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AppGameKit/AppGameKit Studio Showcase / Bones Beneath - 2D Precision Platformer

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Bio Fox
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Posted: 6th Dec 2022 02:15 Edited at: 28th Sep 2024 22:43
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We are looking for testers for Bones Beneath. DM me for a Steam BETA KEY! Or download demo from Steam or itch.io!

Hello TGC Forums! We’re Blue Herb Software and we're excited to present our game Bones Beneath. Explore the Egyptian underworld in this precision platformer! Jump, whip, and dash your way through a challenging, interconnected world that weaves linear gauntlets with open-ended exploration.

Release date is set for 2025. If you'd like to help test the game, please message us directly to discuss (we'd love the help!).

WISHLIST now on STEAM: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2874550/Bones_Beneath/

FOLLOW on ITCH.IO: https://blue-herb-software.itch.io/bones-beneath



UPDATES
- 4/24/24 - We've been hard at work polishing the game, adding new cutscenes, composing music, and so much more. The Steam page went up this month as well, complete with a brand new trailer.

CONTROLS
Keyboard Controls:
WASD = Movement
Space Bar = Jump (once you obtain the ability, you can press directional towards wall to wall jump)
M = Hover (hold to hover you can let go and hover again until it runs out)
Comma = Dash (use directional to choose cardinal direction, makes you invincible for a short time and can damage certain enemies)
Period = Whip Attack
P = Pause

Controller Controls:
D-Pad = Movement
A / X = Jump (once you obtain the ability, you can press directional towards wall to wall jump)
X / Square = Whip
Y / Triangle = Dash (use directional to choose cardinal direction)
B / Circle = Hover (hold to hover you can let go and hover again until it runs out)
Start = Pause



We’ve been part of this forum off and on since 2004 when we started programming in DarkBasic. While the process has changed, our passion for creating and sharing with this community has not. Thank you for checking out our game!
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 6th Dec 2022 02:57
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will play the demo later but the video = GREAT old school platformer, Bio Fox.

always up for a platformer and this is one of only a few that i've seen from AppGameKit (aquillanto comes to mind).

please do continue this project as everything seems quite sound; ie, you've just got more rooms/levels to build, unless you have more features you might add?

meanwhile, please add the MadeWithAGK metadata @ itch (under Engines/Tools) so others interested in AGK games @ itch can easily find it.

finally, if you do continue this, consider posting the demo as an HTML export so that everytime we go to play it, it's the most-current versions without having to download. it also makes it available to non-WIN folks.

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Steve Ancell
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Posted: 6th Dec 2022 13:58
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Looks good mate.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 7th Dec 2022 22:12
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@Virtual Nomad - Thanks for the tips! I've updated our itch.io metadata as you suggested. HTML version on itch.io is a great idea as well. Yes, we plan on adding more zones, enemies, and bosses as well as providing the player with more platforming abilities to obtain (such as a double jump, for example). While this vertical slice is linear, a future version may include something like a metroidvania (albeit scaled back). Our vision is a balance of gauntlet-like rooms and open areas for exploration gated by new abilities obtained in a linear fashion. Let us know if and when you play the demo. We're eager to know how the game handles!

@Steve Ancell - Thanks for checking it out!
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 8th Dec 2022 02:23 Edited at: 8th Dec 2022 02:46
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ok, gave it a run and it plays clean. the cut-scene is appreciated so i'm glad you're going that route. and, the tune is catchy, as well (tho i quickly turned the volume down since i'm not feeling that "energetic" ATM ).

i like the controls; the press-and-hold double-jump is nice but i worry that somewhere during the adventure i'll need to refine my timing re: some moving object that requires precision and that might be tough vs taking the second leap precisely when i press JUMP again.

then there's mention of a grapple hook and UP doesn't do it (and i saw nowhere to pick it up, if necessary?). i was on keyboard at first then connected my controller in case it was a Key Rollover issue and still no ghook after trying (every?) key/button so i'm stuck at the first pit (a few screens in) unless i missed something? i tried chopping trees, beating up stones, collected everything i saw, trying to free a grapplehook from somewhere to no avail.

otherwise, i dig the vibe and play. the lighting is nice as is the sand we kick up but when jumping off a block should it still kick sand? seemed a little out of place but i never played on NES so if it's "standard", ignore me

meanwhile, i see you're writing to the read folder; i can see that being nice when u dev but you're inviting others to "partake". i know you've been around quite awhile but unsure of your experience with AppGameKit since i havent seen you post much for a while but Vishnu is handy. and, HTML export does a decent job in both departments (hint, hint).

