(Kickstarter) Shadow Gangs: 80's ninja arcade action revival

[shadowgangs]

Hello everyone;

I am excited to announce that the Shadow Gangs Kickstarter is now live here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1858040208/shadow-gangs-80s-ninja-arcade-action-revival

Please share the news! and thank you!



The kickstarter date is now set, it's the 25th of June 2016

I am happy to announce that the Shadow Gangs demo is now available in the downloads section here.

A new video has been uploaded here:


I've been told by one Mameworld member that you may be interested in a new game in the making.
I have been posting about it at Mameworld, but here is the latest news regarding it:

Product is near finished, a new great soundtrack is in the works, the musician sent me a new extract of it and it sounds fabulous. I'll put it for download as soon as I get it.

Here is some pictures of the game running the latest build and hope you like it.

This game is arcade lovers, this sums it up!

[Xiaou2]

Looks like a blatent Shinobi rip,  Which could be fun...

 However, for the love of God... please take that horrible blinding flash bomb out of the street lamps!

 Please see Real sources of actual lamps, to compare brightness and effect.. rather than copy other peoples ignorant flash-bomb bloom.

 I look forward to trying it... but if theres flash bomb lighting effects in there... you will have to count me out.


See my recent gripe example post here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149436.0.html

---

 Also, a few other suggestions graphically:

 If a building bricks in its windows.. it usually does not do so in an alternating fashion like you show.   Maybe they might close off a lower level floor window set.. and keep the upper levels with glass.

 Also the pillar deco that is next to the bricked windows,  should be further out from them... meaning.. there should be a shadow on the bricking,  that shows that the bricking is set deeper into the windowframe.  (similar to your blue door shadow)

 The glass explosion is a bit over-kill.   Maybe 1/4th as many pieces needed.   And try to animate them just as you would a real piece of glass fracturing.  From the center outwards.   

 Note about glass:  If its plate glass (older buildings).. those Ninjas are getting sent to the ER.   Plate glass tends to break into larger chuncks of razor sharp pieces.     If its Tempered glass, typical on new buildings... tempered glass explodes instantly into uniform sized pieces about a quarter of an inch squared.   You can see this by looking up pinball glass shattering videos.

 Furthermore, there probably are slow-mo captures of glass breaking... to get nice animation captures and or ideas on how it really looks.

 Crates do not quite look right.  No joinery realism.  But more so... the wood grain should not be the same for the diagonal brace... because its a completely different piece of wood,  and at a completely different angle.

 The Hero's Tats... look more like veins.   It doesnt quite work.

 You probably should adjust the baddies to be behind the hero.. and or make their blades separate, so that when they hit the player... it looks like it passes through them.

 The baddie crouching on the crates...  should not be allowed to be half-on the crate like that.   One of his supporting feet are in mid air... and as a result... hes overlapping the baddie behind him.

 The Neon could use a little tweaking.  More hot orange in the center of the red... and more diffused glow spreading to the background.
The yellow neon appears too fat.. and needs shading.    Unless its thin neon, outlining a thick backer board reflector.   In that case, you still need the outlines to show.  Also,  the lady is too large a piece to sit there without any structural supports.  One good wind gust,  and she would shatter to pieces.   Neon also tends to be one continious long tube of glass.  Certain parts are coiled up and or painted black to hide the connections.  Or the connections are hid behind a backer board (less often than the former)

 All these are fairly minor, and can be overlooked ... except for the lamps.
 
---

 Edit2:

 I dont really care for the Hero at all.   He looks completely out of place in the "80s",  and in against Ninjas with swords.
IMO, Shinobi is a lot more on-par...   a Ninja against a bunch of other Ninjas.   Although,  I always felt Joe should have been in full garb, in all of his adventures.

 Finally,  I dont think anyone would hold a star like that.   They would probably be on a belt clip,  and flung from the hip outwards horizontally in rapidfire succession.   And or held in the one hand in a stack,  and whipped out the same way.

[shadowgangs]

Looks like a blatent Shinobi rip,  Which could be fun...

 However, for the love of God... please take that horrible blinding flash bomb out of the street lamps!

