kodu

Freezing the Code

Kodu community edition goes into code freeze on Monday. This means no voluntary changes to the code - bug fixing is permitted, but even that will require tradeoffs of risk.

I've spent most of a week building out a wide variety of levels to test what's possible in the language and environment. New this week are:

- an adventure style game - meet the sage, get a power, break down the wall, battle the castle's minions, get an upgrade. This one is making sure that, if you like this style, you can go as deep as you want. This one uses lots of scripted camera changes.

- tutorial levels - levels with one "broken" robot, who will win the level (or let you win) if you do the right repair

- Rock Fight - big action. unleash storms of boulders at your nemesis.

- a fast-paced action puzzler pushing the bounds of just how fast you can destroy and regenerate enemy characters. pretty fast, apparently. Battle the crawling saucer mob!

- the world's simplest platformer - press A to jump - but time it right..

The adventure game is pretty involved and will be an ongoing thing; it's fun to script some of the more intricate stuff where characters pace their speech, etc.

I'm looking into hosting some 720p gameplay, programming, and design footage - stay tuned..

Sky Roads

Feeeeeeturing:

- nice procedural roads following the ridgeline in the background

- some more of the cool new print-style terrains

- mr balloon in the foreground

Action Shot and VFX

Just happened across this freeze-frame today and thought I'd share it. It's the cycle jumping and doing a crazy Alex pose while he's at it, and I just liked the silhouette. This image is also fun because of how many image effects it shows in a single frame:

- the heat wash from the exhaust is distorting behind him

- his tail light is doing a visual bloom

- left tail pipe is out of focus

- saucer has a glowing aura

- both are showing  the old-school "RKO Radio" effect

The rock in the background was just thrown by the cycle. I'm having fun with rocks (and rock storms) today.

Code sample: fleeing from red blimps

When you see a red blimp, move away (from it)

See is a sensor, red and blimp are filters, move is a verb, and away is a modifier.

UPDATE: corrected error in above line

UI Finalization

 Here's a picture of the victory screen at the end of Tutorial Two. You can see a new typographic style on the victory screens and a sneak preview of the final nav menu style towards the bottom. it's very slick and we're using it a lot on the sharing system design. If you're on the beta, you'll see this in the next refresh.

By the way - interested in a Kodu T-Shirt? Vote in the comments. I'm thinking character icon on the front, cryptic "Kode" sample (four icons) on the back.