Super Sonic Knockout

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

Looks like you guys noticed what my next update will probably be about. There will be more detail on the subject once the system in place has been properly bug tested.

@segasonicfan4life
Whats a fighting game without some kind of Survival Mode?

@Felik the velik
In the older version of the game (3.3) waypoints were being used. This demo has the movement without them. A.I movement is based on the position of the CPU, the nearest target, and immediate obstacles. I could tailor the A.I code to follow waypoints in more complex situations though.

[Kessler12]

Originally Posted by Pro ShadowBlaze

@segasonicfan4life
Whats a fighting game without some kind of Survival Mode?

OMG YAY...

[iki77]

Just waiting for the debut of Volcan in the demo. I think the games only need more feature, the gameplay is perfect!

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

Okay, so I managed to get a new update for you all. Some of you know what I'm gonna be talking about this update (See the full article here!):



In other news, tests with trying to make the attacks faster have fallen flat, and some moves are now failing to work properly. Seeing as there are also plenty of people who do not mind the attack speed as it is, the attack speed is going to remain the same.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

The project hasn't died!

There's a new blog post up on the Website, to celebrate 365 days of working on the new code of SSK. Click the link to see the whole post, but here is the stuff you want to know:

Thanks to all the feedback and fresh-testers I've managed to get, the game is almost completely glitch-free. A new tutorial is almost completed to give first-players a showing of every player action, the A.I of characters and badniks have been refined, various actions are now easier (like wall-jumping)... oh, and the new VS Mode.

So, I ask this. Apart from a new demo, what do you want to be the first new thing you see from SSK? A video? Some artwork? Screenshots? Anything within reason.

Comments here or on the site will be read, of course.

[Death_Daniel]

Video would be most appropriate since I think we probably all want to see gameplay/footage of the thew SSK.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

Concerning videos, I managed to get some screen capture tests done on a more powerful computer, so I can actually create some new footage for gameplay videos. I've also decided to post up some soundtrack videos on YouTube after I get the next gameplay video done.

Also, I fixed the RSS feed for the SSK website a few days ago. If you want to be updated first, set yourself up to the feed and I'll try getting more blog posts in.

[DJGameFreak]

Yo man, I see your adding more to this and I'm Downloadin' the fourth demo now, but man, 7 months to make! And I see you've been working on this since 2006, did you keep starting on stoping or was it really that long?
Either way, good luck with the rest of this dawg.

X)

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

The deal is that on Jan 1st 2009 I decided to pack up the current code and start the code completely from scratch, using new things I learned and a proper list of things I wanted to improve/add into the game at step 1 (rather than building on the shaky foundation that was the Demo 1 code, which started causing several issues).

Demo 4's creation took 7 months from start to finish, and thats why Rouge and Omega were not in Demo 4.

[DJGameFreak]

Ok, that makes since then.

X)

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

Just wanted to update this topic for all its worth.

First off, I've managed to add 3 brand-new stages (Starlight Zone, Sky Canyon, and one more), I've re-added Rouge and Amy into the game, and I've completely remade the Tutorial to be more like a step-by-step guide to ALL of the gameplay features (as some were missing from the last). The first playthrough of the game will take you to the Tutorial before the Story begins (though you can skip the Tutorial at any time).

I've also added invisible walls at the edges of arenas that bounce fighters upward lowering the rate of corner combos. Some controls have been tweaked too, wall-jumping especially is less fiddly to pull off.

One last thing:

I am officially announcing that I will not be working on the SSK project UNTIL MAY 7th. Everything else concerning my use of the internet will also be put on hold, for the most part.

A place in university is on the line. Can't really afford to lose it (that, and I think its time to take a small break from gaming in general).