alas, and again, ignore me if you've got things where you want them.

finally, lots of potential for fun and things seem solid so looking forward to watching this progress!

add: something curious that may be related to the grapplehook is when i collect whatever item is in the ankh room (2), i get the "collect" effect but noticed nothing new or beneficial from whatever i acquired. then i went to my Quest Log which still shows 0 Ankhs:



while i was confirming this, i thought maybe bashing the urns in a certain order was required. i tried a couple of combinations but nothing new happened..

btw, it's odd to me that everything respawns when you return to a given room. non-issue; but, making sure it was intended (ie, nice, quick replay-ability ).

again, i never played NES or a lot of these kinda games ( rick dangerous mighta been the last?!) , so... glad to be doing so now, working on my ignorance.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 8th Dec 2022 03:14 Edited at: 8th Dec 2022 03:45
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@Virtual Nomad - Thank you for downloading and playing our game! We started out using the appdata folder which AppGameKit defaults to, then we switched to the media folder. Vishnu looks interesting and HTML sounds even better for distribution on itch.io. We'll make sure to check that out.

A few follow up questions if you don't mind. First, were you able to figure out how to grapple? It's an ability the player has from the start, though it sounds like we need to make that clearer. When you're near a grapple point (the green hook-shaped vines that grow on some blocks) a rotating reticle will appear. Press and hold the up arrow on keyboard or the right trigger on controller to use the grapple hook and you should immediately start swinging. Our philosophy is no explicit tutorials so maybe we need to build in a little reminder in-world so players understand the mechanic right away. In other areas, we use "hieroglyphics" to convey gameplay controls. Any thoughts on that?

As for the ankh displayed in the pause menu, that's a collectible you'll find in the world. The ankh altar (the 2nd room of the game, but there's three in the demo) is a save room. If you whip the floating crystal, it saves the game. I can see how the symbol on the wall could be confused for the symbol in the pause menu. Would it have made more sense if the collectible was something other than an ankh?

When you say double jump, do you mean you were able to jump twice before touching the ground? Were you able to press jump just before hitting the ground and then it triggers a jump when you hit the ground (this is intentional). Was it an interaction with the grapple hook?

Yeah, re-spawning stuff in each room sort of comes with the territory of the retro style we're aping. I'm sure I could come up with a lore reason if I wanted to, like Dark Souls! haha

Anyways, we really appreciate you checking this out. Great to know your experience overall was positive.
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 8th Dec 2022 05:22 Edited at: 8th Dec 2022 05:29
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ok, first things first: a couple of apologies.

1) for not paying attention the first time i watched the video. this 2nd time thru and "it's all right there" & i should have gleaned what i needed to know from it.

2) for not expecting the level of detail in the game. that's the difference between a simple coder like myself and a dev like you. it's apparent in the "simple" games i make; "just jump and collect. maybe whack something" kinda thing. mentioning the hieroglyphs then watching the vid and again "it's all right there" and that's on me. i need to pay more attention.



it doesn't help that i played dozens upon dozens of 20 Second Game Jam entries over the past week or so where "not much depth" was common (but still a lot of fun). but, there were a few that managed to get the "real game" notion into that 20 seconds and they stood out to me. i need to look for it vs assuming it's not there.

meanwhile, i can grapple, now i need to practice but i'll get there.

as far as jumping, my experience was basically, if i hold JUMP (once), there's an extra "oomph" in the ascension (rise, stall, rise again) that's not there if i simply tap JUMP, which i took as a different kind of "double jump" (see THIS RL example).

now that i know "there's more" to it, i'll revist the jump aspect. i seem to remember "something more" in that department but hadn't sorted it out yet. as far as a "jumping in connection with grapple" notion, i haven't yet grappled enough to see it. again, i'll get there (slowly).

and, the hieroglyphs are perfect indicators. which, all of this, and thanks for explaining everything so well, reminded me of something i heard "eons" ago. "you don't tell a chef how to prepare your meal".

you're obviously not preparing this under the golden arches, so... "Would it have made more sense..." is something i'm not qualified to answer.

thanks again. i'm appreciating this even more
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 8th Dec 2022 20:38
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@Virtual Nomad - Appreciate the clarifications. Yes, I can see playing through game jam games and having a certain expectation. We've only participated in one game jam ourselves, but we very much flew by the seat of our pants in those 48 hours. That doesn't leave a lot of room to consider design, at least from my perspective.

