM, as tastes differ. In this respect (and only in this!) i miss CRTs.
And why are there inventory icons at all, this spoils my imagination :P
As for the text background box, i too dislike it. I second the idea with black outline and transparent white glow. Maybe something like this: http://i.stack.imgur.com/ZGah8.png
..but better..
I love the lighting system, you've absolutely nailed it!
I've said it before, I'll say it again..
This guy needs to make an appearance... Who doesn't like to pause their game..
http://robertmegone.com/public/scummvm/snail/c64.png
http://robertmegone.com/public/scummvm/snail/atari.png
I'd even settle for this guy...
http://robertmegone.com/public/scummvm/snail/amiga.png
Overpainting simple blocky backgrounds and rendering light and other effects on top is a good way to go. To me, one of the reasons the NPC characters in MM and Zak looked as if they really do what they do (as if they even used the same verbs that you used) was that the backgrounds and the objects were simply defined and looked "usable" and not part of a complex background painting.
The PNG file has 3524 colors, but that could just come from the way it was saved.
Will you limit your palette to 256 colors? I'm not really that much of a purist. If going with a compromise between old and new (less/bigger pixels, not limiting yourself to a color depth) makes the dev's life easier, I'm all for that. I just wonder if the dithering is an artistic joice.
I'm really glad they added it to these new shots, as I felt it was the one thing missing from the previous Mark pieces...
LONG LIVE DITHERING!!!
That looks like the game i awaited when backing BA.
I know it's not exactly 1987 style, but I wouldn't change that. I was actually hoping for a slightly more modern look than 1987 anyway. The trailer already looked slightly more modern than 1987. The early 90s adventures had a lot of details in the hand-drawn back- and foregrounds that really made my imagination go wild. Currently, Thimbleweed Park looks roughly like those adventures, even though the color depth and the lighting is more advanced. I think it is still retro enough to not make everything smooth and to still make people feel nostalgic.
Please don't change the game to make it look older than it currently does. This is as close to the perfect balance between retro look and modern features as I can imagine.
I would say that this calls for two other posts: Mark's technique and how you setup lights in Rooms!
Keep us standing in awe!
I want to go to there.
http://imgur.com/5pY4zPm
Of course this is a simple "nearest neighbor" palette reduction - not a fancy process with dithering and all that. But maybe something like this could be implemented as an optional video filter. That way, we could have Mark's fantastic pixel art and still switch to EGA (or even CGA) glory with the push of a button.
Oh, this is the script I wrote:
from PIL import Image
im = Image.open('quickiepal1.png')
im.putdata(map(lambda pixel: tuple(map(lambda x: (x + 32) / 64 * 85, pixel)), im.getdata()))
im.save('quickiepal1_ega.png')
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordered_dithering
for each pixel(x,y) in the image
color=getPixel(x,y)
if color.red > matrix(x mod 8, y mod 8)
then color.red = 255
else color.red = 0
if color.green > matrix(x mod 8, y mod 8)
then color.green = 255
else color.green = 0
if color.blue > matrix(x mod 8, y mod 8)
then color.blue = 255
else color.blue = 0
It uses the 8x8 matrix, and although not exactly the EGA palette, more like the CZ Spectrum palette of 8 colors.
Try it with that image and see.
In my website I have examples of it.
http://www.freewebs.com/gfvh/ditherQPal.png
Now onto the comments: the sky background seems a little bit flat/still to me. Would be an idea to add twinkling stars, slow moving clouds, mist or floating dust particles to the scene? Does it make sense? Do I make sense?? Do I????
Keep it up, I already love you!! :)
;)
Thank you for making me choke while loughing!
I'm trying for something else to say, but it's just that: Absolutely GREAT! =)
I have to say this is some of the best lighting I've seen in a "chunky pixel" game! Thank you for not using blurred lights like several other pixel art games have.
Just thing --- I hope you don't use the semi-transparent rectangles around dialogue lines in the final game. :) They weren't there in the past, and there weren't needed then ... and they're not needed, now. The letters have a nice outline, and are perfectly readable without these rectangles.
Anyway, as said I like it a lot: it takes courage to actually want to make the game look good and unique despite knowing some of the retro 8-bit purists will probably get a bit grumpy. Just give us a C64 demake of the game afterwards and everybody (including my 1541 ultimate) will be happy ;D.
