SGA (Sweden Game Awards) and GGA (Gotland Game Awards) starting to close up, so we have to focus on getting all system running and working together. So this next month we will be focusing on tuning things and not to implement new features.

Code
Make more AI patterns
Adjust player control
Get particle and light effects onto the characters
Get gem system to work
Enemy generator

Concept (2d)
Menu & GUI

Levels 2d
Continue working on levels

3D
Make more animations and get the to work smoothly

Narrative
List of sound effects
Start to work on presentation
Sketch for trailer for GGA
Test the story on regular people

Other things
Take screenshots
Move to new office
Start on the last sprint

I wanted to share some of the work I’ve been doing in the Story document. This is where everything is explained and later put into each level. It is a guide, me and the other guys in the team, can use while working on the game. But it is also a minor Lore of Penalty of Heroes. I tend to find lore from games I like to be very interesting and somewhat addictive. Therefore I want the Lore of PoH to be well written and intriguing for the people who will enjoy our game and want to find out more after playing it.

This is an early example of one of the creatures/enemies of the game that I would like to share with you:

“The people/creatures living on the mountainside of Jedna were the aboriginals, who later became the founders and the citizens of Jedna. They have a xxx like appearance and have grown fur over centuries from experiencing rough weather and tough climates. Compared to the previous people/creatures of the xxxx and the xxxxx, the men in this mountain are fairly neutral and will not attack outsiders who enter their territory. However if someone would disturb their peace and threaten them, they will be attacked. The mountain men are collectors and are not afraid of the changes happening in xxxxx; such as the xxxxxx. They collect the spare parts thrown off Jedna, which they use to build huts and weapons.”

Ps: X=Secret.

Today I finished writing the last level. Yeehaa! As usual I can’t say much about it, hence spoiling the goods. But some interesting new story elements have been brought in, as some new events in the game play. These events will hopefully give the players a taste of what our definition of hack n slash is all about. I really do have high expectations of this game. Everyone has been working their /&%¤# off so far and we still have A LOT more to do before releasing PoH.

Now we’re in production phase (major sprint 4), most of the concepting is done, the major tools are done, the game is up and running on the white box and so on. No it’s mostly putting everything together and making a game.

This week sprint looks like this:

Code:
Collision and basic physics
Player control and basic game play
Also continue work on Shaders, GUI, interface, particle effects

2d:
New versions of some of the enemies
Level 1 done

3d:
Continue making enemies

Narrative:
Should be done by the end of the week
Story and patterns for every enemy

Other things:
Test normal maps
New ingame pictures
Game presentation for the “game panel”

Today I finished the rough outlines for level 1. Some questions still remain though. Is there lack of information about the main story? Is there too much information? And is it good enough? Of course it’s good enough=) I just hope my combination of story and humor will fit. Dwarf and I are working together now on level one with the design as well. Exchanging texts and sketches with each other let both of us have lots of material for building a level. Mainly I write a shortened script with narrative and playable checkpoints which I present to Dwarf. Then he makes sketches of what I’ve written, which we finally present to Håkan who decides if it fits with our game.

Well, I’m not referring to the old ABBA song :p People have started to asked why the game is called Penalty of Heroes. Well I’m going to be rude and not tell you why, this because it has something to do with the story of the game.
So if you want to throw your own suggestions why it’s called that, please do : )
Please entertain us like ABBA did :p

ABBA in foil