9.30.2008

Pesos . . .

Pesos will be FF's currency. Players will be able to use them to purchase items from TheDC and/or wage side bets on the outcomes of battles. More on that later. Each player will start with 1000pesos and every win will net more. I haven't decided how much but I'm thinking the results will vary depending on the winner's performance during battle.

9.29.2008

TheDC . . .

Instead of using the gym hub for downloadable content, I decided to create a stand-alone full-fledged store to access the content. The shop will be called "The DC". It will be a clickable within the same screen of the locker room. Gamers will be able to purchase various items from the DC including but not limited to alternate clothing, move listings, trailers, avatars and wallpapers. Thinking about the DC, I need to establish an in-game currency. I'm going with pesos, a small tribute to the currency of my favorite Mexican beer; Corona. Fuego.

9.28.2008

Change Clothes . . .

One piece of downloadable content will be alternate clothing for every character. Each character will have up to five different clothing sets to choose from. Players will be able to unlock this alternates by meeting certain criteria or purchasing via the D.C store (more on that later). I guess I'll have Roc design the alternates, but what if I allowed gamers to submit their own designs? Might be something to think about. Fuego.

9.27.2008

Variations . . .

Every move animation will have three different variations to keep the action looking fresh. I haven't decided whether or not to included Advanced Techniques in the idea but now that I think about it, that would be a really fresh idea. If I add the Advanced Techniques, the total amount of variations could surpass a thousand. Fuego.

9.26.2008

Advanced Techniques . . .

Advanced Techniques will be the name of the stronger moves for each character. I decided against the typical "super" term because its sounds completely cliche. Each character will have up to 18 ATs. ATs will be performed at the end of specific command sets. Players will be able to parry/block these attacks as long as they choose the proper attack section to block. Below is a few example of Guitar Zero's ATs:

Zerosmith
LP-MP-HP-HP

Encore
MP-LP-MP-HP-HP

Tenacious Z
LP-MP-MP-LP-HP

Zosh Pit
HP-HP-LP-MP-HP

The Rollin Zone
MP-HP-LP-LP-HP

9.25.2008

Outsourcing . . .


For most of my development/designing needs I usually turn to the G.A.F community. Getafreelancer.com is like an international version of Elance.com. I prefer the site because my DJMixtapez.com programmer made me use it repeatedly. So I don't know if its a recommendation or if I've been manipulated. Either way, the service has been top-notch. As you can see in previous entries, the iPhone/iTouch application icon was designed by a designer I discover on G.A.F. Long story short, if you're looking for a team of hired guns G.A.F is a good place to start.

9.24.2008

Website . . .

I'm drawing a blank trying to figure out what to put up on the actual website. Bios? Move Listing? I not sure yet and nothing's popping into my head. Maybe when the developmental process is done I'll have something interesting. Or maybe I'll leave it blank, make it kinda deceptive.

9.23.2008

Bruno . . .

Speaking of Fight Club, why not? Tyler Durden was such a intriguing character and I always enjoy when Brad plays those brawler type funny guys. If we combine Tyler with Mickey O' Neil, the hilarious Irish Gypsy brawler from Snatch, and maintain the disturbed look/demeanor, maybe we got a winner. Why not call him Bruno? Why not end the entry with fuego?

9.22.2008

Commercial . . .

I was watching Fight Club the other day looking for a little inspiration when the idea for the game's commercial hit me. A simple scene in the movie sparked the entire commercial. The scene is right after Ed Norton's character realizes he's Tyler Durden and he rushes to meet Marla Singer in a diner. During their conversation, random people come up to Ed with simple head nods and gestures signaling their alliance. I think I will expand on that entire concept. The commercial will feature some type of symbol that only FF players will understand. The atmosphere will be dark/edgy with a rock type of soundtrack. Everyone will be using simple gestures to acknowledge their allegiance to the game. I think the FF symbol would be perfect. Fuego.

9.21.2008

The Top Ten . . .

I had an idea that the top ten leaders of both the Global Leaderboards as well as the Local Leaderboards, would all receive exclusive downloads for being the top dogs. Some kind of rare content or insider info. I think that would entice gamers to strive to be the champion outside of the usual bragging rights. Fugeo.

9.20.2008

Hidden Characters . . .

The process of acquiring hidden characters is devised from one of my favorite Nintendo games; Smash Bros/Super Smash Bros. The game constantly awarded players for gameplay beyond simply completing the story mode. Unlocking characters with random feats like 100 blocks or jumping 1000 times, kept the game's replay value extremely high. I borrowed some of that thinking with FriendFighter. Players will be rewarded with a steady stream of new characters just from continuous playing. One of which, is the most powerful character in the game. Of course, he/she will be the most difficult to unlock but I think a few true gamers will be up to the challenge. Fugeo.

