The VG Resource

Astral Dreamers is a platform game featuring open-world exploration similar to Super Mario 64.

Planned Release Date: 2017

GAMEPLAY:
The game takes inspirations from Kirby, Klonoa, and Freedom Planet in terms of combat, with level design inspired by Super Mario 64 and Sunshine, each stage split into 7 missions like the DS port of 64. There are a lot of alternate paths and hidden areas to explore. The stages aren't the usual platforming "go from A to B" however.

-As of now, there isn't really a plot.-

CHARACTERS:
Ankhe-
A jackal with the mark of Anubis, she wants to rid the world of nightmares so the living and the dead may rest in peace.
Indigo-
A timid street artist who was brought into this journey by a mysterious jackal. Voiced by Mateus "Ryleth" Criken.
sprite not yet final

Alto-
A musician who's dream is to compose the world's greatest composition that will be unmatched by any other work out there, but the nightmares have impeded his work. Very patient and mostly calm. Voiced by Drake "Ducky" York.

Vanta-
A warlock of mysterious power, willing to fight the nightmares with the power of his Eternal Flames. Easily pissed off. Voiced by Ryan "Weegeesquare" Ellis.

There will be many other characters in the final, however they have not been sprited yet.

(Sprites will get shaded in the future, don't worry!)


Screenshots!

Lots of hidden areas throughout!

Vanta's Eternal Flame ability speeds up his run speed and the speed of his attacks overall at the cost of his energy bar draining.

Please note this game is in a very early part of development, so these will not represent the final game in any way.

I'll be gradually updating this topic as I make more progress on the game.

LOOKING FOR HELP!
I need a few additional writers to proofread the story (when I have one), a few more VAs, and a few beta testers. I may need more help in the future, but if anyone is willing to be part of the team right now, please PM me what you would like to do on the game team and you may be considered.

looks cute for sure, I like the tribute to classic 2d platformers!

(07-15-2016, 10:18 PM)JazzGW Wrote: [ -> ]looks cute for sure, I like the tribute to classic 2d platformers!

D'awww, thank you!

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UPDATE TIME!

We have a new character: Ankhe!

A jackal with the mark of Anubis, she wants to rid the world of nightmares so the living and the dead may rest in peace. [NEEDS A VOICE ACTOR]

but wait, what's this?!


As a reward for early supporters, a save patch program will be released that will enable the alternate costume for Ankhe, Anubis' Love. Said save patch will be obtainable until the end of September, but it's gotta get released first, which should be in the next few days! ^w^
wait in the next few days I start school auuuugh

I like things that are somehow associated with Anubis, they usually tend to look (and be) badass, but this one is kind of cute. I'm guessing she's also a badass though, so...

good luck with all of this!

I actually like your character art style a lot, already.

The HUD is also pretty cute!

anyways, I'm curious to see how far this gets and what shape it ultimately takes.

(07-18-2016, 12:52 AM)DarkGrievous7145 Wrote: [ -> ]I like things that are somehow associated with Anubis, they usually tend to look (and be) badass, but this one is kind of cute. I'm guessing she's also a badass though, so...

good luck with all of this!

Haha, thanks! Looks can be decieving, she may look cute, but she's extremely tough!

(07-18-2016, 12:52 AM)DarkGrievous7145 Wrote: [ -> ]I actually like your character art style a lot, already.

Honestly, the art style can be described as "a sprited version of how I draw on paper." Glad to hear you like it!

(07-18-2016, 12:52 AM)DarkGrievous7145 Wrote: [ -> ]The HUD is also pretty cute!

Thanks again! I based it off the KH HUD, but the mugshots that will eventually be in the big circle will be based of the ones from the PS1 Jojo's Bizzare Adventure fighting game.

(07-18-2016, 12:52 AM)DarkGrievous7145 Wrote: [ -> ]anyways, I'm curious to see how far this gets and what shape it ultimately takes.

Hopefully it gets somewhere, completed, preferrably

-------------------

New screenshot!

I've added some outlining to the tileset so everything fits better.

Also secret jar <w<

I'm not going to lie, be the sprites and shading can use a huge overhaul. Because at the moment any of these sprites can topple over in the wind


Here is my take on Ankhe to give you an idea on where to start. Now yes I took some artistic liberties to make her smaller so that I have more freedom with shading, but extra colors to define shade turns a sprite into something more real

yeah, the graphics in this are very lacking.
I think its the backgrounds that bother me the most. they're so empty...
The Hud could also use some work, its very soul-less.

(07-27-2016, 01:56 AM)Hiynastrike Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not going to lie, be the sprites and shading can use a huge overhaul. Because at the moment any of these sprites can topple over in the wind

I'll be honest, I completely agree. The graphics need some SERIOUS work.

(07-27-2016, 01:56 AM)Hiynastrike Wrote: [ -> ]
Here is my take on Ankhe to give you an idea on where to start. Now yes I took some artistic liberties to make her smaller so that I have more freedom with shading, but extra colors to define shade turns a sprite into something more real

hey fanart

Being serious, I REALLY like that sprite! The style feels familiar to me, but I can't put my finger on it... As long as it isn't based off a Sonic game. Because this game is anything BUT Sonic.

As much as I like it however, I can't do sprite art that good, and I don't have the funds to get a good artist.
(Kinda has to do with my age; not old enough for a job.)

So I shaded my sprite.


Now, of course it still needs some serious work, but hopefully this is a start in a better direction!

(07-27-2016, 09:00 PM)Red Haired Bastard Wrote: [ -> ]yeah, the graphics in this are very lacking.
I think its the backgrounds that bother me the most. they're so empty...
The Hud could also use some work, its very soul-less.

The backgrounds are empty right now because I'm working on the other sprites and tiles first.

And I also agree with the HUD. While it looks good, the lack of a mugshot kills it.

For mugshots, I'm thinking of making something similar to the PS1/Arcade Jojo's Bizzare Adventure life icons.



Anyways, thank you guys for giving your feedback!

Alright, I like the idea you have with the hud.
but maybe you should make the sprites smaller the size HiynaStrike had was good size.
Perhaps fix the proportions on them too. the head is way too large.

Revamping the art style.




This is Alto now. I have to work on the others still but I have one down!

The UI seems to be inspired from Sonic Colors.

I do agree with Hiyna - your style is cute, but when you draw characters in a super-deformed style, it's still important to keep the original shape and proportion of their body in mind when sizing them down. I've been making big improvements in my anatomy by starting out by drawing simple shapes (mostly round since my characters are all female).

(07-30-2016, 04:19 AM)iyenal Wrote: [ -> ]The UI seems to be inspired from Sonic Colors.

It's not.

(07-30-2016, 04:55 PM)JazzGW Wrote: [ -> ]I do agree with Hiyna - your style is cute, but when you draw characters in a super-deformed style, it's still important to keep the original shape and proportion of their body in mind when sizing them down. I've been making big improvements in my anatomy by starting out by drawing simple shapes (mostly round since my characters are all female).

Well, cool! I'll make sure to keep the proportioning tips in mind. The large heads is just a thing that I do because of my art style.

---

Here's Vanta in the new style!

This sprite is mostly complete, aside from his Stand Eternal Flames not being in the image. I also think I need to move his head down a pixel.

the graphics are totally lacking in professionalism as-is, I think you need a lot more knowledge in graphic art (not just pixelart) to properly produce better art.