wollay's blog

Screenshots: Dungeon Entrances

2012-03-05T09:26:00.001-08:00

I'm currently adding various dungeon themes like mines, crypts and tombs. In the screenshots you can see some dungeon entrances with different themes.

New Screenshots

2012-02-27T09:48:00.000-08:00

Hey, I'm currently very busy with the dungeon system. It's really tricky and I hope to be able to show you some upates about it soon. In the meantime, here are some new screenshots in which you can see a few new features, like:

- Two-handed weapons: Greatswords and greatmaces
- Combo-system is back: subsequent hits increase damage and have different animations
- Improved camera and targeting
- Kingdoms: There are now kingdoms with frontier walls and guards
- Dungeon entrance with runestone: you can port back to the runestone when you've completed a dungeon
- Ring item menu for quick access of consumable items
- Coins: enemies now drop copper, silver and gold coins

Cube World Video: Bows, Shields and More

2012-02-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

This video gives an overview of the different weapon styles and fighting moves that are implemented so far. Each weapon type has now an additional finishing move which can be triggered in combination with rolling (dodging).

Bow:
- Special: Charged arrow (must stand still while charging)
- Roll + Special: Air strike

Dual-wield:
- Special: Swirl
- Roll + Special: Charge and dual-slash

Shield:
- Chance to block when shield is in front
- Special: Shield slam
- Roll + Special: Charge and shield slam

Two-handed:
- Special: Smash
- Roll + Special: Somersault smash

New Cube World Video: Slow Motion Combat

2012-02-12T09:27:00.001-08:00

Screenshots: Dungeons

2012-02-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

Just a note: Cube World it NOT available for download. Any Cube World download sites are scam.

I'm implementing randomly generated dungeons with the following features:

- Fire and spike traps
- Levers, doors, gates
- Dungeon bosses
- Treasure chests

Check out my test dungeon run in the screenshots below.

P.S.: Before you ask: I'll increase the XP you get for killing bosses. :)

Edit: I'm still tweaking the item system so the weapon stats in the screenshot are not correct yet.

Screenshots: Obsidian Armor and Swords

2012-02-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

Hey, I'm currently adding new armor and weapons. The first ones are made of Obsidian and you can see them in the screenshots below, where I tested them in multiplayer.

New Cube World Video: Spirit System

2012-01-31T17:00:00.000-08:00

I made a new short video demonstrating the spirit system that I described earlier.

Screenshots: Spirit System

2012-01-31T07:52:00.000-08:00

Here are some screenshots of the new spirit system. You can upgrade you weapons not only with iron cubes (which increase the base damage) but also with spirit cubes. In the examples below I added fire and unholy spirits to my weapons.

These cubes begin to glow when your spirit increases.

When you perform a finishing move, their power is unleashed: fire spirit deals additional fire damage, unholy spirit drains life from the enemy and heals you by a small amount.

Spirits will be very rare and most likely be dropped by bosses. I'm planning to add more spirit types soon.

New Cube World Video: Improved Combat

2012-01-30T17:43:00.000-08:00

I made some changes to the combat system:

There are no more combo points but an energy called 'spirit'. Each attack generates spirit points (SP) which you can unleash with a finishing move. The finishing move depends on your weapons:
- Dual-wielding: Swirl
- Two-handed: Smash
- Shield: Slam

You will find different kinds of spirits (small cubes) that you can attach to your weapons and armor, each with a different effect. For instance if you add a fire spirit (red cube) to your weapon, your finish move will deal fire damage. If you add an unholy spirit (green cube), your finishing move will drain life from your enemies and heal you. You can also attach multiple spirits for a combined effect.

Depending on the spirits your weapons will glow in different colors. In the video spirits are not implemented yet - I just made the weapons glow yellow.

Screenshots: Blueprints, Mobs, Pets, Upgrading

2012-01-24T08:51:00.000-08:00

I've added a couple of new things:

Blueprints:
I started with the GUI design for the architecture blueprints. They're like collectable cards with rotating 3D previews and additional info.

New mobs:
I added two new mobs, frogs and moles. Maybe I'll also add playable frogmen. :D

Pets:
I implemented pets, which will accompany you and fight for you. The first pet I implemented is my own dog "Joschi". He's a really nice Collie. :D

I also added an "aggro" system: When you or your pet attack a monster, the monster's aggro against the attacker is increased. The more damage, the higher the aggro. The monster will always attack the enemy with the highest aggro. It's similar to MMORPG's like World of Warcraft.

I'm planning to add "tank" pets (like turtles) which generate more aggro but do less damage. This is useful when you're using a bow.