9.19.2008

The Last Dragon . . .

I found inspiration for one of our hidden characters. I heard recently Julius Carry passed away and it sparked something in me. Julius played the classic character "Sho Nuff" in Berry Gordy's cult favorite "The Last Dragon". Paying my respects to such an creative character, I decided to design someone in his likeliness. The characters name will be Fa Sho as in "For Sure". He will embody the charisma of Sho Nuff with the fighting abilities of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan & Jet Li combined. Hell of a combination right? Fuego.

9.18.2008

Jack Black . . .


Honestly, who isn't inspired by Jack Black? I decided to pay tribute to one of my favorite bands Tenacious D as well as one of the best band games Guitar Hero. This character will be hidden and go by the name Guitar Zero. He will be the world's greatest Guitar Hero player but will hide a interesting secret. Fuego.

9.17.2008

Winner . . .


At the end of the game, players will be treated to comical closing credits. The brains behind the tournament E.N.T promised every contestant any wish they wanted if they were crowned champion. I can't give any details away because it would spoil the story. However, I will say each character choose something uniquely funny to their journey.

9.16.2008

Parry Annihilators . . .


Parry annihilators is the result of three consecutive parry attacks by both players. Once initiated the battle will switch to a Mach 10 fight fest. Imagine Dragon Ball Z on speed mixed with three gallons of Red Bull. Players will be required to enter 15 non-block commands to determine the winner of the exchange. The loser will receive a hefty amount of damage.

9.15.2008

Avatar . . .


Players will be able to upload avatars to be used in their Gamer Badge. The avatar is added during initial set-up and can be changed anytime via the replica iPhone options menu or in the locker room. Players will also be able to use any picture saved on their phone as a avatar. But that may not be a good idea, since we won't be able to limit the amount of nudity, gamers could upload some highly inappropriate pics. I can already feel the ESRB breathing down my neck. Fuego.

9.14.2008

Gimme A Beat . . .


If I had a dream choice, I would give a pinky finger to have Pharrell/Neptunes produce the entire soundtrack to the game. Their gift for crafting obscure, interesting, catchy sounds would fit FriendFighter's atmosphere perfectly. Obviously, that dream is the furthest thing from reality. What is more likely to happen is; I will find some kid just as hungry, just as eager and almost as talented. He/She will strive to make an immense impact on the music world and that kid will make a soundtrack that will forever define his/her career. Or I'll make the beats myself. Fuego.

The Locker Room . . .


The Locker Room will be used for all downloadable material. I haven't decided exactly what everything will be but the room will include a large variety of accessories to dress characters. It will include conception artwork, insider info, game secrets and new content. Players access the room from the gymnasium central hub.

9.13.2008

E.N.T . . .


I decided who will be the host of the Friend Fighter arena. Or more importantly, who put all the wheels in motion. The character's name will be E.N.T which isn't an acronym for anything but short for entertainment. E.N.T is completely inspired by Ed Harris. I loved Ed in The Rock, The Firm, Enemy At The Gates and A Beautiful Mind. But his most recent film "National Treasure" caused my creative juices to start flowing. Ed played such a captivating yet humble villain, I felt obligated to included him in the game. I can't give away why E.N.T gathered all the fighters but I will say the end results have zero serious undertone and are completely hilarious.

9.12.2008

Hurry Up . . .

If a player takes too long to pick commands/inputs a "Pick Something" message will flash across the screen. I haven't decided whether a sound or a vibration will follow the message or whether the game will automatically select inputs/commands for the player. The game is built around a hands-off approach so maybe players will be comfortable waiting. But if I add an automatic selection gamers could use it as a computer controlled simulator resulting in automated fights. I don't want that but will players?

Commands . . .

Players will be required to enter 5 commands in the prompt for each exchange. The five will be any combination of the input options (seen here). Certain inputs will result in "Advanced Techniques" which will be more powerful than normal attacks. Advanced Techniques can be blocked or parried just like normal attacks. More on Advanced Techniques later.

9.11.2008

The Program . . .

Click image to visit page.

The final piece of the puzzle appears to be the actual program used to develop the application. The program comes in two different forms. The "Standard" program ($99) is geared toward developers who are creating free/commercial applications and want to distribute the apps on the Apple Store. The "Enterprise" program ($299) is focused on companies with 500 or more employees that are interested in creating proprietary in-house applications. The only problem is the program is restricted to Mac computers. I'll have to find that software that allow PC users to emulate Mac computers or buy a two thousand dollar Mac. Choices, choices, choices . . .

Character Select . . .

After designing the character select screen, I realized I needed a technique for selecting characters. To avoid players accidently selecting a character, gamers will be required to input two seperate screen taps. The first tap will be on the desired character and the second will be a confirmation under the character's stats/bio.