[Ironrind]

Very cool. The presentation of this game looks beyond great with the menus, transitions, cuts scenes and the gameplay itself. The key config made this game very hard to play for me, although. I never could get used to the up being jump, especially when having to do a wall hop. I think it wouldn't be so tricky with a gamepad perhaps. The combat also seemed a bit slow when recovering from a jab. This made me stick to just using dash attacks for the majority of the time.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

I've been looking over what you said Ironrind. I've already made performing wall-jumps easier. Up is still Jump in the default controls, but characters who latch on the wall slide down it at half the speed and there is more forward momentum when actually wall-jumping, so its less fiddly.

The idea of decreasing recovery time from attacks is interesting though. I'll have to experiment with that after my art course is done.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

I was originally planning this to be a blog update first, but my website server is currently down.

I have some mockups I want to show you guys. This is a sequence of events that will be possible in the game's new Emblem Gallery, which will combine the gallery and shop elements together. I can't think of a ways to improve the layout so I would like to know from you guys if there is anything I can improve.


Also, I've been a bit too busy to fiddle around with the attack speed values right now, so they haven't changed yet.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

A new gameplay video has been released! Features new stages/areas and various new VS configurations.

Click here for Demo 5 gameplay!

In other news, a couple of characters are now almost ready for battle, and the Emblem Gallery has been completed (check the blog site for screenshots). Expect another video soon once more major updates have been completed.

[sonicyoda]

Hidden Palace stage looked spectacular.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

I love it too, and the stage isn't even 100% complete yet. There will be traps that the player can trigger to harm opponents by activating switches (because seriously that place needs some security XD).

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

I managed to complete the Hidden Palace stage, which now includes switch-activated hazards (something that I'm sure will become more common in the future)

To celebrate, I've added some screenshots of the palace to the SSK Arenas Page, and there will be more uploaded very soon. Also, I've nearly finished the slot gimmick for the improved Casino Paradise arena, so I added a screen that too:


In other news, I just finished fixing a slew of small AI bugs and fixed a couple of other problems that hampered me for quite a while, so now I can get on with finishing what should have been done ages ago (the missing characters).

[FalconFury]

Pro. I think the page will not alowed me to access to the website what you just posted.

And its showing me this, Ooops...
This page (hosted by 110mb.com) is missing.

How to get access to the page so I cannot get this same error again.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

I can be such an idiot sometimes... the link is fixed (I forgot the .php bit at the end).

[DJGameFreak]

Ey Pro ShadowBlaze, I see you got 4 players on screen now, just what I was hoping for in your game. Any chance of their being a 2P story mode, or will that just be 1 player?

X)

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

Currently, Players 3 and 4 in Multiplayer are computer controlled only. Eventually I will be adding proper support for controllers, allowing for proper 4 player gameplay.

As for Story Mode, the idea of a second player to be able to play the levels has been thought of. However, I am thinking of leaving Story Mode a full single player experience... Mission Mode on the other hand might include optional co-op in the future (honestly, I think it would be interesting to have some Lego Star Wars like action).

[Overbound]

So... SAGE?

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

A demo is unlikely, given that the time I have and the content I really want to have in place. I'm also on holiday during SAGE, but I'm confident I can at least get daily updates on the dev blog like I did last year.

Currently, I've been re-reading reviews for the previous demos, to see if there were any complaints still prevalent in the current build. I'm tweaking the AI still, I'm going to add a small delay between AI fighters getting in range and actually attacking players.

By the way, I also noticed that people complained about the attacks not "connecting" as soon as they press an attack button. Every attack in the game has a small 'launch time' before getting hit. Do you think I should decrease this delay, remove it all together, or keep it as it is?

[DJGameFreak]

Originally Posted by Pro ShadowBlaze

Currently, Players 3 and 4 in Multiplayer are computer controlled only. Eventually I will be adding proper support for controllers, allowing for proper 4 player gameplay.

That's Ok for now, I'm sure I wont find anyone to play with me anyway, but as long as there are 4 characters on screen, that's all I need, and thanks for answering a question I was going to ask you, cause I prefer to use my controller.