You can heal your pet with cookies. :)

Equipment upgrading:

You can upgrade your equipment by placing up to 10 cubes on them. It works for weapons and armor. It increases the level of an item but also changes the look of it. To upgrade an iron sword you have to place iron cubes on it. You get iron cubes with the help of a special NPC which can disenchant items.

Screenshots: Caves & Quests

2012-01-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your feedback about the building feature. Today I'm just showing some screenshots of the caves that I recently added, together with a new quest type.

EDIT: Sorry about the typos in the quest text. :D

Cube World: Architecture

2012-01-19T08:25:00.000-08:00

Today I started with a house building system. The idea is that you will find construction plans during your adventure. There will be architect NPCs that will sell them or you can find them in treasure chests. Each construction plan allows you to create a 10x10x10 building piece, like a wall, a corner, a windowed wall, a roof etc. You can place them with a 3D cursor.

There will be different architecture types. I just implemented a 'framework house' architecture and you can see it in the screenshots below. I plan to add other architectures like elven and dwarven architecture. You can combine different architectures and some of them will be very rare.

The overall idea is that you're able to build and extend your home and fill it with trophies and treasures that you find during your adventure. I also want to add a way to teleport back home.

I haven't decided yet about how to get materials for building, maybe you have some suggestions. :)

New Cube World Screenshots: Jungle

2012-01-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

I'm currently implementing a climate system. Cube World's climate depends on temperature and humidity. These two variables vary randomly accross the world. A combination of high temperature and humidity results in a jungle which I'm presenting you in the screenshots below. Other zones like deserts, savannahs, tundras and snowlands coming soon.

New Gameplay Video

2012-01-02T03:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a new gameplay video with quests, shields and more. Descriptions are in the video!

Quests!

2011-12-30T20:09:00.000-08:00

Hey! I started with the questing system yesterday. Basic killing quests are already working. The quest texts are generated randomly from a set of phrases (both English and German is supported at the moment).

Each quest giver will send you to a questing region which is also highlighted on the minimap. The quest progress is displayed on the right side below the minimap.

Right now you get just XP for completing a quest. In the future you will also get rewards like weapons, items or money. Next I will implement quest lines and more complex quests.

Here are some screens showing a complete quest:

Christmas Special Video

2011-12-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! :)

Twitter

2011-12-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

You can now follow me on Twitter!

Follow @wol_lay

New Enemies

2011-12-17T03:34:00.000-08:00

I added some new enemies!

Crows:
- Agressive and annoying birds
- Can fly to evade your attacks

Berserker Dwarves:

- Tiny but dangerous
- Wielding huge axes
- Usually encountered in groups

Hornets:

- Huge flying insects
- Have a poisonous sting

Lizardmen:

- Vicious reptile warriors
- Hunting for adventurers

Plain runners:

- Large birds without wings...
- ... but with two very long and fast legs

Rivers, Waterfalls and Forests

2011-12-12T16:26:00.000-08:00

I took a little break from implementing the item system and villages and decided improve the landscape.

I added rivers with little waterfalls and improved the trees. Here are some screenshots.

Screenshots: Villages, Night & Day

2011-12-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

3D Minimap, Landscapes, Items, User Interface

2011-12-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's been a busy week and I will try to answer your questions tomorrow. Here is what I just added:

Minimap:
In the top right you see now a 3D minimap which turns as you turn the camera. It consists of tiles which become visible while you explore the world. On the minimap you can see boss creatures (like trolls) as skulls. Boss creatures will be very hard to kill but also drop rare loot like strong weapons or armor. In the future I will also add quest givers and other stuff to the minimap. I also plan to add a big world map where you can also see the locations of bosses, towns, quests and so on.

Landscapes:
To make exploration more interesting, the world now consists of uniquely named landscapes. The names are generated as a random combination of syllables. Depending on the properties of the ground and the vegetation, each landscape has an additional name like 'Hills', 'Mountains', 'Beach', 'Ocean' etc.

Items:
There are now lootable items, both dropped by monsters and growing in the landscapes (like mushrooms). Currently I have just basic items like chest armor, gloves and boots, but I will add different types like steel armor, bone armor, crystal swords and different herbs, vegetables, ingredients etc.

User Interface:
In the lower right you can see a context window which shows you information about an item. On the top there is a quick bar which allows you to use items like potions via hotkeys. In the bottom left you can open your inventory and equipment window.

Here are the new screenshots:

New Multiplayer Video

2011-11-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

In this video you can see me and another player exploring a dark castle.

Castles

2011-11-26T17:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some screens of the castles that I just added. They have random size and rooms but I still need to add furniture and carpets and stuff like that. And the big boss of the castle is still missing. :D

A Small Update: Dual wielding

2011-11-24T03:28:00.000-08:00

Currently I'm working on the multiplayer mode and hope to make a video of it soon. In the meanwhile I can just post screenshots, so here are a few. New features: Dual wielding, new sprites, improved running animations, more varied terrain coloring.