 Please see Real sources of actual lamps, to compare brightness and effect.. rather than copy other peoples ignorant flash-bomb bloom.

 I look forward to trying it... but if theres flash bomb lighting effects in there... you will have to count me out.


See my recent gripe example post here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149436.0.html

---

 Also, a few other suggestions graphically:

 If a building bricks in its windows.. it usually does not do so in an alternating fashion like you show.   Maybe they might close off a lower level floor window set.. and keep the upper levels with glass.

 Also the pillar deco that is next to the bricked windows,  should be further out from them... meaning.. there should be a shadow on the bricking,  that shows that the bricking is set deeper into the windowframe.  (similar to your blue door shadow)

 The glass explosion is a bit over-kill.   Maybe 1/4th as many pieces needed.   And try to animate them just as you would a real piece of glass fracturing.  From the center outwards.   

 Note about glass:  If its plate glass (older buildings).. those Ninjas are getting sent to the ER.   Plate glass tends to break into larger chuncks of razor sharp pieces.     If its Tempered glass, typical on new buildings... tempered glass explodes instantly into uniform sized pieces about a quarter of an inch squared.   You can see this by looking up pinball glass shattering videos.

 Furthermore, there probably are slow-mo captures of glass breaking... to get nice animation captures and or ideas on how it really looks.

 Crates do not quite look right.  No joinery realism.  But more so... the wood grain should not be the same for the diagonal brace... because its a completely different piece of wood,  and at a completely different angle.

 The Hero's Tats... look more like veins.   It doesnt quite work.

 You probably should adjust the baddies to be behind the hero.. and or make their blades separate, so that when they hit the player... it looks like it passes through them.

 The baddie crouching on the crates...  should not be allowed to be half-on the crate like that.   One of his supporting feet are in mid air... and as a result... hes overlapping the baddie behind him.

 The Neon could use a little tweaking.  More hot orange in the center of the red... and more diffused glow spreading to the background.
The yellow neon appears too fat.. and needs shading.    Unless its thin neon, outlining a thick backer board reflector.   In that case, you still need the outlines to show.  Also,  the lady is too large a piece to sit there without any structural supports.  One good wind gust,  and she would shatter to pieces.   Neon also tends to be one continious long tube of glass.  Certain parts are coiled up and or painted black to hide the connections.  Or the connections are hid behind a backer board (less often than the former)

 All these are fairly minor, and can be overlooked ... except for the lamps.
 
---

 Edit2:

 I dont really care for the Hero at all.   He looks completely out of place in the "80s",  and in against Ninjas with swords.
IMO, Shinobi is a lot more on-par...   a Ninja against a bunch of other Ninjas.   Although,  I always felt Joe should have been in full garb, in all of his adventures.

 Finally,  I dont think anyone would hold a star like that.   They would probably be on a belt clip,  and flung from the hip outwards horizontally in rapidfire succession.   And or held in the one hand in a stack,  and whipped out the same way.

Thanks for the long and detailed reply.
I am not the artist, but I'll make sure he is aware of it.

[harveybirdman]

I appreciate the lady on the wall, ala Crime Fighters, but it seems a little out of place on a brick wall at least in Crime Fighters she was on a billboard.

I also agree with X2's comments about the hero being a bit out of place (he looks more likely to ride in the Tour de France than kick Ninja ass)

However, I do appreciate the effort that went into making a retro inspired game, thanks for sharing! cheers 

[Malenko]

Please dont quote X2 cause then his walls of text are no longer hidden from me. He is keeping up with his modus operandi and trying to apply real world physics and what not into an arcade game.


Hero just needs some tweaking, pants would go a long way. The idea of a white belt kicking all these ninaj's asses is also pretty funny.  The crate isnt terrible, I mocked one up but its just a proof of concept 5 second photoshop job to give you an idea of what a crate should look like. I like the concept, I *LOVE* the guy with 1 foot on a crate defying gravity off of it, makes me think of Bad Dudes, Rolling Thunder, etc.


