Hi, just a quick announcement that I have a new game up here! It's a little platformer focused on using a small set of moves to string together combos and stunt through levels. I tried to make it fairly straightforward to get through all the levels, but pretty challenging to actually 100% things. You get graded on how well you do in each level, and by the end it can demand quite a lot of precision.

i've had a little bit of practice

If that sounds interesting at all check it out!

It's been a hot second since I've submitted anything but I have a couple game things that I've been working on that I think are worth talking about at this point.

Both of them have been made with HTML5/Javascript, meaning they can be played in browser pretty easily. So they'll definitely end up on here eventually in one form or another.

Jidan Havoc

The first one is a smaller and less ambitious game - a combo-focused action platformer where you use a limited set of attacks to clear each stage as efficiently as possible. It started out as a reboot of a similar platformer I was working on a long time ago (thus some reused assets that I plan to change a bit)...but I ultimately cut out almost all of the original mechanics and replaced them with an entirely different move-set. So, that's one way to design a game, I guess.

The goal is to get to the point where you can string together real big combos, like this:

Ghost Planet: Your Guide to the Afterlife

The second is a much larger and kinda weirder game, based more around free-form exploration and narrative. You find yourself in a world of ghosts with no idea how you got there, and your only 'friend' is a teddy bear that claims to know everything about you. You can pick up and move spirits to help navigate and overcome obstacles, leading to different areas that will help you learn more about what's going on.

Set up a network of way-points to help you fast travel long distances to get objects

Use NPCs as guides to help navigate

Uncover hidden paths

And...whatever this is

Hey everybody!  With my previous game "about-face" behind me I'm turning my attention to finishing up another project that has been collecting dust in the old code repository, and I thought I'd share what's in store.

It's another platformer that blends action/puzzle elements, but is intended to offer a longer experience and have higher production.  The core mechanic is centered around stealing the abilities of certain enemies, which will help you progress through each level.  It's clearly inspired by games like Kirby thematically, but will play out very differently in terms of design.

This is being made in Haxe/OpenFL, so it can target Flash and be played in-browser.  What I would like to do with this project is continuously upload versions as I add features/content, so I can get feedback on what works/doesn't work much sooner.  So, in the near future I'll be getting into the practice of uploading the newest version on Dumping Grounds and providing a link for anyone who is interested in trying it out!

Here's a peek into how the game looks/plays at the moment (hitboxes are shown for testing purposes):

Ability #1: Dash

Ability #2 Projectile

Ability #3: Launch

These are the only abilities planned and it's unlikely I'll add any more - it's really about creating as many unique challenges with the limited abilities that I have, and not just adding extra fluff.  In that sense it's similar to "about-face" - I'm focusing more on execution than premise. 

I've made a good amount of progress already, but there's a lot more I want to add to it.  Hopefully I'll have even more to show soon!

This morning I uploaded a game onto this site, for the first time in...well, a long time!  Way too long of a time!  I've been working on games on/off, but it's taken me a while to commit to finishing something that I felt was good enough to share.  This is one of several projects that had been collecting dust on the shelves.

It's called "about-face".

about-face

verb

1. turn so as to face the opposite direction.

It's a minimalist puzzle platformer.  I had never made a platformer in earnest before, and I wanted to make one.  So I did.  No, I'm not changing the world or defining new genres here.  But I had fun making it, and I think people will have fun playing it.

Hope you enjoy!

I can't believe I'm finally saying this: "Why Am I Dead At Sea" is now available for purchase on Steam!  That's right, the spiritual successor to the free flash game "Why Am I Dead" is finished, and can now be played!  It's starting at $9.99, but for the first week it'll be 20% off, meaning it's effectively $8.

If you played the original and liked it, you might want to take a look.  I've worked on "At Sea" for roughly two years now, and it basically crushes the original in terms of play-length, story depth, and plot twists.  I'm really excited to finally get it out into the world so people can start uncovering its secrets!  And oh, are there ever secrets.

The game features the same premise of possessing different characters, but adds a whole bunch of new features (mind reading, character abilities, "full" possession) and includes a great soundtrack by the illustrious Bill Kiley!

You can find the store page here!

Hello followers!

After a long and arduous road, I can proudly say that "Why Am I Dead At Sea" is going through its final stages before making its way onto Steam and other digital stores!  I just realized now that I never announced the game was Greenlit.  Well, it was!  How about that.

It is at this point that I want a final wave of testing with a larger audience, to make sure that the game is getting along with Steam and there are no big problems that slipped through the cracks up until now.

