Bellagarth's Quest Devlog #1: Development Build 0
Added 2025-01-10 17:28:01 +0000 UTCVery first devlog!!
Make sure to stick around after the showcase ends for more info!
This one showcases the first development build as well as talking about the plans I have for the game going forward and my design philosophy for it.
Click below to download Development Build 0 to get the earliest possible look at Bellagarth's Quest in it's current state!
⚠️DEVLOGS ARE DISPLAYING A WORK IN PROGRESS, EVERYTHING SHOWN AND TALKED ABOUT IS VOLATILE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT CYCLE!⚠️
Comments
Thank ya.. I'm tryin me best!!
Burger Kurger
2025-01-15 17:39:54 +0000 UTCVery kind words, though I must admit none of the music present in this build is mine lol. It's just very obscure videogame music lol. "RPG Maker 2" for the PS2, "Dungeon Maker-Hunting Ground" for the PSP, and "J-League Soccer Prime Goal 3" for the SNES. I would like to have original compositions for the game by the end of it but it's pretty far back on the priority list currently.
Burger Kurger
2025-01-15 17:39:42 +0000 UTCThank you very much! I really hope the game ends up half as good as it's looking in my mind's eye, I think a lot of folks are really gonna have a ton of fun with it!
Burger Kurger
2025-01-15 17:36:23 +0000 UTCThank you! I've been at this for a good while so a LOT of this is me being able to rehash old systems I've already programmed! There's definitely a lot of newer things I'm going to be tackling (new for me at least) that's both exciting and admittedly a lil scary lol
Burger Kurger
2025-01-15 17:35:40 +0000 UTCmmm yes very cool 👍
Rando
2025-01-15 12:46:51 +0000 UTCdude your music slaps so hard
Talon
2025-01-15 01:46:58 +0000 UTCAnother game for the collection, it's a great Burger Kunger, I'll be eagerly waiting for this new project and it already has a guaranteed purchase on Steam from me, its games, comics and drawings are spectacular :)
chavitox
2025-01-13 02:36:50 +0000 UTCWhat the hell? How is it already so good on the feedback and animation? You put several professional game devs to shame here. 0_o Well, I guess you are a professional game dev but you know what I mean. =P
Storpotaten
2025-01-12 19:58:48 +0000 UTCA lot of interesting ideas! The plan for the level layout is to be linear with slight offshoots in levels to explore for extra treasure, but overall it won't be anything so complicated the player will need a map system, no crazy interconnectivity or anything. I do plan to have a world map that will separate levels (very similar to something like klonoa) which will make it easy for players to revisit levels they particularly liked. I appreciate the enthusiasm!
Burger Kurger
2025-01-12 11:59:51 +0000 UTCShantae and Castlevania are big ones for the base mechanics, Klonoa for how it handles plot progression in a platformer. Paper Mario TTYD is another big one, though that's mostly how it handles moving the story to different interesting locales
Burger Kurger
2025-01-12 11:49:16 +0000 UTCDo you have any main inspirations for the gameplay ? like other platformers etc
BingusDingus
2025-01-12 11:02:41 +0000 UTCBack with more ideas - there might be a map in game (IF it's a metroidvania, you'll need one: Super Metroid has like 8 areas and Symphony of the Night's Castle has 13 areas), so my advice would be to have different kinds of maps to find in each area over 1 single world map that could confuse people by becoming a late-game labyrinthine mess of rooms Like, we should start easy with the rough sketch map from Lillith's lair of the current area (a fun callback and it'd be easy to draw for dev testing), but we can later find a map Legend of Zelda style in a puzzle room chest or something (it may be somewhat old or out-of-date, but it might hint at secrets since it shows more than a sketch you fill in as you go), and maybe buy a map at a shop/town area (it's more comprehensive than either map like it maybe shows upgrades you can get on the map, but may not show all locations) It sounds a lot, but honestly the 1st map sketch could probably overlay the 2nd map when applicable or upon collection (just replace the basic sketch paper background layer in photoshop with an actual map design while keeping the sketch layer, per area it might be harsh but if each area has a differently-designed map background look from the get-go it saves devhassle from handling only identical looking sketchmaps for 5+ areas), and the 3rd could play into the comic cutscene thing: in my mind's eye I see giving us a map comic panel for area travel and being able to select a location with the mouse (maybe just selecting panels to be safe), might as well choose where we want to go - probably via paying once to unlock the area - and call each area an Issue, maybe have a "front page" type intro like Pizza Tower or Anton Blast stages to lean into the comic medium (so the starting area we see here in video is Issue 1, we might be able to go to hub/town upon completeion or walking enough rooms or something, and then select/buy maps to go to Issue 2, 3, 4 etc. We can also go back to Issue 1 later when we got upgrades and such from later Issues just by selecting it)
justwannasupportartists
2025-01-11 20:07:27 +0000 UTCI didn't realize how intensely interesting I find fetish game design talk until now. There's no GDCs about how to balance the fap material in your game, It's really unexplored territory. Here's some thoughts about the design philosophy I had. The story separating transformations in levels reminds me a lot of Super Mario Wonder. Where the level introduces a bunch of mechanics, then the wonder (fetish) flower has you interacting with those mechanics in a fun new way. I feel like that type of design lends itself very well to the "build up" you mentioned. What the transformation does is hinted at throughout the level so it's not only intuitive to the player, but also satisfying to see pay off. I'm sure you've already thought of this since it's in Lilith's Lair, but some sort of unlockable free play/gallery is always great for these games. To sate the urges of people who want the jump scares 24/7. Maybe you could spawn in whatever enemies you want or exist in whatever transformation you want in some sort of training room scenario. Alongside a classic gallery/bestiary.
ShoreMcLoving
2025-01-10 23:14:18 +0000 UTCFrom the devlog ideas, I recomend expanding on the gods from lillith's lair for Metroidvania purposes - Alterio should definetly get a mention if we go the warioland transformation powerups route like in the devlog idea, and Faunaei would be good for more trap rooms. You could also have a god that rewards being a low health with strength boosts or something for a hard mode
justwannasupportartists
2025-01-10 21:54:45 +0000 UTCi cant believe bella plays with her balls on the end screen
MainManGunch
2025-01-10 21:30:04 +0000 UTCAwesome! Looking forward to seeing this develop!! I'll give the build a playthrough this evening, but I really enjoyed the devlog. Really cool getting to hear your thoughts and design philosophy - definitely up for more if this kind of in-progress content.
Rev
2025-01-10 18:12:24 +0000 UTCAgreed! I like seeing Bellagarth more on the competent side as the nature of Lilith's Lair didn't really give us many opportunities to see her be a badass in contrast to her more vulnerable moments. Second devlog without voice modulation! I also used my unfiltered voice in one of the more recent Lilith's Lair devlogs (this: https://www.patreon.com/posts/liliths-lair-10-111058514) the deep voice is funny but makes it kind of hard to understand what I'm saying because I already muddle my words a lot lol
Burger Kurger
2025-01-10 18:00:37 +0000 UTCIt's fascinating and awesome to see a competent Bellagarth rather than just seeing her at the whims of Lilith's lair. Also, first devlog without voice modulation?
Pyth Twitchytail
2025-01-10 17:43:28 +0000 UTC
