Pre-Alpha 0.0.3, now with more explosions!

The build of pre-alpha 0.0.3 is here.

Notes:
-New project structure
-Battlemap defined in data, loaded at runtime
-Using temp gameobjects for particles, sprites and text popup notifications (floating damage, explosions, etc)
-New Font, Background images

Art Style Brainstorming

I've been brainstorming the style I want for the game I'm building over the last few weeks and months.  There will be fantasy elements, but won't be a straight elves-in-forest world.  I'm actually thinking of a story set on a distant planet, after the first wave of colonization has disastrous results for the locals.

So I'm trying to find a thematic and visual tone somewhere between fantasy and gritty sci-fi.  I like the ideas of spells and swords, and don't want everything cloaked in the stereotyped language of sci-fi.

Here are some background images I experimented with.  There are some cool filters to bring out expressionist / Van Gogh effects:

As far as sprites, I really like some of the classic JRGPs, with detailed and horrific looking beasts.  I'd like to avoid the overly cutesy chibi or anime style that’s pretty common in JRPGs though.  The Angband sprites are pretty great, but I'd like the final art to be a little more detailed and less generic-fantasy.

I really like BioWare style portraits for the dialog portions.  There are a few sets free online, and may use those, or work on photoshopping existing photographs into an appropriate style.

I really like Blizzard user interfaces.  The buttons are very clicky, and the workflow design is always simple, straightforward and intuitive.  The "flat" trend may have caught on in mobile apps, but I think in games, you still need some depth and texture to user interfaces, especially in something like an RPG, where the goal is to tell a narrative and enable tactical control, rather than pure immersion.

For sound and music, I actually really dig some of these ambient tracks.  A big boss fight can have an orchestral score, but if you are trekking through creepy caves and forests, ambient noises of dripping water or echoing wind is pretty great.

For now, building actual game assets is pretty far off.  I work from the code up, and get the game working mostly with programmer art.  Of course, plugging in a cool asset can dramatically change the feel of the game, and buffs morale when you've been banging you head against the wall for a while.

April Goals

The last few weeks have been pretty hectic with RL stuff, but I still have some realistic goals for April.  The 0.0.3 pre-alpha build is pretty much done, but there's a few finishing touches before I upload it.

Once its done, I'll be changing gears to focus on the tree structure that will drive the non-combat portions of the game.

-Complete 0.0.3 pre-alpha build
-new project structure
-battlemap defined in data, loaded at runtime
-using temp gameobjects for particles, sprites and text popup notifications (floating damage, explosions, etc)

-TreeTest demo
-loading sample world, zone, dialog and quest from data
-able to navigate using text interface
-able to navigate through Unity interface (with icons, backgrounds, etc)

-Story / Game Design
-Continue to brainstorm game title, style, story
-Narrow down visual style for user interfaces, pixel art, backgrounds
-Writing character design, dialog, etc
-Brainstorming audio (music, sound effects)