And I have to agree that the black and white art has a whole different atmosphere while also looking very good. Some other commenters suggested to make a follow up game in that style but since you already have all the rooms of this game, why not simply make it an optional b/w-mode feature (think of the MI Special editions with the 2 gfx modes, also it would probably be possible to do this transition with shader postprocessing alone)? Maybe as a little extra after the first playthrough to enhance replay-value.
That and developer commentary.
Of course.
And, that kind of derails other aspects of the original concept...
Is this still going to be set in 1987 (or thereabouts)? I know it certainly could be set in that year, but I really liked the thought that this was really going to be designed to be some "lost" game that not only is representative of popular culture from those specific later years of the 80's but also mimics the fidelity of videogames of that time. I definitely still want and expect to see a lot of jokes and references to pop culture and tech and what was going on at that time.
I think that's what Ron originally had in mind (making a C64 game from 1987), graphics-wise; The exception would be that he wanted a "real" soundtrack. Though a lot of people still praise and use the SID chip, I think Ron thinks that being able to completely emote through sound design and music is best; instead of having to limit that ability by emulating the audio restrictions of that time.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE what I'm seeing, but I now think that it's not an old 5 1/4" floppy we're finding in a drawer, but a CD-ROM. Maybe move the story out from that bubblegum pop punk era of the 80's, and into the burgeoning grunge era of the 90's?
In any case, I can't wait to see (I mean, hear) sound added to this scene. The bug-zappy sounds of the neon light. The hushed sounds of cars occasionally passing by on a nearby road or highway. The chirps of crickets, eerily similar to those outside the Edison's "maniac" mansion.
Very good balance between retro-big-pixels compatibility and not-too-boring for our 2015 eyes.
This puts the bar high for the animation and characters and text, but I'm sure you'll find something.
Only problem is: this is going to take a lot of floppy disks.
Are you guys going to somehow handle displaying characters that may be inside the store, if there can be any other characters that can walk into and around the Quickie Pal?
Something like this would be *easily* doable on consumer equipment in 1987 or even 85. Just because your cheapskate parents wouldn't give you more than 8 bit 2nd gen home computers, doesn't mean that was the de facto standard.
Mindset and Amiga for example had specs that would allow this, not to speak of the many exotic Japanese computers and consoles.
Ron and co: Maybe it would be a good idea, and I know this might sound strange at first, to agree on a hypothetical mid 80's machine that you are doing this game on. A machine whose specs are detailed enough to give you clear and certain bounds within to roam and bask.
You could even do a hypothetical cabinet, company and back history. And maybe even include it in the game?
This is after all to a large degree a retro game, where you are taking on restrictions and limitations willingly.
I think it would give a greater sense of direction and purpose. And also you would completely avoid feature creep.
Maybe because of the "war on drugs" at that time, no one wanted to put out a game with the word "weed" on it. Ron was too stubborn to change the name. I know it would be difficult for Ron to do (and maybe he really wouldn't be able to convincingly pull it off), but it would be hilarious if he created a rockstar alter ego to do something like this. Okay, rockstar make come off a bit cheesy if not done right. Maybe just total asshole instead.
I think this would be possibly the best-looking Amiga game, if it existed as such.
Really, graphics like this were more indicative of the mid-90's.
But, then I thought back to the photo of your Thimbleweed 5 1/4" floppy. And, I got a little sad. I had visions of video game critics praising this game- That not only was it simply a great game in itself but also a powerful homage to the C64 and the heyday of point-and-click adventurers. The direction we're going is feeling more like an indie game with a retro aesthetic, rather than a true retro game.
And, I'm cool with that.
With Mark on board we HAVE to let him work his magic. I'm just wondering if you are also thinking that because of the new not-so-retro look that the time the story takes place should be taken out of 1987 and pushed further into the 90's.
I KNOW I am going to LOVE this game. I just have to get over the idea that you put in my head of some great C64 game out there of yours- its last existence remaining on a sole floppy disk of some forgotten desk drawer. Okay, I'm over it. Carry on. :)
did you back 1K or more or just 10$ or even nothin? just sayin, some people have ridicilous imaginations which don't match the majority and i could understand your doubts if you had backed 1k or increased value and you worry about your invested money.