I'd honestly have to see the glass in motion before I made a judgement one way or the other. Windows breaking into a bajillion pieces is a staple of the old arcade games. Gotta admit, I really dont like the Kim Kardashian reference ; I mean I get it but I dont like it.   Wall should be covered in graffiti in places people can reach , not a giant stripper motif. Im sur ethe games a blast and I look forward to trying it!

Crate:



plugged into the screenie:

[shadowgangs]

Please dont quote X2 cause then his walls of text are no longer hidden from me. He is keeping up with his modus operandi and trying to apply real world physics and what not into an arcade game.


Hero just needs some tweaking, pants would go a long way. The idea of a white belt kicking all these ninaj's asses is also pretty funny.  The crate isnt terrible, I mocked one up but its just a proof of concept 5 second photoshop job to give you an idea of what a crate should look like. I like the concept, I *LOVE* the guy with 1 foot on a crate defying gravity off of it, makes me think of Bad Dudes, Rolling Thunder, etc.


I'd honestly have to see the glass in motion before I made a judgement one way or the other. Windows breaking into a bajillion pieces is a staple of the old arcade games. Gotta admit, I really dont like the Kim Kardashian reference ; I mean I get it but I dont like it.   Wall should be covered in graffiti in places people can reach , not a giant stripper motif. Im sur ethe games a blast and I look forward to trying it!

Crate:



plugged into the screenie:

Thanks for your comments.
This game is not trying to replicate real life or real physics, it aims to be a great fun exciting game to play (with great music) that is the aim of Shadow Gangs.

[yotsuya]

I think it's awesome. Good for you for working on something new. Idea men are a dime a dozen.

[pbj]

Your game looks fun and I would like to try it.  Please update this thread when it is available for download.

I apologize on behalf of the rest of BYOAC for the behavior of the other posters.

 

[Howard_Casto]

+1

Just ignore him... everybody else does. 

I really like it, and please don't take this as an insult, because it kind of looks awkward.  It reminds me very much of the old Data East  games (Bad Dudes, ect.) because of the way the posing is kind of wrong and everything looks a little flat.  If you fire up Bad Dudes you'll see the very worst walk animation in the history of video games and it stands out and sticks in a person's memory for that very reason.  I always liked Data East's art style... it seemed like the video game equivalent of outsider art, so I would suggest you change nothing.  Well maybe the main character needs a bit of a re-design... he looks very Johnny Cage-ish, and nobody wants that ---meecrob--- to star in his own video game. 

Anyway, keep up the good work.  Let us know when it's done... ect....

[EMDB]

I really like the fresh look of the game and the fun modern backgrounds. 

Hope the gameplay is good too (as that is still the most important). Looks like you were inspired by 1987 game The Ninja Warriors? I would love to give it a spin. Make sure the inputs are either configurable or at least "MAME compatible" so you can easily run it on an arcade machine.

[saint]

Looks awesome! Front page news posted

[shadowgangs]

Your game looks fun and I would like to try it.  Please update this thread when it is available for download.

I apologize on behalf of the rest of BYOAC for the behavior of the other posters.

 

Thanks, no need to apologize.
I'll post here when I have important updates share. In the meantime, for regular updates you can check the game website: http://www.shadowgangs.com

[shadowgangs]

Hope the gameplay is good too (as that is still the most important). Looks like you were inspired by 1987 game The Ninja Warriors?

Gameplay is priority N1.

Ninja Warriors for the music, yes.
Great music is important and I'll make sure Shadow Gangs will have it from start to finish.

I would love to give it a spin. Make sure the inputs are either configurable or at least "MAME compatible" so you can easily run it on an arcade machine.

Input configuration is already in (altough I think it's keyboard only), but full support for controllers etc... will be handled in the full version.

I want to say that the demo will be coming soon and free, but the eventual full game will be a crowd funded project.

[shadowgangs]

Looks awesome! Front page news posted

Thank you!
This game will need all the publicity it can get.

[RayB]

Thank you!
This game will need all the publicity it can get.

Yes... Yes it will.

This may be the "Deadly Premonition" of 2D beat-em-ups. Keep us updated!