However, I hope we're not too far away from communicating our game play mechanics succinctly. There's certainly areas we could improve. For example, your comment on the ankh collectible got me and my dev partner (tarkusAB) thinking we might swap the crystal out for the ankh to whip and maybe make something else the collectible. Confusion between the collectible ankh and the ankh alter (save room) was never intended, but that right there was a bit of design miscommunication on our part and it's something simple that we'd never think of without some outside perspective.

We'll have to investigate that jumping issue you mentioned. Let us know too if you find more detail or possible steps to replicate more exactly. You've been a big help sharing your thoughts.
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Phaelax
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Posted: 13th Dec 2022 18:40
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This looks awesome, I'll play it as soon as I get a chance.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 15th Dec 2022 21:04 Edited at: 15th Dec 2022 21:11
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This is a hard game! And that block that drops at the second grappling point is just straight up mean!
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 15th Dec 2022 21:49
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@Phaelax - Thanks for checking out our game! Yes, the core of the design is challenging platforming. Were you able to get by that room? The first few rooms are supposed to be more tutorials before the demo gets really hard. If people get stuck early on we'll want to adjust the difficulty.

Is there something specific that you found difficult about the block? Maybe that particular platforming challenge belongs later in the demo / game.

Any other thoughts on the game? Did it control as well as it initially looked?
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Phaelax
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Posted: 16th Dec 2022 19:46
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I died a dozen times before I figured out how to jump to the second grappling point. Since it defaults to arrow keys, they didn't make much sense to me. Backwards to whip in front, up to throw grappling. I kept pressing arrows towards my target to shoot the hook at it. 30 years of games telling me arrow keys control movement makes it hard habit to break.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 16th Dec 2022 20:13
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@Phaelax - That's a good point about the controls. We'll definitely take that into consideration. Our goal was for them to mimic the four buttons of a modern controller but I can see how that could be confusing,
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Game_Code_here
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Posted: 17th Dec 2022 03:47
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Yes I gave up playing because I could not hook onto the first rock and keept dying.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 17th Dec 2022 18:42
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@ Game_Code_here - I just added instructions for the controls in my original post. In order to grapple, you must press and hold the up arrow (or right trigger on XBOX/PS controller) when close to the green vine hooks. A reticle will appear letting you know when you can active the grapple. Once attached, you must hold the button and then swing back and forth. If you get a chance, give that a try and see if it works.

Clearly we need to communicate the grappling controls better in game. I'm also thinking we remove the spikes from the first grapple just to give people the chance to test it out with dying.
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Game_Code_here
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Posted: 18th Dec 2022 19:19
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Ok, I used my controller this time and I get hooked to the first rock, then evetime I try to get the next rock I die. And let me tell you, I got so frustrated I almost screamed. I almost threw my controller.

For some reason, when I am swinging on the first rock, And I try to swing to the next rock I fall instantly.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 18th Dec 2022 20:49
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Did you try jumping off of the swing? You can jump, grapple to the first block, swing to the right, jump at the height of the arc, move toward the second block, grapple, and swing to the right.

See this moment in the video for an example: https://youtu.be/-ufXSpV9cwM?t=36
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Game_Code_here
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Posted: 18th Dec 2022 23:07
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Quote: "Did you try jumping off of the swing?"


Hi, Yes I tried everything and all it does is fall real fast to my death lol.

Your talking to a experienced super Mario brothers player lol, joking.

But I have played many , many side scrollers and even attempted to build one, And I can not swing on this one.

I even tried to hold on for a long time and swing then at a high swing change to the next rock but I still fall.

Over all, other then this issue, it is a real cool looking game and i enjoy watching the video of it.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 19th Dec 2022 22:42
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Fair enough! We really value your repeated attempts. I'm a bit of a platforming junkie myself and cut my teeth on Super Mario World. Newer releases like Celeste are also hugely inspirational.

Me and tarkusAB (my partner on this project) talked it over, and we think it may come down to a lack of conservation of momentum when releasing the swing. This was a challenge to build in, ultimately, due to the movement code being one set of rules and the swinging being another (namely, using AppGameKit built-in 2d physics). Given everyone's difficulty with what was for us an experimental mechanic, we're strongly considering removing the swinging altogether to focus solely on the core platforming mechanics and its additions (like a double jump, a dash, a wall jump, etc).

Between that and fine tuning some of the early room difficulty, we plan on putting out an update soon. More to come on that.

