Pine Png Style Test

Note: This post is from when we were planning to make a different game, so the screenshot is no longer relevant but was fun anyway.

Hehe it's funny. In that way someone's delighted the first time they get a sprite to move with WASD across the screen.

There's potential here. Some shadows, atmospheric perspective, terrain bumpiness, some actual ground textures, some way to soften the bottom edge of the scenery.

These have thin, light rough-stroke outlines and I don't hate that so far.

It'd be cool if the big pieces could:

• rotate, flip, and sink to get as much use as possible out of one big rock-thing
• have optional layers (like the big log could have the little log against it or not)

Next steps: play with floor and cliff texture, make a little guy run around the stuff.

Also maybe fix the inner lines on those trees because they're obnoxious.

Varying Degrees of Non-Combat

Note: This post is from when we were planning to make a different game, so the wagon-run stuff is no longer relevant. But we're still interested in avoiding traditional combat.

Expanding on the "Peril and Combat" section Nate wrote previously. Having a game where your stakes and skill-showcasing came from things other than traditional combat—that'd be fresh. Right? Thinking about that sort of thing...

I. Ways to interact with problem-causing creatures:

(That's not "hit them with a sword when you see them and keep hitting them til they disappear")

1. They're not hostile, but they are territorial and will wreck anything you do on their territory (worms in the Factorio DLC). Avoid their territory or fight them once you're ready.
2. They're hostile but have very broadcasted, predefined aggro areas. Avoid those.
3. They try to steal your stuff. Either secure it or set up a point to stop them.
4. Set traps. Check those traps.

II. What if you're not really fighting creatures at all though? 

Apparently Subnautica pulls this off really well. You avoid fish or scare them off, but you're not out there farming swim bladders and rainbow scales.

COM'EEERRRE

So you're shepherding a wagon and a friend and maybe a beast of burden and some cargo through the woods, and you come across something that wants to steal your stuff or just hates you on principle. Instead of shooting fireballs, you want to avoid engaging in actual combat:

1. Make your party faster
2. Pin or slow any hostile creatures
3. Distract enemies while you sneak by or get what you want
4. Enhance your party's stealth, i.e. ability to not draw attention to itself
5. Make your party straight-up invisible
6. Teleport your party to avoid a bad spot
7. Levitate or telekinesis some stuff (could be scenery) to clear or block paths quickly
8. AoE knockbacks
9. Some kind of aggressive trick to scare enemies off (sounds, illusions, etc.)

Nate mentioned being partial to zone effects here. You choose a zone for a magical effect, and maybe you can maintain it by e.g. clicking and holding, but it drains your power as you do so. I like that; it's like the breath-holding in Death Stranding or having to shit or get off the pot when you're aiming your bow in Valheim.

III. Evasion, specifically! 

It's something that you always kinda think you're going to do more of in games, but then you just fall back to hitting/shooting. There may be something inherently challenging about it, but I'm trying to think of fun ways to evade that require you to make some decisions and show some skill as you're schlepping around the woods. Maybe there are things wandering around that are big and scary and you'd rather not have them know you're passing through.

1. Moving faster is noisier, so you're deciding when you speed up & slow down, seeing what you can get away with in dangerous areas.
2. If we make enemies' line of sight clear, you can avoid that by staying behind scenery, especially when they're facing you.
3. If it's a sniffer, try to stay downwind.
4. Pause when the enemy becomes alert (aka play Red Light Green Light, I guess) :P
5. Throw rocks or something to make them go to another area so you can get by.

IV. Failing gracefully.

"Sooo then, Mister Sneakypants, what happens if the monster does reach you?" is a major thing to keep in mind if you're not going to be doing a lot of traditional fighting. 

Even with the tactics in part II, if you're beefing it, we can't be like "oh guess this is a hack & slash encounter now, good luck" or "well, it was a big scary thing, so guess you die." Brainstorming stuff that could happen when a monster gets all up on you...

1. Wagon has a lockdown mode. Stops moving, high defense, will stay like that until the danger passes.
2. A bit of stuff gets stolen, but then the threat leaves.
3. Monster whacks you and you fly off a long way.
4. You & your buddy can "faint" if you get hit enough. It's assumed that one of you drags the other back to town. Maybe this pairs with the wagon locking down. Or...
5. Wagon & party go into a "run away!!" cutscene thing and you start further back.

We can figure out what sorts of penalties would feel immersive(?), but not too punishing.