Model Images are off limits right now, but here’s a picture of the design I’m currently working with. The picture is in my concept format so the face looks more classical because its easier to work with. I think the trick to a foxier look lies not in structural changes but the fur. Next time I work with art I think I’ll try more detailed fur and a finer outline. Art really isn’t all that important though…. but it sorta is.

I consider this design to be a blend of all the previous designs and everything about it so far just feels right. Hopefully it works just as well when animated in 3D.

I’m reworking the collision system again, not because there was a problem with it (for once), but because I’m going to add a realistic physics engine to the game. Physics based puzzles did cross my mind but it would’ve been too much of a hassle with the old system but things are looking up for it this time around.I  really just want it to make the environment become alive!

I’ve been adding a lot of things I originally didn’t plan for that have really pushed back my project time (3D, Shadow Mapping, etc..) but as I stated, I’m striving for quality. If I was willing to make the game longer, I would think a Xbox-Live Arcade release would definitely be plausible.

Update: I may be canning the whole “realistic” physics idea. Its been far too time consuming and it’s especially irksome knowing that thing like PhysX are available (just not for XNA) so anything I do has already been done better and is readily available I’ve been trying to think of things that could make it worth while but I really can’t. Ah well, a lot of good has come from at least trying.

I can’t seem to find them all, but I added review pages to the Tale of the Night page.

It may be some time before I have any actual screens. I’m taking a more, professional route more by showing nothing until I think it’s final and no graphics in the game are final at this point. I’m pretty sure that blue sky won’t appear in the game.
On a side note, I sometimes go back and experiment with music a little bit. I’m pretty disappointed with my lack of variety and repetition. At the time I was just happy I made could make my own music. For practice I’ve been playing with orchestrated music, once I get a feel for that I’ll probably go back a bit and blend in some of the catchier instruments with it. I’m certainly no musician, but I think I can pull something off with a bit more attention applied.

For those of you out there who bought Tale of the Night, you may find Lithodora of Despair to be very different. If you enjoyed the game for its fighting, you might be a tad disappointed because not only has my focus shifted away from fighting but the combat system is in for a few changes. In fact, the entire first stage won’t have any baddies on it. That doesn’t mean there won’t be fighting though (wink ; D). I’m clocking it at around 10-20 minutes in length. The trial experience will show a lot this time around, but I’m planning to cut the stage short in the trial version so players can see what happens at the end of it.

The controls are relatively the same at the moment, with A for jumping and X for attacking. I can’t say more because nothing has been confirmed but it’s safe to expect that you’ll be using the Right Trigger a lot, and it won’t be for blocking as that’s likely to be removed.

Lastly if you enjoyed the classical restart the whole stage if you die approach, (cricket chirps), then you may be a bit disappointed here to. I plan to try and keep the game difficult but without punishing the player by redoing large portions of the stage. In short, assume checkpoints to be added.

One more big that I must reiterate. There will be NO MULTI-PLAYER MODES. This time single-player will be getting my utmost care.