Apothecary

[_Paul]

My latest blog post reveals lots of images from Apothecary - a PC Engine project we've sadly chosen to cancel.

[touko]

Damn it seemed promising :-(

[Bernie]

[ccovell]

Too bad.  The title artwork was great, and the in-game shots reminded me of Soulless on the C-64.

[_Paul]

Too bad.  The title artwork was great, and the in-game shots reminded me of Soulless on the C-64.

It was inspired a bit by games like Draconus, which pretty clearly inspired Soulless. I wanted to get that kind of feel to it.

[Tatsujin]

le why

[OldRover]

If it's been superseded, then that's one thing... but if not, then why not just work on it "whenever"? Having side-projects around is great for if you get burned out while working on a main project. Some of my projects are ages old but I push them forward every once in awhile... they may get finished someday and they may not, but closing the door only ensures that they will never get finished no matter what. My oldest project was originally started in 1987 and is still being worked on to this day.

[_Paul]

As Grelox continues to develop, it became clearer that I had to make a decision one way or the other. Grelox is essentially what I wanted to do with Apothecary and it came to the point that I had to choose to take Apothecary and gut it completely to help in Grelox development - using existing maps, some of the art and pretty much the whole concept of the game. After Grelox, Apothecary would feel like a step backwards and I'd want to move on to something fresher. Also I'm too old to be waiting another 10 years to finish a game 

[MotherGunner]

Why even tease us, mate?

[Arkhan Asylum]

If it's been superseded, then that's one thing... but if not, then why not just work on it "whenever"? Having side-projects around is great for if you get burned out while working on a main project. Some of my projects are ages old but I push them forward every once in awhile... they may get finished someday and they may not, but closing the door only ensures that they will never get finished no matter what. My oldest project was originally started in 1987 and is still being worked on to this day.

Because all of these things are already side projects that get worked on when we have time.   

Games like Reflectron/etc. are better suited for "when we feel like it" games.    Not games that take awhile to make in the first place.

Also, now we can absorb it into Grelox and move forward with it.

[OldRover]

That's cool. It sucks to have a promising game just get lost in the aether but if it's just absorbed into another one, then that's just gravy.

[Bernie]

That's cool. It sucks to have a promising game just get lost in the aether but if it's just absorbed into another one, then that's just gravy.

You hush and get back to making some games!!!   

[OldRover]

You hush and get back to making some games!!!   

I'm making art!!!

[_Paul]

Why even tease us, mate?

Sorry, old chap. I have been talking with Arkhan about using a lot of my 'abandoned' PCE art for some sort of rolling demo thing, so maybe you'll see some of it resurface in time. In the meantime, follow Grelox development, it's Apothecary+ and will be the same but better!

[jlued686]

Pixel Jiggle! You could have given us Pixel Jiggle!

[TheClash603]

She was a tease which almost showed titty, since there was no nip I agree to banish to obscurity.

[NecroPhile]

Bummer it's dead before it really got started, but at least its organs will live on to make another OBEY live.   

[Arkhan Asylum]

but at least its organs will live on to make another OBEY live.   

but Grelox isn't for PCE either, lol.

[NecroPhile]

Ah, then fuck both of you right in the eyesocket!

[pulstar]

That's a shame. Looked like it could have been really interesting, almost like a Metroid-y game from the look of it.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Ah, then fuck both of you right in the eyesocket!

Well, the options are wait a long ass time and pay 30+$ for it, or, wait less, pay like, 3$ for it and play it!

[NecroPhile]

Or option 3: give no shits and pay nothing.  Sorry.

[_Paul]

That's a shame. Looked like it could have been really interesting, almost like a Metroid-y game from the look of it.

It was (still is kinda) a Metroid/Zillion/Dizzy cross

[Arkhan Asylum]

It's like Shadow of the Beast done right, kinda!

sort of.

[TheClash603]

but at least its organs will live on to make another OBEY live.   

but Grelox isn't for PCE either, lol.

Lame.

Get back to this instead.

[esteban]

As Grelox continues to develop, it became clearer that I had to make a decision one way or the other. Grelox is essentially what I wanted to do with Apothecary and it came to the point that I had to choose to take Apothecary and gut it completely to help in Grelox development - using existing maps, some of the art and pretty much the whole concept of the game. After Grelox, Apothecary would feel like a step backwards and I'd want to move on to something fresher. Also I'm too old to be waiting another 10 years to finish a game 

Yeah, I get it.