If you want to help the game at this critical time by giving it a play and letting me know where I screwed up, please email me at "pmcgrath@peltastdesign.com".  Volunteers who are selected will receive a Steam key which will allow them to play the full game before it's publically released.  Please include the following info in your email (this is in part for necessary info, in part for fun, in part to ensure volunteers are serious) :

1 ) The operating system you run / will play the game on

2 ) Where you originally heard about Why Am I Dead At Sea

3 ) If you played and finished the original Why Am I Dead – who do you think was the much-alluded-to serial killer?

Thank you for your support!

- Peltast

Hello again Newgrounds!  It's been a while, but I've got some news!

First up, I've released a remake of my original game, called "Why Am I Dead: Rebirth".  You can play it on this very site!

It's got totally redone visuals and an expanded story with new dialogue and new endings.  I know free flash games don't usually deserve a remake - I worked on this as a bit of a distraction from the sequel to the original.  I wanted a side-project but didn't want to start something totally new that might take up too much of my time, so I thought a remake would be a nice compromise.

Speaking of that sequel...I've put "Why Am I Dead At Sea" up on Greenlight with a shiny new trailer!  If you liked the original game, or if you just think it looks cool, please please please vote "Yes"!  Every vote is extremely helpful!

You can check it out here: Why Am I Dead At Sea Greenlight

Thanks for the support!

After what feels like eons, Why Am I Dead At Sea is at the point where I can really use play-testing. Getting player feedback on how it's turning out would be great, but what I really need is to iron out all unforeseen bugs. Remember all those huge lovely problems with my previous game? That's what happens without playtesting!

If you're feeling particularly awesome and want to help me out, please fill out the following (short!) application and email it to pmcgrath@peltastdesign.com : Beta tester application .

Of course, I know that as a tester you are providing me a valuable service, for free! Although hopefully early access to the game is some recompense in itself, beta testers will also have the following incentives:

- Free copy of the game when it is released, along with whatever key codes are relevant, based on how it is distributed (this is an obvious one)

- Recognition: All testers who contribute will be shown in the credits (also pretty obvious). Those who contribute substantially more will get extra recognition.

- I would also like to have monthly best-bug-find competitions, the payoff for which is flexible. Nothing too crazy, but just as an extra thank you!

Anyway, thank you for reading! And just for the heck of it, here are some more images of the game:
- Talking to the first mate (GIF)
- A map of one of the AI's paths

Wow, I am really bad at posting updates! My silence on Newgrounds certainly hasn't been for lack of any progress to show; rather, I'm just really bad at publicizing my work, and very forgetful!

I have definitely been taking longer on this project than I anticipated, but that isn't anything new for me, or for many other developers as well. I tend to get over-excited and become really optimistic about timelines, but there are lots of invisible obstacles, both in developing the game, and in life!

Now that we got that out of the way, let's dive into the good stuff. Since I can't put images in my news posts (or at least more than one?), I'll link to imgur.

Almost all art assets have been finished! I'm quite proud of how the aesthetic of the game has turned out so far. Here are some of my favorite images:

The full cast lineup
Outside the boat
Inside the boat's kitchen

I've also finished implementing AI for the characters, which allows them to move autonomously. This could be as simple as moving randomly from tile to tile (which is what most RPG NPCs do), to having set routines that require them to walk across the whole boat, as if going through a daily routine. There is also support for characters to follow the player around caterpillar style!

Here you can see characters moving on their own, or following the player

There have been bits of progress in every other direction as well, it seems. You now have the ability to read the minds of different characters, as well as use a 'scan' ability that allows you to see who you are currently able to possess. You can possess a cat, and use them to jump into air vents to access different areas. The dialogue screen got a pretty big make-over. There is now scenery layering, so you can walk behind props and in front of them, and the game will mimic the perceived depth.

So...what remains? For the most part, the writing and cutscene scripting. Which is, for me, the funnest part of all!

I'd just like to check in on Newgrounds and confirm that I haven't disappeared or anything! The sequel to my flash game Why Am I Dead is still in development, and assuming all goes well will be in Beta stage by next month at the latest. My hope is to get the game out over the summer.

I would like to be very clear, however, that this game will not be 100% free. I don't want anyone to be surprised by this or feel I did a bait and switch. Having a price tag is simply because the length of the game and development time that I have, and will continue to put in, dwarfs the original game. However, I will be releasing a substantial free demo, and the price will be modest by anyone's standards.

Noteworthy features to Why Am I Dead 2:

- Better graphics, and smoother animations all around
- A second level of possession, which gives the ghost more control over their host
- Characters that move around on their own when you aren't controlling them and act a bit more 'alive'
- A much longer and more intricate story, with wildly differing endings
- There is also another person stuck on the toilet for the whole length of the game

I think that's about all I had to say for now. I'll be sure to post updates here when there's any major news!