the Trader of Story - a game by Marek Rudowski

[rudowski]

I've added some sketches of the game characters.

I invite all to the game webblog:
http://traderofstories.blogspot.com/

Marek Rudowski

[Imari]

Wonderful characters, Marek.   Your kitchen is so jewel-like and I love how you transform it into night with the blue color scheme (in the hair washing picture).   

[NigeC]

The art work is stunning Marek!
sorry I missed the thread, thank Imari for popping it back up

[Kickaha]

Marek, your artwork is very impressive - I prefer (this may seem perverse) the sketches to the final coloured picture. 

[JJ]

Can't wait to play this game. Maybe you could give us a quick video trailer of some more scenes/gameplay?

[rudowski]

I'm working on a new bigger demo of this game but a video trailer also sound tempting. For now let me present you the "main menu".

More info on the webblog:
http://traderofstories.blogspot.com/

Marek Rudowski

[rudowski]

Still working on the demo. My beta testers came with new ideas with I'm trying out now. In the meantime you can cast a glance on a new location.

More info on the webblog:
http://traderofstories.blogspot.com/

Marek Rudowski

[rudowski]

Voice actors needed!

I would very much like to have some voice acting in the game but I cannot do it alone. I cannot support You with nothing more then my gratitude, a place in the credits and final game when it's ready. If it's OK with you - write me a massage. For the time being I need voices of:
- Myosotis (the main character, lots of speaking) - female, age about 35;
- Neesan - female, age about 45;
- Coni - female, age about 12;
- Wiseman, male, age about... well it should sound old.
The design of each character can be found on my webblog.

Marek Rudowski

[rudowski]

Hello everyone,

It took longer then I’ve expected but the new demo is finally complete. You can download it from my blog dedicated to this game:

http://traderofstories.blogspot.com/

I count on your feedback!

[xelanoimis]

Hi,

I played your latest demo. Looks great!

Somehow I managed to get stuck with the old man's dialog. Literally. I was left with only one option (about the lawn mower) and couldn't return from the dialog, except in the game menu (and back). Also highlight of the dialog lines might not work correctly (if it's supposed to mark the fully spoken lines).

A few suggestions:

- the one about selecting the inventory items without a pixel perfect mask. should be able to select it by clicking on the whole inventory slot area. I think I mentioned this one before or at least for games.

- right click should skip the current message (same as left click).

- in the main menu, it felt strange that the girl was playing the flute while the song was from a harp (or other string instrument). There is a flute later in the song, so I was wondering if it's worth to make her take the flute close to her mouth and start playing only when the appropriate sound is playing in the song. When the flute stops in the song, she should also bring it down. Would add a nice touch.

- voice overs would be great indeed. Make sure you ask player's opinions here or in similar forums before you choose the voices, especially for the main character. She seems a complex character and it's important not to screw her voice.

Good luck with the game! I'm looking forward to this one.
Alex

[Igor Hardy]

A Hardy Developer's Journal has just published an interview with Marek. Enjoy!

[ad7venture]

Very interesting interview Igor.  You asked a lot of good questions.  Marek sounds like a very talented person.  It's interesting to see what type of people choose to design games on the side.  His art work is amazing.  I noticed that he tried to narrow down his idea from a larger plot.  I think that's important.  Too often we start with overly grand ideas that never seem to become fulfilled.  Having a larger plot to draw on will help give the story body.  I read a lot of fantasy books and I can see how the authors painstakingly worked out a world before they started the story to make it real.  As the characters work out their problems, we are introduced to this larger world.  A lot of people make games something completely different than books, but in their fundamental aspects, they are a lot alike.  It's only the presentation that is necessarily different.

[rudowski]

Hi

Thank you very much for your feedback. Great thanks to Xelanoimis for your comments.

I've fixed the old man's dialog bug. I've completely forgot about that dialog line.

The inventory items will be now without a pixel perfect mask.

Right click will also skip dialog text.

I don't know however how to make the "playing flute according to music" thing. If you have any ideas please write me.

Marek Rudowski

[xelanoimis]

About the playing flute on music,
I didn't use wintermute but I think it should be able to support the following idea:

First have a few drawing of the girl: one with the flute down and an animation with the flute at her mouth and fingers moving.

Second, check the song for the flute sequences and note down the start and end time in seconds, for each of them.

Third check wintermute if it allows you to get the song's timing while playing. If so, just display the proper sprite or animation according to the flute sequences. If you can't get the music time, you can start a timer at the same time with the song. If no dedicated timer is available, you can just have a simple floating point variable and increment it each frame with the current delta time (in seconds), to act like a timer.

You can ask the tech details in the wintermute forum. I'm sure it's possible to implement it somehow.

[rudowski]

New location and some info on the game webblog:

http://traderofstories.blogspot.com/

Marek Rudowski