Doodle Land

n8bit

Member
I initially posted this on the Facebook group, but will use this space to post updates...

My 4 year old daughter draws these very interesting looking people and it inspired me to create a game based on them with a doodle/childlike aesthetic. Best part is she loves watching her doodles come to life and is giving me great input and feedback!

jO48Q8g.jpg
EG4ZZjY.png


My initial design:
mlN2Rk3.png


Now that the concept is sound, I have started making changes to the initial design to give it a better look:
RNBVXoH.png
NeItinj.png


The design will remain simple. Bright colors with a hand drawn and crayon colored appearance with a notebook/paper background.

The gameplay will be equally simple. My goal is to create a game that my 4 year old can play and understand. Nothing difficult. Best way to describe it is "my first platformer". Something any little kid can play and not get discouraged due to difficulty or lack of understanding. Levels will be somewhat simple and short side scrollers.

I am still fleshing out the story and monsters.

EDIT (3/1/19):

Here is a link to the latest demo for Doodle Land:

https://goo.gl/ox51aT

NOTES:
  1. This demo consists of 3 levels from 3 different worlds
  2. D-pad for movement & A button to jump
  3. Reach the notepad at the end of the level to move on
  4. There is no music our sound (still trying to figure out Famitracker)
  5. Levels are somewhat short. This is by design. Game is to remain simple for smaller children.
  6. There are no powerups. This is by design. Game is to remain simple for smaller children.
  7. The crayons do nothing. Just a collectable. Working on this.
  8. Currently this demo features 3 types of monsters:
    • Eraser - jump on them to destroy
    • Pencil - don't jump on them, they have been sharpened! (cannot kill)
    • Eraser Boss - Jump on him 3 times to destroy (needs animation improvements)

TO DO:
  1. Music & sound
  2. Add more monsters
  3. Add more worlds & levels (currently 3 worlds with 3 levels each)
  4. Find a use for crayons:
    • Plan was to create a bonus round based on number of crayons collected each level
    • Was able to warp to bonus round but unable to warp to next level from there
    • Bonus round has no knowledge of screen/level player came from or where they need to go

Please let me know what you guys think!
 
That's awesome, a little bit of aesthetic goes a long way in my experience.

Keep up this awesome game, and most importantly have fun! :)
 

drexegar

Member
Looks great I recommend making the HUD with a white background and the text a dark grey to keep up the paper aesthetic.
 

n8bit

Member
drexegar said:
Looks great I recommend making the HUD with a white background and the text a dark grey to keep up the paper aesthetic.

Been playing around with hud ideas and considering scrapping it altogether. Due to the simplicity of the game and the demographic I am aiming for the HUD will not be populated with much info.

Do not plan on having a lives system, just continuous checkpoints that will allow the players to keep trying. Only HUD info to display might be a score or a collectables count.
 

n8bit

Member
UPDATE

Working on some new level designs...

Cave

60Dne0Q.png


Forest

4YlhqIx.png



Some enemy designs...

Eraser

u2tPWXz.png


Pencil

OIN2MbX.png


Also created a simple start screen and created a sprite/HUD font that looks like a child wrote it.
(this is just a rough draft)

hWrpN1c.png


Still have a lot to flesh out.
 

AllDarnDavey

Active member
You are absolutely crushing that art style. I wouldn't have thought the NES could pull it off, but you've nailed it.
 

n8bit

Member
Thanks for the feedback!

Trying to figure out "collectables" at this point. Will have the player collect crayons similar to coins in a Mario game.

Also trying to come up with a good solution for the end of each level. Basically not sure how to end the levels yet in a way that fits the theme.
 
I'm super impressed with how you managed to get that "not entirely filled in" pencil crayon look on the NES. Almost like an 8 bit yoshi island aesthetic.
 

n8bit

Member
Thanks!

Currently fighting with the HUD. It is really throwing off my top design elements simply because I have each level start with the red margin line like notebook paper. The HUD likes to drag the top two tiles of the red margin line along with it throwing off the whole look...

Initial level start screen... (note HUD and paper margins normal)

okphxgi.png


As level scrolls, and HUD follows, it drags the top paper margin with it...

y4xFkyp.png


My current HUD settings...

oOCo81z.png
 

Mugi

Member
The scroll will always split for the full width of the screen and you can only contol the height from where the hud and the play area is split.

Thats just how scanlines work, unless there is some magical asm tricks in existence im not aware of.
 

n8bit

Member
Mugi said:
The scroll will always split for the full width of the screen and you can only contol the height from where the hud and the play area is split.

Thats just how scanlines work, unless there is some magical asm tricks in existence im not aware of.

Yeah, been reading up on it quite a bit this evening and that is what I found.
 

AllDarnDavey

Active member
I'd work around it. Make the top HUD look like the top of a legal pad, or spiral notepad.

notepad.jpg
spiral_notepad.jpg
 

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n8bit

Member
AllDarnDavey said:
I'd work around it. Make the top HUD look like the top of a legal pad, or spiral notepad.

Oh wow! That is a great idea! Might give that a shot! Thanks!
 
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