I want you to work on the projects that you are most interested in.

However, I humbly suggest that you consider abandoning everything but PCE projects. I'm sure you realize that this is the only sensible course of action.

Thank you.

[Tatsujin]

as long it lives on in an even bigger and better game, I can live with that

[Arkhan Asylum]

as long it lives on in an even bigger and better game, that costs next to nothing, arrives faster than usual, and runs on any modern hardware, I can live with that

fixed,

Plus, I'm sure you'll appreciate the music more than anyone else here, Tatsujin.

[_Paul]

OK, I'll make you all a deal. Anyone who can get a fully working prototype (including character movement, screen flipping, basic enemy patterns) in the next 6 months can have all the art and my full cooperation in completing the project.

Rover is disqualified because he already has enough on his plate.

Ready.....GO.

[_Paul]

Well, FANCY THAT....

[NecroPhile]

Heh, somebody decided to OBEY instead of GTFO. 

[_Paul]

This build comes to you courtesy of Orion who has stepped up to the plate. Optimistic, but now I have to finish the sprites/levels/game design etc...

[HailingTheThings]

Ooh, very nice, very nice.

[Arkhan Asylum]

yeah, it's good to see someone else stepping up to do something so it doesn't all fall on me, lol.


fingers crossed that it sees completion.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Well, FANCY THAT....

Aha, so THAT's what that "Well fancy that" comment was all about on FB, sweet!

[_Paul]

Well, FANCY THAT....

Aha, so THAT's what that "Well fancy that" comment was all about on FB, sweet!

Hah, non-facebookers are missing out on these little gems.

[esteban]

Well, FANCY THAT....

I LIKE IT.

[touko]

eh i'am glad to see that this game is not dead ..

With sunteam's gfx and orion's coder skills i'am sure it will be a very good game .

[_Paul]

I've decided to try and drop the height of the main sprite a little because she was getting a bit tall for the maps.

Apothecary (PC Engine) test animation - smaller main sprite

[spenoza]

I know I'm gonna get pwned for this opinion, but... Aren't her boobs a little too high on her chest? I love the animation for the most part, but the shoulder blade boobs look a little weird. They should start out at least 2/3 of the way down from where they currently do.

I'm not anti-boob or anti-bounce or anything, but they look kinda creepy projecting forward from her upper shoulders like that.

[esteban]

I know I'm gonna get pwned for this opinion, but... Aren't her boobs a little too high on her chest? I love the animation for the most part, but the shoulder blade boobs look a little weird. They should start out at least 2/3 of the way down from where they currently do.

I'm not anti-boob or anti-bounce or anything, but they look kinda creepy projecting forward from her upper shoulders like that.

I haven't watched the video yet, but I think we should have a few more experts discuss the physics and physiology of the boob bounce.

[Dicer]

Drop the boobs a pixel or two, but keep DAT ASS...

[_Paul]

I might try dropping the boobs but I don't want to lose perkiness in favour of sag, which is a danger in such low resolutions.

[shubibiman]

I love bouncing boobs. Keep the good work up !

[_Paul]

Boobs are lowered. The YT framerate makes it look more jittery than it is.

If this still looks wrong then feel free to send me several hours of reference video so I can fix them.

Apothecary (PC Engine) test animation - main sprite some tweaks 8 Sept 2014

[shubibiman]

If this still looks wrong then feel free to send me several hours of reference video so I can fix them.

[owlnonymous]

Boobs are lowered. The YT framerate makes it look more jittery than it is.

If this still looks wrong then feel free to send me several hours of reference video so I can fix them.

Apothecary (PC Engine) test animation - main sprite some tweaks 8 Sept 2014

Pro-tip, start this video first

[spenoza]

Boobs are lowered. The YT framerate makes it look more jittery than it is.

My personal opinion is that that is an improvement. I have no idea if anyone else agrees, but I do prefer the changes.

[VodNate]

Yeah, this looks really good yeah...

It uhmm...looks really nice!

 She walkin' round naked! 

You "have" me.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Boobs are lowered. The YT framerate makes it look more jittery than it is.

My personal opinion is that that is an improvement. I have no idea if anyone else agrees, but I do prefer the changes.

I'm inclined to agree.