Work begins for alternative platforms
Tonight I began work on the mobile version of Caveman Craig 2. We hope for the mobile version to cover iPad, iPhone/iPod (retina only, sorry guys), and Android.
In both marketing and actual gameplay, there will be some large differences between Caveman Craig 2 for desktop platforms (Win/Mac) and Mobile (iOS/Android). The mobile version of Caveman Craig will focus on the survival style of CC: Classic, offering two main gametypes – one pushes you to grow your tribe as fast as you can to survive against increasingly difficult waves of dinosaurs, and the other is a slower paced, growth gametype in which you need to grow your tribe as large as you can. The enemy leaders that Tim has been introducing you to over the past months will be present in the mobile version.
There are quite a number of technical differences to consider too between mobile platforms (and to a smaller degree, the desktop platforms). Most prominent is the resolution and DPI differences. The iPad is the easiest to consider – it has a 1024×768 resolution, which is our target resolution for the desktop version too (the desktop version can dynamically increase the width for widescreen). If it weren’t for the control and gameplay differences, we could almost do a direct port to iPad with the desktop version!
It gets more difficult with the retina display – at first glance, the 960×640 resolution doesn’t sound so difficult to adapt to, as it’s not that much smaller than the iPad resolution. But with such a humungous DPI, at native scaling, Craig is absolutely tiny on the retina display! Too much screen real estate will be taken up by sky and sun, which is just silly. So for retina, we will be upscaling the game to 150% – there will be very little sacrifice of visual quality with this.
Android gets even harder to work out, and we’re still working out final details. Android runs on so many different devices that there’s no 1 good setting. We have been advised a ‘one size fits all’ resolution of 850×480 (from memory), and at this point we’re going with that. Android also runs on both slow and fast devices, so CC will have a very different experience and frame-rate based on the device you play it on.
So, yes, there’s a lot to work out before the mobile version really comes together!
The desktop version is of course making progress, too. We are just finishing up the last dinosaurs and tweaking their behaviour. They’re all quite unique from each other and some can be a lot of fun to try and take down! Tim did a great job with the animation. I’ve been spending some time working on the extensibility of Caveman Craig 2 – this is mostly for our benefit (allowing us to distribute patches and updates without you having to redownload the entire game), but there’s some potential for modding / customisation on your end, too. We are trying to make it very easy to add custom content, including:
-> Scenery (backgrounds & terrain)
-> Dinosaurs
-> Custom Player Skins
-> Rewards/Bonuses
Unfortunately, the dinosaurs and rewards/bonuses would require some GML knowledge and understanding of how the game engine is coded. We may however offer ‘template dinosaurs’ for you to make your own. We’ll also likely release official content.
Ricky has begun work on the main theme music for the game, although I’m yet to hear anything.. so stay tuned!
-Rhys
Iam not sure Iam happy to see your working on the mobile version, while the normal game has not yet been finished.
Hope to see some progress soon.
Right now, there’s not much I can do on the desktop version until I receive certain resources from Tim, Greg, and Ricky. While they work on putting these resources together, I am using my time to work on the mobile version.
We have a very detailed release / development schedule which was made to ensure we develop the games in the most efficient manner possible – right now is an example of how this development schedule has proven very useful.
Caveman Craig 2 will be released on all platforms at once, so in terms of priority, they’re all very important.
We have two main goals for CC2:
-> To fill the potential of CC’s concept in a mobile environment
-> To expand the gametype for current fans and add new content and visuals in the desktop version.
Some fans are most looking forward to being able to play the game on their iphone or ipad, while others are looking forward to the new features.
-Rhys
Just wondering… what are the two icons to the left of the “Hunter” button?
They’re just indicators of how much food and XP you have, similar to that bar in the original caveman craig that filled up as you earned your next caveman credit.
A mobile version would be awesome, except I don’t even own a mobile device lol. Everything so far looks great, and I hope to see this game out very soon.
Thanks for your comments, mate!
You’ll get everything and more in the desktop version, so you’re not missing out on too much. Obviously there’s a gameplay dynamic difference in using the touch screen and being able to play on the go, but feature-wise you won’t be missing out
-Rhys
what sort of resources?????
I just finished playing CC1 that I found from a download years ago and decided to check up on you guys. Wowzas, keep it up guys. I will definitely check out the final CC2. I used to go by Senar on GMC.
That’s warming to know, mate!
Spread the news
-Rhys
Ditto! I just finished playing and I wanna see what happens next!
Kinda funny how I already joined a school when first hearing about Caveman Craig 2.
And am now leaving that school with CC2 Starting!