DEV BLOG #6 - Graphical update

Goblin Colony is a 2D game with hand-drawn pixel graphics viewed from a top-down perspective (or a mixed top-down oblique perspective, I guess, if you want to get real technical).

As everything on the screen is a flat image (sprites), there really is no concept of mass like there would be in a 3D environment. This makes it tricky to convey a sense of depth, and things can look a bit flat (because they are).

While I’m using shades and baked-in transparency shadows for most sprites, I always wanted the environment to have a bit more depth but couldn’t find a good way of doing it without sacrificing performance. Until now.

Now all walls cast shadows, and objects get an added effect similar to ambient occlusion.

before/after

The effect isn’t final as I’m still fine-tuning the intensity, but I’m very happy with this change. I think it’s a dramatic improvement that sets the mood for exploring dank caves. Hope you like it :)

As always, thank you for your support! Until next time.