Again, thanks for checking this out and providing a lot of feedback. It's the things we took for granted during development that surprise us the most when new people get a hold of the game, so this has been tremendously helpful in highlighting what does and doesn't work.
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Phaelax
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Posted: 20th Dec 2022 19:08
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Quote: ", we're strongly considering removing the swinging altogether"


I think you should leave it in, it gives your game a unique mechanic and helps separate it from every other basic platformer. It just needs a little tweaking.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 22nd Dec 2022 22:09
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I can agree with that. Thanks, Phaelax. Our decision may ultimately come down to how easy it will be to add additional platforming mechanics along side the swinging. We'll post an update after Christmas when we have time to go over our plans for the rest of the game.
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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 22nd Dec 2022 23:13
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yah ,leave it in just cause i can't hang right now doesnt mean that i dont like it. i'll get back to this project after the holidays.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 9th Jan 2023 03:34 Edited at: 25th Apr 2024 02:35
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Hey folks, hope your holidays were fun and relaxing! We’ve been busy the last few weeks but found plenty of time to update our demo based on feedback. Below is a link to the download, a YouTube video showing off what’s new, and a change log of all the new features.

Our main goal was to replace the grappling hook mechanics, which while I know some people wanted us to keep it ultimately didn't fit with the kind of move set we want our platformer to have. We want the character to be in as much of the player's control as possible, and swinging just broke that goal. So, introducing three new Egyptian god-powered abilities: Amon's Second Wind, a hover ability that lets you remain in the air for a short time. Bastet's Feline Finesse, a wall jump ability. And finally, Horus's Holy Falcon, a fiery dash that can cut through enemies and go in all four cardinal directions.

We also have a new re-spawn system which is a little more lenient. The old system of re-spawning at checkpoint rooms only is still available, but the new system allows you to re-spawn in the room you just died in. This should make things A LOT less punishing for people. You still save by activating the checkpoint room.

If you have a chance, try out the latest version and let us know what you think!


Change Log:
• Three new abilities to replace the grappling hook mechanic: a hover, a wall jump, and a dash
• Several new rooms in the demo to show off the new abilities
• Updated re-spawn system with two options available when starting a new game. Normal mode re-spawns you in the room you died in at the nearest ankh statuette to where you first entered the room. Hardcore mode disables the ankh statuettes, re-spawning you at the last used checkpoint room. In all instances, saving the game occurs only when you activate a checkpoint room
• Swapped the collectible with the ankh so that the collectible is a rotating gem and the ankh is associated with the checkpoint rooms (aka the ankh altars). Thematically and mechanically, this felt like a no-brainer once people pointed it out!
• The pause menu displays the whip and obtainable abilities as they are collected
• Updated player deaths, specifically the burn and electrify deaths so they use more particles
• Save icon and a cutscene icon that indicate when those occur
• Updated control images in the settings menu so they are our original images (we were using stock sprites before)
• Packed our game using Vishnu Studio, found here: https://forum.thegamecreators.com/thread/224373. Highly recommended, it works with very little effort


One thing we couldn’t get working was using HTML on itch.io. This is due to us taking direct control of the rendering pipeline, which is doing things that HTML doesn't like apparently. If anyone has any tips or tricks on that front, we’d love to hear them!

Next steps for us include adding new areas, new enemies, and additional bosses. We envision the game having a semi-open central Metroidvania-type zone that has linear off-shoots gated by each ability.







Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com

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Game_Code_here
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Posted: 10th Jan 2023 10:11
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I redownloaded the game and now it plays good and i love the respawn in the same level area. This time i went a lot farther, I keep dying at one part but I watched your new video and think I can win that part.

I like this a lot better.

Good Job Guys

Keep up the good work.
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 12th Jan 2023 22:13
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Quote: "I like this a lot better."


Thanks, Game_Code_here! Good to know we're in the right direction. As soon as we implemented the new abilities we felt a lot more excitement about the design.

Over the coming weeks I'll be putting together the next area of the game: a central cave system with an abandoned temple in the middle. Excited to try my hand at some new tiles that aren't yellow bricks lol
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 17th Nov 2023 04:47 Edited at: 25th Apr 2024 02:34
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Almost a year of game development has us reaching a new landmark for our retro-inspired platformer Bones Beneath. Five zones are now complete, including unique mechanics and a few new music tracks. Two of the five planned bosses are also in the game, with a third nearly finished.

A demo is temporarily available on itch.io so we can gather feedback. The new YouTube trailer is embedded below. Expect a Steam page soon!

