For the past two years, I’ve been on an exciting journey to release my first commercial game, Dewdrop Dynasty. It’s a lighthearted metroidvania that combines mystery and adventure, steering clear of the heavy backstories that can sometimes weigh down the experience. Imagine the gameplay of Hollow Knight mixed with mechanics from Ocarina of Time and the charming world and characters from Paper Mario.
As a child, I often dreamed of creating my own commercial game, and it’s surreal to think that 13 years later, I’m closer to achieving that dream than ever before. Today, I want to share the visual transformation I undertook to enhance the game’s appearance. While it might seem minor, I’ve learned that graphics play a crucial role in how people perceive a game. After releasing the demo, feedback indicated that the game needed a visual update, with one person even calling it the most generic metroidvania they had seen. Reflecting on this, I realized they had a point.
I dedicated about two weeks to revamping Tumbleweed, ensuring each room and area felt unique. Although this desert location is just the first area, it has received the most polish. Other locations in the game also look quite different now. Before diving deeper, I want to mention another upcoming game called Silksong, one of the most wishlisted games on Steam. While the developers didn’t accept my challenge, I still encourage you to wishlist and follow Dewdrop Dynasty on Steam.
If you’re developing a metroidvania or working on level design, I recommend blocking out areas first, even if they initially look rough. This approach made it much easier for me to return and do a final art pass. I started by making the tiles more rounded and angular, which improved the game’s look and made it feel less blocky. I also enhanced the background, which was previously just black with some parallax effects. I changed it to a purple color to make it stand out and added more background tiles, like cave walls, to create a more immersive world.
To differentiate the various parts of Tumbleweed, I changed the background colors. For instance, the deeper areas are more blue and misty, while the more vegetated areas have a green background. This helps convey a sense of new locations, even if the tile sets remain similar. I also added numerous new tile sets, including props like oil rigs and bones, which contribute to the game’s lore.
With these changes, the game feels much larger and more vibrant. The improvements are significant, and it almost feels like a different game. Speaking of improvements, I’ve started working on a boss fight featuring a character called Bonsai Beetle, who has a penchant for TNT. I experimented with different abilities for him, including throwing TNT sticks and jumping around.
I also created a camera system for boss areas that zooms out and locks the camera in place, allowing for better visibility during fights. I’m still deciding whether to keep this feature or allow for free camera movement. Additionally, I designed new Tumbleweed characters to make encounters more engaging, especially during boss fights.
Regarding ammo links, I initially thought about incorporating them into the game, but I realized it wasn’t as interesting as I hoped and would require extra work without adding much fun. So, while I experimented with an ammo link for Bonsai Beetle, it may not make it into the final game.
I also improved the particle effects for weapons to make them feel more satisfying and created a dummy enemy for testing damage. This led to a complete overhaul of the UI system, making it more user-friendly and informative. I also considered a new file system and difficulty settings represented by flowers, each indicating a different level of challenge.
While I’ve been working on base tiles for other locations, I decided to pause the visual overhaul to focus on building out the map for Dewdrop. I feel like I have a solid understanding of the visual style, and my priority is now to block out and construct all the rooms as efficiently as possible. I’ve made significant progress, even if it doesn’t look particularly impressive yet.
Lastly, I just launched my own website, goodness.fun, as a centralized hub for all my projects. You can find FAQs, pictures, and eventually my games there. I have exciting plans for the site, including free resources and possibly some surprises, so be sure to check it out.
That’s it for now! Please wishlist Dewdrop on Steam, and I’ll see you next time. Thanks for reading!
Engage in a hands-on workshop where you will redesign a game environment. Use the concepts of color theory and environmental storytelling to create a unique and immersive game world. Focus on making each area distinct, as discussed in the article.
Participate in a brainstorming session to develop new game mechanics. Consider the balance between innovation and practicality, as highlighted by the author’s decision to refine or discard certain features like the ammo link.
Form small groups to playtest each other’s game prototypes. Provide constructive feedback focusing on visual and gameplay elements. Use the feedback to iterate on your design, similar to how the author improved Dewdrop Dynasty based on player input.
Create a character and develop a backstory that fits into a game’s world. Consider how props and environmental details, like those in Tumbleweed, can enhance the narrative and contribute to the game’s lore.
Design a user interface for a game, focusing on clarity and user experience. Reflect on the article’s mention of UI overhaul and aim to create an intuitive and informative interface that enhances gameplay.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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I’ve been on a quest for the last two years to release my first commercial game called Dewdrop Dynasty. It’s a lighthearted metroidvania that focuses on mystery and adventure without the heavy backstories that can leave you feeling down after playing. Think of the gameplay of Hollow Knight combined with mechanics from Ocarina of Time and the charming world and characters from Paper Mario.