9.10.2008

ADC Membership . . .

Click image to visit site.

Apparently you have to become a member of the Apple Development Connection in order to submit a iPhone/iTouch application. The membership has three different types Primer ($3500), Select ($500) and Online (Free). Can you guess which one I'm going to choose?

9.09.2008

Meet Bow . . .


Minus the blood stains on the knees, let me introduce you to Bow. Roc did his thing with the color scheme. Time to figure out who's next. It may be time for one of our "eccentric" characters. Fuego.

Developer Connection . . .


Click image to visit site.

Searched Apple's site and found the Developer Connection page. Pretty much links to everything a developer would need to design a software/game application for the Mac or iPhone/iTouch. Time to print everything out and try to gather a non-programmer understanding. Fuego.

Battle Buddies . . .

Here's a new option. Gamers can opt to become friends with players they don't know by choosing a "Become Battle Buddies" option. The option will be available from both local and global leaderboard screens. Players tap on any player within each section and the option will be displayed on the selected player's stat pop-up. Only one request can be sent to any player per day. The link will only allow players to exchange fight invites. No personal information will be transferred. Players will be notified via the in-game iPhone replica when a "Become Battle Buddies" invite has been initated. Players choose to accept/decline to invite from the phone.

9.08.2008

Leaderboard Sketch Revisited . . .

Click image to view full version.

Here is the finalized sketch of the leaderboard section. Remember I said I wasn't set on the original version? Here's the reason; I noticed a flaw in the original layout. In the horizontal position, the iPhone/iTouch screen size wasn't large enough to support two menus at the top (global & local ranking) and one full menu at the bottom (player stats).

At first I figured the player could just turn the device vertically and work from there. But I thought if the game is designed in the horizontal format, I shouldn't force the player to switch back and forth. That thinking helped me develop the concept you see in the upper right hand corner. I converted the design in to three horizontal displays to suit the gameplay. Each panel would function as usual and the player's comfort remains in tack.

Also, notice the options added to the leaderboard in the lower-right hand section and the revised stats section in the middle. More on both later.

Random Notes Scan . . .

Click the image to view full version.

Here is a scan of my notes page. This is where I jotted down stuff I didn't want to forget. Peep the development of the character selection screen in the middle. I was trying to find a innovative display to list 30 characters. More to come.

Tokio Hotel . . .


Not sure whether the lead singer of Tokio Hotel is a girl or a guy but he/she has inspired me to design a boss character around her/his unique look. Maybe a fighter with kinetic/telekinesis powers and some killer hair (literally). Fuego.

9.07.2008

Leaderboard Sketch . . .

Click image to view full version.

Above is a rough sketch of the first idea I had for the leaderboards. I'll tell you why I changed it later. Anyway, brief explanation of certain sections;

-The left column displays how I originally wanted the leaderboard to look and function.
-Towards the bottom on the left column, I scribbled rough concepts for the iPhone replica options. That is basically where that idea was developed.
-Below the iPhone options you see the rough draft for how the player stats were originally supposed to be listed.

The rest of the sketch is just notes and further explanations of functions. More to come.

Gameplay Sketch . . .

Click the image to view the full version

Here is a scan of the gameplay concepts I developed. I can't explain everything in depth right now, the vast amount information would cause your head to collapse. But I will give brief access to my thoughts for some sections.

-The upper-left portion is a sketch of the iPhone/iTouch with the attack list shown on-screen.
-The bottom shows each character's strengths. I only mapped out the 15 basic characters, the bosses and hidden characters are still being developed. Character names are leaked if you look closely.
-Next to the iPhone/iTouch sketch is the "deciding factor". More on that later.
-The right-portion is how the parry annihilator was developed. I asked myself what would happen if both players parry each other's attack successfully? More on that later.
-The right side numbers are how I realized each character would have to have different damage reactions for each parry and attack.

I tried to add a human element to every aspect of the game. If a character is strong in the upper body area but weak in the lower area, blocks to the top should be stronger than blocks to the bottom. More on everything later.

9.06.2008

Parry Attacks . . .


To balance the overall play of the game, I plan to have Parry Attacks inflict the most damage. That way, players can't just become button mashers without consequences. Each character will cause different amounts of Parry damage depending on the section of the attack.

For example; Bow's strength lies in his Mid-Punch & Mid-Kick area. If he parry's an attack with either option, he will inflict triple the amount of damage. But if he parry's with a Low or High attack, the damage will only be minimal. This system should add a hardcore level of depth to the overall gameplay. A seasoned player will be able to recognize each character's strength and exploit their weaknesses. Hopefully . . .

9.05.2008

Submitting . . .