The idea of dual wielding is: each attack deals fewer damage but is very fast and allows for faster combo point buildup.

Extended Cube World FAQ

2011-11-23T01:04:00.000-08:00

Q: When will Cube World be released?
A: I'm currently tuning and fixing everything but I don't know how long it will take and can't estimate a release date.

Q: How many people are working on this game?
A: Just me. I started this as a small hobby project in June 2011.

Q: Can I help with programming, graphics, sound, music etc?
A: Thanks, but I want to do everything by myself.

Q: Which platforms are supported?
A: Currently just Windows PC. Mac support is planned in the future.

Q: Which games inspired you?
A:
- Minecraft: Endless random world made up of blocks
- Zelda, Secret of Mana, Landstalker, Monster Hunter and more: Style, gameplay, overall feel
- Diablo, World of Warcraft: RPG elements
- And many more

Q: Which features do you still want to add?
A:
- Player customization: I'm planning to add player customization whith different faces, hair styles etc.
- Classes: I'm planning to add a mage class next and more classes in the future
- Different playable races
- Quests: A variety of different quests
- Items: Different weapons, armor and other items
- Building: Different blueprints and materials
- Weapon/Armor upgrading system
- Different pets

Q: Is there multiplayer support?
A: Yes, you can do everything in the game cooperatively with friends. I can't say anything about maximum players per server because it still needs to be optimized and tested.

Q: Will you add mining/building/crafting?
A:
- I'm not planning to add mining or digging.
- House building is supported.
- I will probably add a crafting system that allows you to craft weapons and armor from loot dropped by monsters.

Q: How do you create this game?
A: I've programmed everything with C++ and DirectX (OpenGL for the first version). For the voxel sprites, I created my own voxel editor.

Q: Will the final game still be called "Cube World"?
A: Probably not. It's currently just the project name. I'll have to come up with a new name soon.

Q: Will it be free?
A: No.

Taking a Ride

2011-11-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

Hey, here's what I added today:

New Weapon Type: Bows

2011-11-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

Hey, here is another update: I added bows as ranged weapons. They also work with combos, but I'm still working on that. Further new features are lock-on targeting and a basic leveling and experience system.

New Screenshots

2011-11-18T15:01:00.000-08:00

Crab Attack!

2011-11-18T06:47:00.000-08:00

This short clip shows a new enemy type - crabs! Other new features are 3D health bars and particle collision. Destructible terrain is back in the new engine, too.

New Combat System

2011-11-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

Here is a first preview of the new combat system. It works as follows:

- You build up combo points by subsequently hitting an enemy.
- If you are hit or wait too long, all combo points are reset.
- The more combo points you have built up, the more damage you will make.
- Sometimes you hit the enemy critically with double damage.
- You can dodge attacks by rolling.
- Different attacks will be added in the future.

Climbing

2011-11-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

You can now climb up walls in Cube World! Here are some photos of the mountains that I've climbed today.

A Day In The Cube World

2011-11-11T01:52:00.000-08:00

Today I had a great time exploring the new Cube World. Even though I created the game, It feels like someone else created the World and I discovered many exciting places. Here is another short video with the best moments of my journey.

New Engine Video

2011-11-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

I made a new video of the new Cube World engine. It demonstrates an improved terrain generator with more complex rocks, procedural trees as well as shadows. There is no actual gameplay in the video, just walking around and exploring the world. Monsters, NPCs and villages will be added next. Enjoy!

Procedural Trees

2011-09-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

I added procedurally generated trees, i.e. each tree in the world is unique! You can see them in the following screenshots.

Cube World: New Engine

2011-08-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I reprogrammed the complete Cube World engine and experimented with the overall style of the game. The new engine is faster and has a cleaner shading. Here are some new screenshots. Enjoy!

Villages, Roads, Deserts, Pyramids

2011-07-06T03:56:00.000-07:00

After a longer break (I had other stuff to do), here is an update:

- I added villages consisting of multiple houses which are inhabited by NPCs. By now there is only one house type but more will be coming soon.

- There are also roads leading you to interesting places. They automatically form underground passages through mountains and bridges over canyons.

- The player can now walk uphill without jumping.

- I'm adding new zones, the first one being deserts including pyramids and oases. I also want to add tombs and ruins which you can explore as well as new enemies like undead mummies. :D

- There will be a lot of other zones like jungle, snow landscapes etc.

New Screenshots: More Vegetation

2011-06-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

I created some more voxel sprites: small details like flowers and grass, as well as bushes and trees. Here they are:

Trolls in Action

2011-06-23T01:36:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the video with the trolls.

Danger! Trolls Ahead!