The demo pre-loads three save files at different points in the game:
- First save gives you the Hover ability and places you in the Hanging Gardens
- Second save gives you the Hover and Wall Jump abilities and places you in the Black Crypt
- Third save gives you the Hover, the Wall Jump, and the Dash abilities and places you in the Lava Works

And if you'd rather play the game from the beginning, go into Options, clear one of the save files, and load it up.

Go ahead and try out any of save files to experience different zones and the abilities you gain over time. Controls are listed in-game and on the itch.io page. Controller highly recommended! If you’d rather start from the beginning, you can clear one of the save files in menu to do so.



A quick high-level roadmap of what’s left to do:
• Add three more boss fights
• Design the final zone
• Add an optional challenge zone and special item to collect
• Polish the controls, level design, art, and music


Thank you for all the support. We’re excited to hear what people have to say about our game!


















Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com

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Yeshu777
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This looks great, well done!!

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PSY
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Posted: 21st Nov 2023 14:09
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This looks amazing! Good job!


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Bio Fox
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@Yeshu777 - Thanks for checking it out!

@PSY - Appreciate the compliment! We've spent the last year honing the art direction and gameplay. Glad both of those are shining!
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Bio Fox
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@BlinkOk - The name of our game has changed. Please change the thread's title to the following: Bones Beneath - 2D Precision Platformer


Thank you!
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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 25th Apr 2024 01:22
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i've changed it. please add a screen/vid to the first post and clean up any dead links in the thread?

otherwise, looking good and glad to see the update!
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Posted: 25th Apr 2024 03:07 Edited at: 9th Jul 2024 21:13
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Hey everyone! We've been hard at work over the last six months polishing our game and preparing it for Steam. It was a long process commissioning a capsule artist, filling out all the digital paperwork, and getting approval through Steamworks. Well, it's official: our game is up on Steam! While not for sale yet, we appreciate all the support we can get over there by wishlisting the game. Release date will be in 2025.

We'll also be looking for testers later this year. If you're interested, message us directly to discuss!



So, what's currently in the game?
- Five zones filled with unique mechanics and challenges. Most of these are the linear parts of the game where you platform room by room. However, the central caves system is more open ended (similar to some Metroidvanias)
- Four bosses, one for each of the linear zones
- Three abilities to collection, including a hover, wall jump, and dash. They change how you move through the game and complete each other well
- NPCs to discover in each zone, some with little vignettes of their own as you progress
- Collectibles to prove your platforming prowess and three special collectibles that will unlock an optional area

And what's the major components left to complete?
- Final boss
- Final cutscenes
- Optional challenge area


Of course, there's other optional stuff we'd love to add, including alternative costumes and other goodies to discover in the underworld. But, with a year left in development, we'll see how much we can accomplish.


Let us know what you think of the trailer. Excited to see the community's impressions. Thank you all for checking this out.
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 9th Jul 2024 21:15
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It's official - Bones Beneath is now feature complete. The game can be played from start to finish!

Now we need help testing the game. We have BETA KEYS and are looking for people to give feedback! Reply or DM me for a key and we'll send one over!
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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blink0k
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Posted: 10th Jul 2024 22:22
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Wow! That is nice
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Drillfoot
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Posted: 19th Aug 2024 16:48
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Now this is cool! Heck yeah. Looks great. Love the visuals and the abilities as seen in the video. Congrats on finishing as well. I'll be sure to pick up on release!
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 6th Sep 2024 17:15
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@Drillfoot - Thanks for checking out our game! We'll make sure to post once it's available. Release date isn't set yet but mid-2025 is what we're aiming for.
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 28th Sep 2024 22:41 Edited at: 28th Sep 2024 22:42
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A new demo is available for Bones Beneath, through either Steam or itch.io. Check it out and let us know what you think!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2874550/Bones_Beneath/

https://blue-herb-software.itch.io/bones-beneath
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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PSY
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Posted: 5th Oct 2024 02:46
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Nice, will give the Steam demo a try this weekend. Looking great guys!


PSY LABS Games
Coders don't die, they just gosub without return
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PSY
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Posted: 5th Oct 2024 22:21
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I just played the Demo.
Great gameplay ( I used a controller ), catchy tunes, challenging levels, no bugs at all.
Superbly realized. You did an impressive job.
I simply retro

Wishlisted!


PSY LABS Games
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Bio Fox
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Posted: 8th Oct 2024 12:55
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@PSY - Wow, thank you for the play through and the wishlist! Really happy to hear no bugs
Blue Herb Software - http://www.blueherbsoftware.com
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