Development Blog for Last Bastion (aka Project Vega)

Well, just moments ago, they finally announced the registration details for QuakeCon. Turns out that after waiting and waiting so that I could get pre-registered quickly to avoid a day-long-waiting-in-line-fiasco like what happened last year, they’re not even having pre-registration this year! Apparently, you just show up at the hotel with your computer, equipment, and self and they’ll have room you. Assuming there’s enough capacity, this will hopefully make it easier for people to attend (can’t be any worse than last year, right?).

So what does this all mean? We’ll be at QuakeCon this year, and you should come see us! Come join some of the members of Project Vega as we all hang out, have a good time, play some games, eat some food, and of course, you will get to see and PLAY the latest version of Project Vega Last Bastion!

So come on out and join us! It was a blast year, and this year, it should be even more fun!

So recently, LB modeler/designer The Doom Freak brought something to my attention – the aspect ratio was off. He claimed that things were being vertically stretched. To my shock, I discovered that he was right, and quickly fixed the problem. One problem – the change made everything feel WEIRD! The change expanded the vertical field of view (FOV), letting you see more vertically. So, rooms seem bigger, there’s more information on the screen, etc. But, it’s “correct”: squares show up square, instead of being slightly taller than they are wide.

My question to you: which version looks better to you? Method 1, or method 2?

Method 1:

Method 2:

As some of you who follow me on Twitter may be aware, I’m a fan of Mega Man 10. On Monday, some new downloadable content came out that I’ve been enjoying a lot – specifically, a new level that you can play in time attack mode.

Time attack is a game mode in which you try to beat a level as quickly as possible. You start with all weapons and items, and the goal is to rip through the level as fast as you can – you don’t even have to kill everything (or anything!). When you select “Time Attack” from the menu, you get to pick which level you want to race through, and you play just that map – the game ends when you finish it, or die. What’s great about Mega Man 10 is that it automatically records a demo when you play, so you can watch your best run at any time. What’s also extremely cool is that you can submit your best time on a map, and Capcom keeps track of the top 30 times. What’s even more cool is that it gives you the option of submitting your time and your demo! So, others can watch your best run, and you can watch others’ best run… if they so choose!

How have I done so far on this new DLC map? See for yourself! For anyone to whom I’ve been slow to respond to in email over the past couple days… now you know why!

So, when am I going to get to the point and stop prattling on about my personal conquests, you ask? I’m glad you asked! This actually does relate to Last Bastion, in that I may want to include something like this! Why is that?

• It adds a great deal of replay-ability to the existing maps.
• It forces you to look at the maps in a whole new way.
• It introduces a competitive element, which a lot of people enjoy.
• The bottom line is that it’s fun! Racing through a map as fast as you can all the while trying to not screw up is a lot of fun!

So in the future, I may include something like this. And who says it has to stop with just “Time Attack”?!

Anyway, this is just some stuff I’ve been mulling over the past couple days. Hope you’re as intrigued by this as I am!

Things have been running pretty smoothly lately. What little programming work there’s been left to do by me is getting done, the design docs have gotten more planned out, and we’re slowly but surely finding the right people for this project! There’s not much to show for all of this yet, however! Most of the new art assets are still in the conceptual stages, and it’s really hard to show performance increases! It’s not like a screenshot is going to look a lot nicer if the underlying framerate is smoother!

While there isn’t anything new and major to show off, there are a few noteworthy blurbs:

• Music support is in! It shouldn’t take too much longer to add the sound effect system as well!
• I’ve recently made some major optimizations. Large maps like the second map in the gameplay demo (the gothic one) now run smooth as butter!
• I sketched and completed the layout and gameplay for the game’s first map. It has the game’s first miniboss, as well as the game’s first boss!
• I’ve added a number of new gameplay elements to Last Bastion recently that should make it more fun and interesting to play. Stay tuned!
• I am planning on going to QuakeCon this August. If everything goes according to schedule (ha!), we should have a demo ready by then. If not, you may just get to see an incomplete crappy version!

That’s about it for right now. We should have more to show in the next month or so!

Well guys, it’s that time again! No, it’s not time for me to give everyone free pie. That will have to wait. Instead, it’s the time where we look for more people to add to the team!

With how much work there is to do, and how quickly things are moving, I simply don’t have time to do all of the maps myself… again! I’ve been working on the layouts for a couple of maps, and am going to be spending most of my time getting all of the cool little things in them working, meaning I won’t have time to make them look pretty (pfft, please! Like I could anyway!) That’s where you come in!

I’m looking to bring one or two new mappers onto the team. You would be working with our editor to take the layouts I’ve made (and potentially make new ones – no promises, though!) and do visual work to make them look great! Because this is a 3D engine, it would be helpful if you’ve had experience level designing in another 3D engine (Unreal, Quake, etc.).

For those of you thinking of applying, here’s a few quick notes:

• Like I said, for now you would primarily be doing visual work. Please apply only if this is a strength of yours.
• Please show a portfolio of your work. Please select only your strongest samples – quality, not quantity.
• This is a paid position – nothing crazy, but it can help supplement your existing income, or give college students some spending money.

And I think that about does it. Please submit any applications and/or questions to me at bmc431@gmail.com. Thanks!