Another option added to the in-game iPhone replica will be the "Log Stats" or "Submit Stats" function. Players will have the option to submit their stats to a central tracking computer or continue without. This information will be used to determine the local & global leaders. I'm thinking if we use an option like this, the game won't be constantly sending information to a outside server causing all types of crashes or gameplay slowdowns. The game will temporarily pause while the stats are uploaded and resume when completed. Things may change when I get some concrete specs.

Pause . . .

When a player receives a phone call or text message, the game will temporarily pause. The player receiving the call can choose to ignore or accept the call. The opposite player will see an animation showing his/her opponent answering the phone. If the call takes longer than 30 seconds, the opposite player will be given two options "Wait" or "Leave". Choosing the "Wait" option the player can choose the length of the time extension (30seconds min to 3 minutes max). Choosing the "Leave" option will end the fight. Neither player will register a win/lose by choosing the "Leave" option.

9.04.2008

Scanning . . .


A new option will be added to the in-game iPhone replica. The ability to scan the surrounding area for friends or strangers looking for a quick battle. The idea was inspired by a recent game of Street Fighter II on Xbox Live. I thought, what if a player's friends are not available and he/she was tired of challenging the rank above/below them, how would he/she find a opponent? The scan feature would allow any player to invite another into a friendly battle without exchanging any personal information. Initially, I think the concept is restricted to players within a predetermined radius. When I get a better understanding of the phone capabilities, I plan to expand that globally. Fuego.

Input . . .

The input options for each attack will be the following;

HP=High Punch HK=High Kick
MP=Mid Punch MK=Mid Kick
LP=Low Punch LK=Low Kick

BH=Block High
BM=Block Mid
BL=Block Low

I'll be drawing a mock-up of the options on the iPhone/iTouch shortly. Don't hate on my drawings either, I usually leave the designs up to the professionals but I decided to stretch my wings a little. Fugeo.

9.03.2008

Bow Outline . . .


Simple yet complex. Here is Roc's take on the Bow character. Notice the bandages around the fingers, elbows and knees. A nice touch from Roc to compliment Bow's fighting style. The quintessential all-around fighter, Bow will probably be the easiest character to master. The color is coming soon. Fuego.

Monty Oum . . .


Monty Oum. What more can be said about this kid that hasn't already been said? He is a fan made cult figure. Single-handly responsible for creating two mind-blowing, frantic, action packed videos dedicated to some of the greatest games ever. The first was Haloid, a tribute to Halo and Metroid with a little twist. The second is the world-renowed Dead Fantasy, the ultimate mash-up of various ladies throughout the gaming world. You have to see it to believe it. Why has Monty gathered such an intense following? The anwser is simple; he created each fighting sequence entirely by himself. An feat unheard of in the gaming community and even more remarkable is how well paced each sequence is executed. Think John Woo on HGH, extasy and Red Bull. I could go on about this dude but I'll let you see for yourself. Let it be known, Monty is the inspiration behind all of the fight scenes you will see in the game. Maybe he'll sign on as an advisor. More info on Monty here, here and here.

9.02.2008

Leaderboards . . .


The leaderboards will be three LCD screens that display both Local & Global champions based upon a simple win/lose ratio. The player with the most wins and least amount of losses is ranked number one, the player with the most losses and least amount of wins is ranked last, so on and so forth. The leaderboard is viewable from the central hub by moving your finger from left-to-right. The leaderboard also displays the players stats. Every single move is tracked in the stats screen. More on that later.

Replica . . .


The in-game iPhone will be used for the following options:

-Issue Fights (send a txt to friends or request a battle with the next rank above or below the player's rank)
-Add/Remove Friends (player enter friend's first name, last name, email address & cell phone number. Each field can be optional)
-Schedule Battles (schedule a battle with friends at a lunch break, during a road trip etc.)
-View Fight Records (view battles from the last 30 days)
-Accept/Decline Fight Invites (self explanatory)

The iPhone is available in every screen of the central hub. Players tap the phone's location and the options are displayed. More options may be added later depending on player needs. Mock-up designs coming soon.

9.01.2008

Kimbo Slice . . .


Why not make a boss character modeled after this guy? Gotta think of a name . . . a menacing name. Menace . . . that's sounds good. Fuego

The Professional . . .


I found inspiration for one of our hidden characters. His name will be Alfonzso. He is based upon a combination of Leon from "The Professional" and Woody's character from "Natural Born Killers". He will be a world-renowned assassin but completely afraid of cats. Players will unlock this character by mastering all the annihilators for each of the 15 main characters. Fuego.

Sheng Long . . .


If you don't know who Sheng Long is . . . google him. He is probably the only April Fool's joke that spawned a gamer cult following. What if I could get him in the game? Would he not be the greatest hidden character ever and the ultimate tribute to SF fans? I'm going to try.

"You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance . . ."