Pseudo-3D Knightmare Game- A Work in Progress
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Thanks for your encouragement.
I've still got many obstacles to overcome before I can make this into anything remotely useful.
Animating the characters is going to be a huge chore.
After experimenting with superimposing characters from video footage of Knightmare episodes, with unsatisfactory results, I am now toying with the idea of recreating them in 3D so that I can animate them in Blender.
Starting with Elita, as her costume appears rather simple to model:
Designing Elita.jpg
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Ok. A little more progress getting used to this Blender lark slowly...
Elita is now joined by a Gwendoline (her belts will need a more three-dimensional rework, plus her weapon holsters)
Gwendoline1.jpgI've also started on a Hordriss, whose hair I've had to sculp completely from scratch, as it's quite a unique style. I haven't figured out how to add the red streaking yet, but have started on his cape, which is attached along his arms.
Gwendoline1.jpgThis is all a complete learning curve to me- my 3D rooms were created using SketchUp, in which I've become a bit of a whizz, but Blender is completely different and much more powerful.
In time, perhaps a full 3D game will be will become a reality!
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I thought I'd start a new thread documenting my progress on a development which I originally conceived in 2006, when I made a 2D Knightmare PC game. Many of you Knightmare Stalwarts will remember it being hosted on Turaja_Nuju's website and I do believe I distributed hard copies on CD-ROM to some of you.
Anyhow, Lockdown 2020 has seen me rekindle my interest in creating such a game- albeit very much improved from my original dodgy graphics and limited-quality audio.
Seeing the amazing work Jamesuk has done with his virtual reality rooms and sourcing original audio footage, this really whet my appetite for achieving something which I have now wanted to achieve for almost 15 years- an immersive, interactive Knightmare experience that can be enjoyed by fans old and (k)new alike.
I have gone for the pseudo-3D style for a number of reasons:
The first is that I have very limited experience in 3D game coding, yet I am competent in 3D design, and also very familiar with the 2D game engine format I am using.
Secondly is that as a viewer, or indeed an advisor, you only ever see the environments from one angle- from behind.
Therefore, using this fixed camera angle, I then don't have to worry about imagining the "fourth wall" or ceilings that were never shown- or even designed!
I can also use this to my advantage to hide or manipulate objects out-of-sight to achieve a desired effect.
However, for the graphics I am using a 3D rendering program called Blender- an amazingly powerful tool, which can achieve some very realistic results.
Realism isn't necessarily what I am going for, as I want the rooms to look as true and faithful to the originals as possible- perhaps enhancing them if I feel the need.
Bomb Room.jpg
Whilst progress has been good during this unsettled period of staying at home, the project has not been without its pitfalls. I still have many hurdles to overcome- particularly with the character interactions and quest scenarios.
Designing the characters in 3D has been a very steep learning curve, but I am really impressed with how some of them have turned out so far.
Characters So Far.jpg
More images to follow...
However, what you see here may not be what makes the final cut- things are always subject to improvement!
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I intend to recreate material from throughout the majority of series 1-8, depending on the source material available, how easy it is to incorporate into the game, how much time I have, etc.
Igneous makes an appearance:
Igneous Room.jpg
Hopefully Brangwen will too!So far, I've got a system set up with an array of different backdrops based on what features in the televised rooms, as well as the different tile symbols and randomly-programmed paths across the causeways:
Causeway Room.jpgGraphically, the Trial by Spikes is almost there, but I've still got a few constraints to overcome- we don't want dungeoneers running straight to the door between the 4th and 5th spikes!
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I have already uploaded a demo of the infamous Corridor of Blades to YouTube here:
However, I think I can do better than that- wait until you see the revised graphics...
In case you're wondering how on earth I can get a third dimension on a 2D engine, I can tell you there is a lot of maths involved- plenty of trigonometry and scaling, which took me considerable time to get my head round.
One of the advantages of pseudo-3D graphics is that they're pre-rendered, so as long as the player's device has the memory capability to handle animation, it will look just as good on any device without the need for expensive graphics cards or plugins, meaning greater compatibility across devices (running NON-Apple systems).
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Graphically, the Trial by Spikes is almost there, but I've still got a few constraints to overcome- we don't want dungeoneers running straight to the door between the 4th and 5th spikes!
How is this coming along? I was thinking that if anyone tried to sneak their way past the 4th and 5th columns then a fireball could be programmed to shoot out and burn them from behind (similar to how Series 8 Team 4 were killed off).
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Ah yes- I did think of that- we can always do things the Series 8 way and chuck a fireball in for blatant guaranteed death!
Progress is good- not quite as quick as I'd hoped, but it's progress, although the horn of full time employment beckons from the horizon, which is going to slow things down a bit in the coming weeks.
Anyhow, I've been animating and rendering a few bits over the last few days.
Firstly, I've re-animated the Level 1 Blocker- brick-by-brick!
L1Blocker.jpgI've also been learning how to animate water, thus making use of my new skills in recreating the Sewers of Goth!
GothWet.jpgThen there's designing an adaptation of "Play your Cards Right".
I've had to use creative licence to adapt the environment to suit my design and game engine, therefore the camera angle is not quite what you see on TV and I've had to lose one pair of cards in order to make things fit on the screen without the added complexities of pseudo-3D sidescrolling graphics!
Cards Right.jpg
I am happy with the way the textures turned out though- those lovely shiny textured bricks!The dungeoneer can reach up and touch each card and the platforms slide in and out just as they should.
I just need to add in a goblin!
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For those interested, here is an insight into my game project, which I've included as part of my ongoing series of vlogumentaries on YouTube.
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Just come across this. Great stuff! I loved what Jamesuk did previously and this looks fantastic too. I look forward to seeing more of your work. nulls brawl
This pseudo-3D Knightmare game looks absolutely fantastic! The blend of retro aesthetics with modern gameplay ideas really captures the spirit of the original show. It’s exciting to see such dedication and creativity being poured into a fan project. The atmospheric design and depth in visuals already show promise. I can’t wait to see how this evolves further—keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your progress with us!
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This Pseudo-3D Knightmare game looks incredibly promising! The work-in-progress visuals already capture the atmosphere of the original show while adding a fresh, immersive twist with the pseudo-3D style. I’m really excited to see how the movement and room transitions evolve. Keep up the great work—this has the potential to be a standout fan project that truly honors the source material. Looking forward to future updates and gameplay videos! nulls brawl
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