Sneak Feast - Demo release!

[MakoDebu]

aw, I was hoping for the Rabbit, still looks pretty promising though

[Hoodah]

Hey all, sorry for being a bit late for this week’s update. Been kinda busy behind the scenes with other stuff, so don’t have anything graphically fancy to show off. But I can definitly do some Q and A here.

@Gorillagut

with regard to making levels challenging and varied, you don’t need to make the largest player size actually be able to fit through the entire level – meaning that in order to finish certain levels, you might need to strategically eat certain food first, so that you can get in and out of these areas before you get too big.

@Yamhead

one problem with doing that though is that it might leed to some annoying resets because you didn’t realize you had to be small enough to go some places or you might get stuck inside an area because you grew in it

So this has been an issue we’ve thought about when it came to game design, whether we should allow players to “soft lock” and be forced to restart mid map, or to have maps designed to be completed regardless of size. We decided initially that it would be best to avoid trial and error with the way our prototype was structured. Players were thrown into the map and expected to figure things out as they go, without previous knowledge of map layout in terms of a mini-map or radar or such.

@Anony2000

To avoid that problem, the game could give you a really cool overview of the level. Maybe someone telling you what to expect or a camera pan.

Which leads into this comment! We do plan to add a “camera pan” feature that will let the player look ahead from where they are, which should help in giving the player more information on how to path correctly. We also want to have a “mission briefing” screen before a map to help point out map objectives and a general layout so players can know what to generally expect when entering a new map.

I dont want to give TOO much away, but here’s some rough plans on the idea.

@Dummyman

I think a good way to design a map for sizes larger than 3 squares would be instead of making one gigantic map, you could split the map across several floors. Start by eating all the food on the first floor, and then move on to the next floor. Each floor would be designed to accommodate your new size(s).

We would like a stage with mulitpler floors/rooms, but with the current engine we’re working on, it’d be more trouble than it’s worth to rig that all together. We opted instead to have more stages in general that are focused on a certain max size.

@MakoDebu

aw, I was hoping for the Rabbit, still looks pretty promising though

I mean, it doesn’t mean she’s NOT in one capacity or another.

Stay tuned for more!

[KaptainKQ]

I know this is an older comment, but I’m somewhat curious: What made you want to use OHRRPGCE in particular?

[EternalBunV]

I would like the idea of our stylish panther bwoomping up in animated glory with each size up~

[Connor_Mathews]

It seems the link doesn’t work it says it’s back up

[Hoodah]

Oops, a little late this week again, but here’s our progress update regardless. This week’s update is more on technical improvements.

In our initial version of the game, the player was always rooted to a 20x20 square, regardless of size, which made for very particular workarounds for map layout. Now, the player’s hitbox is centered, regardless of size, which makes positioning on map much easier to deal with. A lot of the work will be retooling our older map assets to compensate for the new shift, but it’s not tooo much work.

What does this mean gameplaywise? Now we can have “half” tiles for more pathing options, particulary when at size 1. We hope to capitalize on this with our new maps. In the meantime, here’s a peek at map assets!

You can’t have food without a table to put it on, after all. Anyway, let’s go to questions.

@KaptainKQ

I know this is an older comment, but I’m somewhat curious: What made you want to use OHRRPGCE in particular?

The simple answer is because Dom, our programmer, was just more comfortable in OHRRPGCE than any other program at the time. We were considering trying gamemaker but we didn’t have enough time to learn gamemaker properly. Now with no (figurative) time constraint, we can look into an engine more friendly with the kind of “action” game we’re trying for here.

@EternalBunV

I would like the idea of our stylish panther bwoomping up in animated glory with each size up~

Wouldn’t we all. I’d like those too, but that will be more flair to add once the main assets we want are done and implemented into the game.

@Connor_Mathews

It seems the link doesn’t work it says it’s back up

Mirror 2 seems to be working, from the google drive. I’ll repost just to keep from scrolling allll the way up

sneakfeast-windows.zip

And that’s all this week, keep those questions coming!

[DesperateCreator]

Will we be seeing new models of the guards? Because I’m assuming multiple levels=multiple jobs=multiple catering companies that need to have all of their product “disappear” mysteriously.

[KaptainKQ]

GMS/2 would be a pretty good engine for a “maze”-type game, especially with it’s native support of paths, which should take a lot of gruntwork out of guard AI. Just a matter of catching it on sale… Which is pretty likely come December.

[Anony2000]

Speaking of different kinds of guards, are we going to get different sizes of guards?

[DesperateCreator]

Oooh! Actually, I just realized! What about security cameras? Areas that could be highlighted to show their danger, and stepping into it would immediately alert all the guards to come to you. For a little while, of course, so you’ll have to lose them or sneak past the cameras without getting caught.

[Dummyman]

I have a question. After each level, does Leblanc’s size get reset? Or will he gradually gain weight through the story? I’m assuming it’s the former, but I just want to make sure.

[Hoodah]

Another week, another round of Q&A, let’s get started on this spooooky update.

And what’s spookier than talking about enemies? But first, some general questions.

@Dummyman

I have a question. After each level, does Leblanc’s size get reset? Or will he gradually gain weight through the story? I’m assuming it’s the former, but I just want to make sure.

