When I was in middle school I was a big nerd. I learned all I could about the computers which from a very early age of 6 or 7 was introduced to. Each year there was a new computer unveiled for me to experiment with. I remember giant floppy disks on old DOS PCs and tried almost every Mac they came up with. We were allowed to use the computers for about 45 minutes each day, I loved learning about networking and file storage, I had transparent colored floppy discs that I saved my files on.
They encouraged us to play games like DinoPark Tycoon, although I spent a lot of time using the old paint programs, playing with graphics and gradients. I still do, if I only knew what Meme meant back then. In middle school I was really becoming a decent graphic artist and I really wanted to make a video game with my friend, as I mostly was working on web pages and ftp file hosting at the time.
I wanted to study programming but what happened next sort of redirected me. I was banned from the school computers for a whole year. It was not really for anything bad except when it comes to 'school rules' that were not defined, just a teachers interpretation of something they didn't like, which I thought was just historical and important scientifically.
It was bad timing too, for global events, but even the concept was shut down by our peers. It was an experience in authority, I felt punished kind of like that kid from the movie Hackers. 'Hack the planet' man. It was just a website background image dude. Well we were just kids with big dreams, and I decided to never stop using my imagination. I also witnessed authority crush an idea.
I was born after the atomic age had passed, the fear of nuclear war was over by the time I was born. Yet my aging instructor was obviously upset by what he saw, a reminder of a time in his childhood. I know now that he was likely just just trying to protect me from the past.
The reason this prelude is important however is that as a result, I was not allowed to pursue my interests in programming as early as I wanted. In fact I was only able to use computers after school at the public library, with extreme limitations. Eventually in High School I was able to focus on multimedia at a time when the software I was using, Macromedia Shockwave, was becoming Flash and enabling the creation of YouTube. Combined with high bandwidth internet, the resulting transformation was undeniable. Although I have focused primarily on advances in Video information sharing, the simultaneous improvement in graphics cards has now enabled 3D animation software.
These are tools in my hands I only dreamed of in my youth. I recall rendering a simple sphere or cylinder frame took up to 20 minutes, longer if there was intricate shading. Now the canvas for our ideas is easily moldable like clay in our hands. I am fully embracing this process and taking the time to prepare my future projects, using 2D and 3D gaming engines. And HIVE I have fully embraced too.
So now I don't have any more excuses. I have the tools, I have the desire. I started with 2D games in 2018 and once I made a few like that, I started studying more about how to make game mechanics work in the unreal engine. I also have had to start learning to use Blender which has completely different controls to what I am used to, so that will take some time. I am up for the challenge. It took Steven Speilberg ten years to make Avatar and another ten for the sequel which is still not out yet.
Anything good takes time, when I rush something to completion then I may have a finished product sooner but there are details that I wish I could go back and fix. My favourite game creation so far is called Space3 (because that is the version that had the perfect balance for fun) and a close second was the first level of Aura DeSpell. Now I am recreating this game in 3D, which is a lot more complicated than I expected. It is fascinating to see the difference in what it takes to make a 3D or virtual reality experience, but it is definitely the future of storytelling.
When I get back into a physical space, DarkPylon would be a team of a few Developer friends. Although I am not great at Blender, I have this one friend who is spectacular at designing scenes and also characters. And there is so much work to do with creating texture maps and sprites, that I get completely sidetracked when I am working on one specific function and I realize 3 other things need to be completed as well. By working as a team and delegating certain tasks, a complete game can be built much more efficiently. I am always looking to network with others who have skills, and am seeking someone who can help me design custom jsons for Hive users to interact.
Instead of getting into the technical functions, let's talk about the Aura DeSpell story. In the first chapter, our hero discovers that her world is being invaded by Orcs. She uses her magic to fight back the invading army, but she discovers they are warping in from another dimension. In the first 2D game, you must collect all the keys to open the doorway. Your high score is calculated depending on how many Orcs you defeat, how much time you have been playing each round, how many coins you collect and rising energy based on how much power you use. When I started translating this into the 3D engine I was surprised how certain functions were easier to set up, but other actions are not.
In the new 3D world the player character can shoot fireballs forward and backwards in 2D. She has her Health and Stamina and can jump around. For the moment, the NPC baddie 'Jake' has his idle stance and his attack stance, but does not deal damage and does not recieve damage. There are many parts to wiring this up and there is no rush to do this, because a lot more needs to be mapped out. I am also transitioning Aura out of 2D maps as she travels further into the Orc dimension, and others. The textures you see are painted on new 3D sculpted landscape that require significant preparation. Next I will take the time to prepare new textures for another new landscape layer to wire up properly. This involves making sure all the different parts of the textures combine properly.
This is the blueprint that has to be wired up to make that Landscape look good. It takes a lot of work to do even a simple things but this is something I have been interested in my whole life. In an effort to practice art, I have struggled with painting actual paintings with paint and brushes. Yet I look up at my wall at that masterpiece and realize, I did paint my dream. Its a big empty field lol and that's what I want. But I digress, if you have a story idea, write it! Put the concept together and then find a way.
The more complete your idea is before you start, with an understanding of all the steps it takes, the better chance you have of successfully completing your game. I have spent a few years learning how to make the 2D games and now I can pretty much whip up a world in a few days. Now I am practicing all the little skills to make 3D and Virtual Reality experiences, and in a few years I will consider the skills I gain to be the most valuable of all. However, if I can earn a little Bitcoin that would be extremely helpful in prioritizing the creative environment needed for this.
± @DarkPylon ±