But hey, nerds are all around. i am sure you ain't the only one.
who cares if its 1987, 1984 or 1990 styled?
it is what it is: a classic click and point adventure on a higher level than it could have been done in the 80s.
all these games kept you addicted due to it's puzzles, not because of the pixeled gfx.
the addiction to finish the game kept us playin over and over again and not because of a floppy disc, mc or the gfx on a C64.
@RON: BTW, Dead Ends in MM were kinda useful , cause u had to play again and again and knew the puzzles better and better and brought you deeper into the game.
I wouldn't say that anyone of you had broken his word, because on the one hand you had made clear very early that the final art style was still not determined and on the other hand the KS video featured a Quickie Pal that also looked much more detailed than the C64 style.
And maybe you will still find enough time to implement an additional 8 bit mode as an accommodation for C64-retroists. It simply would mean to drastically reduce the color palette, which would be quite easy to do once you have done the highly detailed version, I think.
Maybe Ron could/would do some other game in the future that looks like it's on a C64; I think the C64 look could just stay out of this game at this point.
Is there any chance that you can reign in Mark and go back to a style a bit more close to the mid-to-late 80s? I really wanted to experience the nostalgia of opening an old game for the very first time. Now it's a point-and-click game, and maybe even a great point-and-click game, but the feel is gone.
Good luck to you and your crew.
-dZ.
Is this a Betamax version of Redbox?
Maybe name it Beta-Rent 3000? People could maybe think Beta-Rent 2000 means the game's set the year 2000, maybe? Unless, you explicitly establish the year prior to that.
Dang, and since this no longer seems like it will be a C64-style game, I guess my idea for a initial splash screen that says "cracked by Edison Bros." (to make it seem like it's a pirated copy from 1987) is out the window.
It seems like the resolution of the character, the background and the verbs are all different, just compare the pixel size of the dithering used in the sky to the pixel size used on the verbs.
Also, not sure if the colors on the character are final, but again the art style looks completely different to the one used on the background - it seems like the sprites from Maniac Mansion were moved to a more recent SNES game.
I imagine they'll continue to work on and re-work character art, text, verbs, inventory icons, etc... to eventually make it all cohesive.
Having multiple resolutions in a game, from my point of view, is a no-no.
Same with color palettes.
There are games (like Sword and Sworcery, for example) that successfully manage to mix a retro-look with modern shader and special effects - it can be done.
One question- now the font and the verbs really look too simple against the background, are there plans to anti-alias them or use a higher res font?
One question:
In the video at 1:29 when Delores walks to left, she gets light reflected from the toilet-lights in the background. That seems a little odd.
Is that something that can be fixed or is that really complex?
I'd love to see more details of the lighting system.
But thanks for the answer! Keep up the good work!
The animation on the signs is really awesome and I love the pixel shading patterns used in the sky and throughout, real nice touches.
I was worried that the characters wouldn't match the background, but I think they fit well (the character seems smaller in this scene than previous ones we've seen, and I think that works really well, as it means the head doesn't take up loads of space and seems more manageable).
I would be very happy if the whole game is like this, but if I want to be nit-picky, here are a few things maybe consider doing:
1. I think the characters could use some more detail... no big changes, just give the existing ones a bit more shading, a few extra colors, a little more detail on them. Just Mark Ferrari-ize them a little basically, so they fit the background style a little closer.
2. As others has said, the black box thing seems out of place (how was text done on dark backgrounds in the Monkey Island games? I can't remember...)
3. The parallaxing... it feels a bit too smooth and "movey" to me somehow. It feels like the scene is on rollers and it's all gonna roll off the side of my screen. I don't really know how this would be fixed and it's a minor thing, but at the moment it's making the scene feel a bit "fake" to me.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/secret-of-monkey-island/screenshots/gameShotId,62718/
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/secret-of-monkey-island/screenshots/gameShotId,740777/
Looks still great in my opinion.
This seems to be the game I hoped Broken Age would be (and for what I backed with $110).
Listening to his ideas...
Kudos to the entire Thimbleweed Park Team!
Keep up the good work!
And many thanks for keeping us informed (and highly entertained) by this awesome blog!