Currently we plan to have Leblanc reset his size per new map as the standard.

@DesperateCreator

Oooh! Actually, I just realized! What about security cameras?

Cameras are a classic mechanic, yes. And something we’re looking at when it comes to threat variety for the game.

But speaking of threat variety…

@DesperateCreator

Will we be seeing new models of the guards? Because I’m assuming multiple levels=multiple jobs=multiple catering companies that need to have all of their product “disappear” mysteriously.

You’re right! Part of the new stages will be the theming involved, which I’d like to have unique-ish guards for each. I’d want similar statures so you can know what’s a guard at glance, but different clothes to set the motif of the area.

@Anony2000

Speaking of different kinds of guards, are we going to get different sizes of guards?

Something we’ve been experimenting with is different sized guards, yes! But we’re still working on what makes them special besides being too big for smaller passages.

Thanks for the questions so far! I want to get more work done as the holidays soon approach but I’ll keep checking in once a week just to show progress and keep the conversation going. Until then, Happy Halloween everybody!

[DesperateCreator]

The bigger guards give me an idea. How about they’ll notice if food is missing in the area they’re patrolling? So if you eat any food that they normally walk past, they may expand their patrol routes in search of who’s been snacking. Either that, or they’ll use a walkie talkie and raise the alarm for the level and this will…I dunno. Increase guards, or make normal guards walk around faster?

[KaptainKQ]

Perhaps fat guards are simply more of a flavor thing?

I’m not sure how to make them mechanically unique in a way that adds to challenge. My only feasible suggestions are that they’d occasionally stop to catch their breath while patrolling, thus blocking paths for a moment or two, and that they’d be more inclined to patrol closer to the food.

Otherwise, it might be amusing if you were uniquely able to distract them by dropping a piece of candy or something on the ground where they’d walk by it.

[Dummyman]

What are your thoughts on optional anti-frustration features that make the game a little easier for people having trouble? Examples would be the chicken hat from MGSV or the golden tanooki suit from some of the newer Mario games. I personally don’t mind them although I can understand how some people could take issue with them.

Would you ever consider adding something like that to your game? Like maybe a girdle/corset that compresses your body and lets you stay in your “skinny” form for a longer period of time? Maybe a penalty for using it could be locking of endgame content until you beat it the legit way or maybe it could just be your employer berating you for taking the easy way out.

[Hoodah]

Hey all, hope you had a good Halloween. I’ve been busier than usual so don’t have too much to share off this week, but I do have time for some QnA as always. Oh boy!

@Dummyman

What are your thoughts on optional anti-frustration features that make the game a little easier for people having trouble? Examples would be the chicken hat from MGSV or the golden tanooki suit from some of the newer Mario games. I personally don’t mind them although I can understand how some people could take issue with them.

I think part of what makes this game special is how “difficult” it is compared to other fat-themed games out there. I was honestly surprised at the response to our initial release when it was especially difficult to succeed. That being said, we have had ideas of “easier” modes that may include less guards or more generous time limits on maps, but that’s still something being worked on in the back end. Special items or powers would probably be saved for a future release on a full fledged engine. The most ambitious idea would to have a seperate character that had an easier time with mobility while at larger sizes.

@KaptainKQ

Perhaps fat guards are simply more of a flavor thing?

That could very well just be it. Size 2 guard, there they are. How amusing.

@KaptainKQ

Otherwise, it might be amusing if you were uniquely able to distract them by dropping a piece of candy or something on the ground where they’d walk by it.

Useable items and such will probably be saved for a future release in a proper engine. We want to keep the focus on movement and timing that was there in the initial release, just have more content to go along with it.

@DesperateCreator

How about they’ll notice if food is missing in the area they’re patrolling? So if you eat any food that they normally walk past, they may expand their patrol routes in search of who’s been snacking. Either that, or they’ll use a walkie talkie and raise the alarm for the level and this will…I dunno. Increase guards, or make normal guards walk around faster?

Adjustable behavior of NPC’s is something we’re looking into now, but it might be a simple route change if food is gone or if a guard returns to a route after chasing the player a bit.

That’s all I have for now, I wish I had something more finished to share but it’d either be too spoilery or too unfinished to share, a rock and a hard place indeed. Anyway, thanks for the continued support regardless, see you next week!

[Dummyman]

Maybe the fat guards can have a larger FOV, but are overall slower than other guards.

Another idea for guard would be a super fat guard with a massive FOV that is completely stationary other that rotation. If you are spotted by them they blow a whistle and alert all the other guards or maybe they could call for backup.

[Fervus]

I’m hoping for some cutscenes between the levels. Even if it’s just some minimally animated portraits with dialogue boxes. Something to expound on the plot, world, and characters to reward players for progressing through each map. Speaking of, you’ve been sharing a lot about development with game features and art assets. Anything new regarding the story?

[MadNEvil]

First time posting in this specific subject, but here’s a fun idea - What about traps for the guards? Something that if they walk into them, they get caught and can’t move for a few seconds?

[Niah_Lockwood]

Hey, so, all the down links are unable, 404 on dropbox and virus on drive, can you help me with this?