4/20/2019 Models and music and new characters and stuff

I haven't scratched my Itch account in a long time while I've been making this game and blogging on my personal blog this whole time, so I felt I gotta rectify that. So here's some excerpts!

I did do some other graphics besides that model and some textures. I made some mouths and eyes for Raziya for the cut scenes

There's more frames of course, as everybody's lips will flap along with the text on the text boxes scrolling by just like some old 90's games like Misadventures Of Tron Bonne and Langrisser V. While their eyes blink a random even when you aren't advancing in the dialogue.

Speaking of text boxes, I made one!

In fact I've made some graphics for the whole HUD. I haven't coded anything since I coded Raziya's 8 way walk cycle, but I've made a test xcf file in GiMP to give you a gist of what it'l look like. Just imagine there's a world with people and stuff.

Here's a sample of some textures I've made

Most of these are edits of assets I made for my Mega Man Legends fan-animation from years ago, (it has not aged well) or edits of images of a dirty nasty old tattered bed I once had, all edited and mirrored and shrunken and pixelated down to look like those elaborate textures you would see in a Saturn or PS1 game. Or a blurry texture from the N64 days since there will be graphical modes to choose from for that nostalgic feel minus the aspect ratio. They may look trippy, but they all serve their purpose.

also, I made a handful more characters! First up, here's the shop keep, Shop Keep... I haven't thought of a name to give him yet.

His outfit is inspired by a Dreams Come True concert. Not to mention fantasy RPGs from the 90's. You'll see him and his look-alike brothers in every town and city in this game. Sort of a Nurse Joy thing going on.

Up next here's Space Sheriff Tex Moghadam!

A Yemeni-American cowboy patrolling space traffic making sure that people can travel safely and that Bezique's army doesn't infiltrate the Archangel turf. Instead of a pistol, he has his trusty traditional Jambeya at his waist which he dances with at family gatherings, uses in battle like the highly trained assassin he is, and to prepare meals on the starry trails. He spends his off duty time hanging out at space bars, chatting with colleagues and enjoying some home brewed coffee. While inadvertently enchanting everybody with his good looks and gentlemanly charm. But there's only one woman on his mind, and she quite fancies him too. 

Cyber Division Hawk's Eye, Karun Acharya

An Indian goth girl and a very tight college buddy of Raziya, she's a wild livewire of enthusiasm and a force of personality that refuses to let anything stop her from being an Archangel. She used to patrol alongside Raziya in her division of the Archangels, but she lost her lower legs and right hand in a brutal fire fight and was taken off the force. But luckily  her tinkering skills and computer genius lead to her crafting her own holographic computer in her hand, which along with her cybernetic prosthetic legs give her mobility. She is one of the absolute best in the Cyber division. She uses her hacking abilities to offset Bezique's troops in space, and figure out the electronic security Bezique's guardians have set up in their fortresses so Raziya can beat them and collect the elemental gems she needs. She also guides Raziya through her missions via occasional voice and video messages over her helmet and earpiece.

She has a brother. Ramesh Acharya. The Knight Skipper. 

A former Archangel, he is now part of a vigilante group called Chronos Templaria that is neither friend, nor foe to the Archangel network, yet also anti-Bezique and they do business with the Archangels on shaky ground. A more radical group than the Archangels, they aren't cops and they don't see themselves as saviors. They travel time and space not to change history and cause any paradoxes, but to investigate the history of their target's actions and politics, who they work for, where it all ties together, and then capture and interrogate, or if the time is right, they try to assassinate who they feel are the true villains regardless of if their actions break any intergalactic laws. They aren't right wing, they aren't left wing, they certainly don't believe any unfounded propaganda or work with any crazy person who thinks they're a whistle blower. They are nihilist to the core on just about everything. All but with one exception. Their main target, the all mighty tyrant and main villain Dwezil Bezique. For abusing his way into power. For having political opponents assassinated. Enslaving millions, and causing the destruction of the planet Ypos-Erets. For these reasons alone is why he is their primary target. The only reason why they were founded is that they believe the Archangels are too corporate and imperfect like a traditional police force. 

Ramesh and Raziya used to be very passionate lovers. But their differences in their beliefs of justice as well as their loyalty to their respective forces are what put their relationship on hold. Even if they still have feelings for one another, and still cross paths and fight together on occasion. He is still on good speaking terms with his sister though. Just as long as motives between the Chronos Templaria and Archangels aren't brought up.

Speaking of the star of the show Raziya, I updated her suit

You see that medallion around her neck? That's her Archangel uniform. It can transform with different layers of protection. Her full armor for space travel and for cold areas, her basic uniform for general Archangel duties, (basically intergalactic space patrol but with justice and vigilante work against Bezique's tyrannical forces,) partial battle armor for hot areas, and a pendant form so she can go incognito or just keep it with her when she's chilling somewhere at a beach.  Which she is obligated to keep with her at all times just in case shit goes down.

As long as she's wearing it, in any form she can still bring out her wings to fly. It's also built to automatically bring her basic armor out when she faces physical confrontation, or when she has to fight even if its so much as a one strike knock out. This goes for every member of the Archangel network.

I've been working on a sprite sheet of attack animations starting with her physical attacks. And I'm starting small with basic punches. First comes her partial armor, but once it's finished I'll make versions for her other armored forms.

And here are her parents! her dad High Cleric Kunta Vrede, and her mom chief Archangel and leader of the S.W.A.T. branch Hiroka Ito-Vrede.

Hiroka's a spunky middle aged hardass, an expert master and champion of every combat sport, a little bit on the authoritarian side as an Archangel but a very loving doting mother. Kunta is wise, laid back, non-confrontational, charitable, and prone to crying tears of joy thinking about how much his girl has grown up. These two don't see each other all that often due to their duties.

When you eventually gather all the gems from all the worlds, you can either rank up to the position of S.W.A.T. and be physically stronger and have access to more badass weapons, or be a high cleric and have the greatest magic of all. There will be a secret higher ranking that will make you even stronger, but I won't reveal that just yet. Completion bonuses yo.

Here's another character and ally, Joshikaiju

Her real name is Marsala Gutieres Rosita Ito. She is Raziya's half Mexican cousin from her mother's side of the family. A world traveled champion luchador, she helped teach Raziya all of her most brutal submission holds and dives, and she is rarely without her mask. Both because of lucha libre tradition and because she is incredibly shy and insecure about her looks despite looking average if not adorable. Her face and back were scarred brutally in a deathmatch so she's afraid to ever show her face in public again, afraid that she'll scare everyone away and she'll remain single for the rest of her days. She considered joining Raziya in her fight against Bezique in the Archangels, but turned it down to continue to pursue her passion. And that is fulfilling her goal of being the very best wrestler in the galaxy and one day starting a family.

Also I got done modeling the Archangel Citadel, (based on the xhosa god Qamata as raziya's african roots stem from the xhosa tribe, but reminagined in a 90's anime/tokusatsu art style)

got to work on Ebmarah's prerendered sprite sheet,

and gave Dwezil Bezique the main villain his own lair.

There's more stuff and details on my personal blog, I just wanted to lightning round up all the stuff I had covered in hopes anybody on Itch will see this and give me feedback.