I got a kick out of the janky icons, and the blocky vector concept art of the Quickie Pal; both are reminiscent of those classic games we all loved. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the art for those progresses.
And the slowness of the Quicky Pal sign just seemed ironically humorous, intended or not.
Keep up the fabulous work!
The outside of the Quickie Pal is just so lush, vivid, and full of detail that it's not just visually pleasing to look at but it also makes exploring what's on screen with the mouse cursor a lot more interesting than if the Maniac Mansion type of graphics were used instead since there's so much more to what's on-screen with the Loom style of graphics.
The "open all night" flickering is just a little too fast for me to read comfortably as a non-native English speaker.
I noticed in the video, that the verbs and the character's spoken lines are both blue. As there are multiple playable characters, I was thinking if the verbs and the spoken lines could both differ from character to character?
I ended up with this narrower type, as it somehow seemed to fit FBI world better, so there's extra space.
Ignore the icons!
However, as a matter of personal preference, I always liked the slim Indy3 verb font... maybe just a little more "bolder".
This pining for authentic EGA/C64 graphics - I'm genuinely curious as to whether you've played one of those lately? I've loaded up old PC & Amiga games in emulators fairly recently, and I found stuff that blew my socks off in the 80s is actually quite difficult on the eye today.
And at the end of the day, it's the team who brought you Monkey Island™. Even if you have your misgivings, if anybody deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to adventure game creation, it's them.
My $0.02 :)
Btw. please don’t limit your expression just to make some super-authentic retro.
Wouldn't it be nice, when the lights from the Quicky Pal and or window also do reflect on the street?
Keep up the good work!
- Markus
However, the inventory icons do not really fit in! Please tell me those are only temporary!? ;-)
Did I say wow? Ok, I´ll do it: WOW!
The characters, if they need anything it is perhaps a few more colours. Else I can't see anything off or wrong with them.
This is one of the finest colouring in pixel art I've seen. I want it on all my walls!
Next would be Maniac Mansion and Zak McKracken. Then maybe Loom and Indy 4.
(a) almost everything I do feels like it requires an unnecessary extra action,
(b) a lot of the time, many verbs are either useless (e.g., "close sunset") or redundant (same effect)*, and
(c) it takes up a lot of screen space that could otherwise have some more pretty art on it.
* - redundant remark
Usually, there's a super easy solution that feels very natural to the user. Click on an item to select it and then on something else to use it or combine it with another item. If it's a door, just invert its current state. If there's a 3-way lever, use the mouse to drag it to whatever position it needs to be in or, alternatively, click on the appropriate side of the lever. For gazing, use the other mouse button.
In a minority of situations, it might be the case that all those verbs are actually useful on a single thing and a single mouse button just won't cut it. I think these can be approached in the design phase. For example, look at the table to reveal an extra room (downside: extra art, but on average it's probably worth it) where you get to play with the items on that table or whatever.
Cheers,
Bogdan
More communcation with the player means complexer puzzles, more objects and increasing pointlessness of trying every-item-with-every-item, which is what in games like Broken Age has to happen at some point when the silent game failed to give an information to the player and he aimlessly tries to get every unlogical combination to advance. Of course not letting Tim Schafer design the puzzles helps as well...
Also the lack of options creates more distance. As clumsy as the interface appears, in Maniac Mansion the player dives into the game world as if it is real. Things have to be discovered *and* used, as simply finding the right pixel and clicking it without having any idea why won't do it.
Getting rid of the verbs was the worst decision adventure game designers ever made.
@Mister T, I think there are indeed some advantages but I think there are way more disadvantages, as I've described. I don't think some puzzles become impossible to implement but that their design has to be better suited to the new interface, as is the case with every game. I haven't played Broken Age but it may be a case that they just did it wrong. I would trust Ron to do things right (read the following paragraph for more on that).
Anyway, I expected this to be controversial. I see a few of you disagree and I also know many who agree. It might be worth mentioning that, since writing this comment, I read on his blog that Ron Gilbert is actually in favor of removing the verbs from Monkey Island 3a (Ron's sequel to MI2), should he ever get the rights to the franchise from Disney.
Maybe it was already mentioned but, isn't there always one of the neon lights broken, e.g. the "P" in "PAL"?