As for Story Mode, the idea of a second player to be able to play the levels has been thought of. However, I am thinking of leaving Story Mode a full single player experience... Mission Mode on the other hand might include optional co-op in the future (honestly, I think it would be interesting to have some Lego Star Wars like action).

Yeah, co-op is always good, Lega star wars, streets of rage, any time. If you don't however add it in the story, then I can do with mission mode. If not that, then oh well, like I said, I doubt it if I could find anyone to play it wit me.

A demo is unlikely, given that the time I have and the content I really want to have in place. I'm also on holiday during SAGE, but I'm confident I can at least get daily updates on the dev blog like I did last year.

no demo eh? too bad, but I may keep up with those updates.

Currently, I've been re-reading reviews for the previous demos, to see if there were any complaints still prevalent in the current build. I'm tweaking the AI still, I'm going to add a small delay between AI fighters getting in range and actually attacking players.

I haven't actually played it in a while on account that I've been really busy with a whole new game, but from what I remember, the AI level was average. Not too hard, but not too easy either.

By the way, I also noticed that people complained about the attacks not "connecting" as soon as they press an attack button. Every attack in the game has a small 'launch time' before getting hit. Do you think I should decrease this delay, remove it all together, or keep it as it is?

This is something you have to deal with in fighting games sometimes, even sonic the fighters and some delays, and Knuckles, Gamma, and Chaos in sonic battle delayed longer than most fighters. I say, if the attack doesn't connect that fast, add more power to the damage it deals. In fact, wasn't that suppose to be the idea behind knuckles in this game?

X)

[FalconFury]

More then enough, Super sonic will exist only in the final showdown from the finalist stage with another evil character, the power will not go max until sonic has find another box of ring powers added.

Shadow will go super to.. As I hope you have been qouting Djgame, There chaos powers cannot be used longer, it could use enough power to knock down opponents off the stages.

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

I posted another update on my blog, detailing the work I've been doing for the past week or so on the game (as well what else I've been up to and what to expect next week when SAGE '10 comes around)

Check out the Progress Report HERE!

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

Hi there guys! I'm currently on holiday and I managed to get an Internet connection, so I thought I would make a post on current progress.

For some reason, my booth wasn't accepted for the SAGE event (the same thing happened last year too... thats really annoying). Not only that but my website server is currently down, so I can't actually do any updates or continue to let people download the previous demos. I don't know when it will come back up either.
There are a couple of things that I don't need the site for, so depending on what happens, I'll show those off as soon as I can.

Meanwhile I'm going to look around the rest of the booths at SAGE. See you guys around.

[RedEchidna]

Originally Posted by Pro ShadowBlaze

For some reason, my booth wasn't accepted for the SAGE event

The same thing happened to me. Did you try asking Instant about it?

[SonicFan2010]

Who is in charge of SAGE 2010?

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

I'll be sure to contact Instant now that I've got some time back on again (my access is kinda limited right now).

Anyway, I've just gotten access to the blog site again, and I've completed the updates for yesterday and today. Be sure to check them out here!

[AMTSonic]

the screenshots looks pretty tight

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

Thanks for the screenshot praise.

You may have noticed, but there were no updates yesterday or on Wednesday. That is because I'm having trouble with the Internet connections over here. I'm trying one more time to get Wednesday's update sorted, but if I don't do it today I'll have to wait till my holiday is over and sort it out then.

[AMTSonic]

The website is pretty cool ;D

[Pro ShadowBlaze]

The update that was supposed to be SAGE's Wednesday update has been uploaded. It's a new gameplay video! (I'm still having trouble getting these to look really good on YouTube, so I might have it available for download somewhere down the line)

Click to watch SSK Demo 5: The Big 4 Free-for-all!

[AMTSonic]

I like the looks of this game, i commented btw

[Leoru]

I can't wait to play this, it looks like great fun. I still have that tileset I was working on lying around somewhere, I'll work on it a little bit.