I know this might sound cliché, but I used to daydream about creating my first commercial game as a kid, and it’s surreal to think that 13 years later, I’m closer to that goal than ever before. Today, I wanted to discuss the visual overhaul I did for the game to enhance its appearance. It may sound trivial, but I’ve learned that people often judge a game by its graphics. When I released the demo, I received feedback suggesting that the game needed a visual update, and one person even remarked that it was the most generic metroidvania they had seen. After reflecting on this, I realized they were right.
So, I spent about two weeks overhauling Tumbleweed to make each room and area feel unique. Don’t worry; this desert location isn’t the only area in the game; it’s just the first area, which is why it has received the most polish. Most locations currently look quite different, but before we dive deeper, I want to mention another game coming out soon called Silksong, which is one of the most wishlisted games on Steam. I reached out to the developers, and while they didn’t agree to a challenge, I still encourage you to wishlist and follow Dewdrop Dynasty on Steam.
If you’re making a metroidvania or working on level design, I recommend blocking out areas first, even if they look rough. This approach made it much easier for me to return and do a final art pass. I started by making the tiles more rounded and angular, which improved the game’s look and made it feel less blocky. I also enhanced the background, which previously was just black with some parallax effects. I changed it to a purple color to make it stand out and added more background tiles, like cave walls, to create a more immersive world.
I wanted to differentiate the various parts of Tumbleweed by changing the background colors. For example, the deeper areas are more blue and misty, while the more vegetated areas have a green background. This helps convey a sense of new locations, even if the tile sets remain similar. I also added numerous new tile sets, including props like oil rigs and bones, which contribute to the game’s lore.
With these changes, the game feels much larger and more vibrant. The improvements are significant, and it almost feels like a different game. Speaking of improvements, I’ve started working on a boss fight featuring a character called Bonsai Beetle, who has a penchant for TNT. I experimented with different abilities for him, including throwing TNT sticks and jumping around.
I also created a camera system for boss areas that zooms out and locks the camera in place, allowing for better visibility during fights. I’m still deciding whether to keep this feature or allow for free camera movement. Additionally, I designed new Tumbleweed characters to make encounters more engaging, especially during boss fights.
Regarding ammo links, I initially thought about incorporating them into the game, but I realized it wasn’t as interesting as I hoped and would require extra work without adding much fun. So, while I experimented with an ammo link for Bonsai Beetle, it may not make it into the final game.
I also improved the particle effects for weapons to make them feel more satisfying and created a dummy enemy for testing damage. This led to a complete overhaul of the UI system, making it more user-friendly and informative. I also considered a new file system and difficulty settings represented by flowers, each indicating a different level of challenge.
While I’ve been working on base tiles for other locations, I decided to pause the visual overhaul to focus on building out the map for Dewdrop. I feel like I have a solid understanding of the visual style, and my priority is now to block out and construct all the rooms as efficiently as possible. I’ve made significant progress, even if it doesn’t look particularly impressive yet.
Lastly, I just launched my own website, goodness.fun, as a centralized hub for all my projects. You can find FAQs, pictures, and eventually my games there. I have exciting plans for the site, including free resources and possibly some surprises, so be sure to check it out.
That’s it for now! Please wishlist Dewdrop on Steam, and I’ll see you next time. Thanks for watching!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Graphics – The visual components displayed on a computer screen, often used in video games and software interfaces to enhance user experience. – The game’s graphics were so advanced that they made the virtual world appear almost lifelike.
Gameplay – The way in which players interact with a game, including the rules, challenges, and overall experience. – The gameplay of the new puzzle game was both challenging and addictive, keeping players engaged for hours.
Design – The process of creating the layout and functionality of a software application or game, focusing on user experience and aesthetics. – The design of the new app was intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate and find what they needed.
Mechanics – The rules and systems that govern how a game operates, including player actions and interactions. – The mechanics of the strategy game required players to think critically and plan several moves ahead.
Visuals – The graphical elements of a software application or game, including images, animations, and overall appearance. – The stunning visuals of the virtual reality game transported players to a fantastical world.
Environment – The setting or context within a game or software application, often including the background, objects, and atmosphere. – The immersive environment of the simulation software allowed students to practice real-world scenarios safely.
Development – The process of creating software applications or games, involving coding, testing, and iteration. – The development of the new software took several months, but the end product was both innovative and reliable.
Tiles – Small, square graphics used in game design to create larger scenes or levels, often in a grid pattern. – The game designer used tiles to efficiently build the expansive landscapes of the adventure game.
Camera – The virtual perspective or viewpoint through which a player views the game world, often adjustable to enhance gameplay. – The camera angle in the racing game could be changed to provide a first-person or third-person view.
User-friendly – Describing software or interfaces that are easy to use and understand, often designed with the end-user in mind. – The new operating system was praised for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to people of all ages.