2011-06-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Attention, here comes a troll. He has a big mace and wants to smash you! I'm currently adding boss fights and this is the first one. A video is coming soon.

Cube World: New Video

2011-06-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a new short video demonstrating new features like water, trees and improved animations:

Cube World: Tree Sprites!

2011-06-15T23:28:00.000-07:00

This Cube World project is causing me insomnia... so this is what I did tonight: I created tree sprites in the voxel editor to make the Cube World more alive. More vegetation and things like that coming soon.

Cube World: Increased Voxel Resolution

2011-06-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Today I made some experiments with the voxel resolution of the landscape. I found that increasing the resolution by a factor of two in each dimension still gives good framerates while the result looks more detailed.

I'd be happy to hear what you think of it. Screenshots below:

Cube World: Clouds and Shading

2011-06-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

Today I tweaked the shading so that everything looks sunnier. The clouds got a bluish shading to make them look more cloudy.

Cube World: User Interface and Questing

2011-06-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

A the moment I'm adding GUI elements like speech bubbles for NPCs so I can start implementing quests. Here is an in-game screenshot:

Cube World: Voxel Editor

2011-06-12T02:18:00.000-07:00

Here are the new sprites in the voxel editor:

Cube World: New 3D Sprites

2011-06-12T01:51:00.000-07:00

I created new 3D voxel sprites for Cube World: An old man NPC, a female character and a goblin enemy.
You can see them in action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6bMTR7tepM
Here are screens of them:

Cube World: Voxel Editor

2011-06-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

Today I made a voxel editor to create 3D sprites for Cube World. I already made a new head and a new sword for the hero character. The rest of the body still needs to be pimped. ;)

Cube World on Facebook

2011-06-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

I created a Facebook Page for Cube World: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cube-World/217630671603658

Cube World: New Screens

2011-06-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

Cube World: Having Fun in Multiplayer Mode

2011-06-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a new gameplay video featuring third person view and mutliplayer:

Cube World: Third Person View Added

2011-06-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

I added a third person view to Cube World. The view distance can be adjusted with the mouse wheel. You can still play in first person mode by zooming into the character. The new video will be up soon!

Cube World

2011-06-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

I started devloping a 3D Voxel-Based game two weeks ago as a fun project. You can see a gameplay video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZgpMgXKFKY

Or just have a look at these screenshots:

More info coming soon!

2011-05-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

We have released two new HD videos showcasing drawing in Plasma and its scalable user interface. Enjoy!

Picroma Plasma Sneak Peek

2011-05-15T02:34:00.000-07:00

It's finally finished. Plasma is now available as sneak peek at www.picroma.com

Here is a video demonstrating some of its features:

Vector Actress

2010-06-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a plasmarized version of Scarlett Johansson. Again, I traced the contours from a photo and colorized everything by eye.

Vector Porsche

2010-06-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

I have drawn this car in plasma. I used a photo reference to trace the shapes. The colors were chosen manually by me to match the reference as good as possible. In the close-ups you can see how simple the shapes actually are.

Pixel preview

2010-06-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

Plasma is now able to display a real-time pixel preview, which shows how the image will look like when it is rasterized or printed,depending on the DPI settings.

Custom fonts

2010-06-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

It is now possible to create custom fonts. For the font below, I first imported a Verdana TTF and modified the characters so that they are extruded and shaded in grey tones. The result was saved as plasma font which can be used by the text tool to write arbitrary texts, as seen in the image below.

3D Text

2010-06-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick test of plasma's extrusion and deformation tools. I first created a simple writing using the Trebuchet font. Then I converted it to editable plasma shapes which I then extruded and painted. Finally, I used a deformation feature to create the distorted look. The shadow was created using blurred versions of the characters.

Photo tracing

2010-03-02T09:12:00.000-08:00

I traced this image from a photo.

Gargoyle

2010-03-02T08:55:00.000-08:00

A friendly creature. :)

Sad...

2010-03-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

Poor little guy...

Another one

2010-03-02T08:51:00.001-08:00

A guy with a nice haircut. ;)

Another image

2010-03-02T08:49:00.001-08:00

Here is another example that I've drawn in plasma.

plasma drawing

2010-03-02T08:47:00.001-08:00

Here's an example image. Please zoom in to see all the details. ;)

plasma

2010-03-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

I'm developing a 2D vector-graphics-like illustration tool called plasma. It has several new features like GPU-accelerated rendering, resolution-independent graphics, antialiasing, realtime blur, alpha masking, texturing, abritrary color gradients, and more. It also has a scalable GUI, i.e. you can freely zoom into the tool widgets.

The program will soon reach the beta phase. Here's a screenshot of the current version.

Welcome!

2010-02-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hi, and welcome to my blog. ;)