[thomas_surles]

I'm glad to see a beat em up that's not open bor. Its not right?
I also love the name. Its the kinda name where you already know what kind of game it is. my suggestion would be comedy. If it were me I would put a lot of humor in there and not make it too serious. But that's just me. Either way I will still play it. good luck.

[shadowgangs]

I'm glad to see a beat em up that's not open bor. Its not right?

Didn't understand what you meant by open bor, so I googled it up.
No, the game is not using openbor or any other framework.

I also love the name. Its the kinda name where you already know what kind of game it is. my suggestion would be comedy. If it were me I would put a lot of humor in there and not make it too serious. But that's just me. Either way I will still play it. good luck.

In the full game, there will be some humor for sure.
In the demo, look at the hostage face icon when he is freed

[Ginsu Victim]

Looks awesome! Front page news posted

Come on, how many of us even go there?

[Demon-Seed]

Looks very cool, Cant wait to try it.. what about adding blood?

[shadowgangs]

Looks very cool, Cant wait to try it.. what about adding blood?

Thank you, no blood for the demo (apart for the main player), but might be added for the full version if it will make the game look better.

[Demon-Seed]

when will a demo be avail?

[shadowgangs]

when will a demo be avail?

The demo and video will be available soon. Before the end of March.

[Howard_Casto]

Looks awesome! Front page news posted

Come on, how many of us even go there?

I kept my bookmark to the main page for YEARS.  I finally gave up and changed it to the forums and about a month later he quietly starts posting on it again.  I'm pretty sure Saint somehow knew and did it just to mess with me.

[shadowgangs]

Hi Everyone;

I would like to share with you some good news, this month's last weekend I will meet the game background artist Toni Galvez, and we'll be making videos of the game.
So an actual game video will be available before the end of this month.

Another great news, I received Shadow Gangs's second and final music track for the demo.

Please find it here, it manages to be even better than the first track, I kept listening to it the whole day and still do now.

It is an exciting prospect to imagine the whole game having music of this quality from start to finish, which was my objective but I feel lucky to work with such a talented artist.

For you guys that wanted a ninja instead of Dan, Dan will transform to a ninja (you'll still play Dan for those that like him the way he is now, but he will transform to a ninja mid level (so he can use the sword and other ninja powers)).

Here an image showing Dan in ninja suit, as well as the first mission boss:


More detail on the news section of game website.

Hope you like it!

[shadowgangs]

Hi Everyone;

Just a quick update, I received the final version of both Shadow Gangs music tracks.
Find them here:
Burning Fist
Shadow Gangs Theme

The video is of course coming this weekend!

[pbj]

Post link to demo or get out.

 

[shadowgangs]

Post link to demo or get out.

 

Shut up and get out.

[shadowgangs]

Hi everyone,
Shadow Gangs video is now available here:

[pbj]

He needs to do something when you aren't moving.

There should be a better way to attack the guys laying down.

Where is link to demo?

[baritonomarchetto]

It's clear that this is a shinobi clone, so maybe it could be out of your scopes to add new features, but it would be nice if those guys you unchain become active against enemies or give you some upgrades (like in metal slug).
Anyway, I like it as it is too

[shadowgangs]

He needs to do something when you aren't moving.

There should be a better way to attack the guys laying down.

Where is link to demo?

The full game should have some movement when idle.

For the guys lying down, attacking them by jumping on top is a gameplay elements and is on purpose.

The demo is coming soon, I just need to package the files.

[shadowgangs]

It's clear that this is a shinobi clone, so maybe it could be out of your scopes to add new features, but it would be nice if those guys you unchain become active against enemies or give you some upgrades (like in metal slug).
Anyway, I like it as it is too

The eventual final game will be much more diversified, with more enemies and level than Shinobi (and better music).
There is still room for some new gameplay elements, I am thinking to add one from Dragon Ninja.

[baritonomarchetto]

A two player mode would be awesome

[shadowgangs]

A two player mode would be awesome

Dragon Ninja had a 2 players mode.
I will do the 2 players mode as a stretch goal. (I can see that it will nice to have it, with more enemies on screen for this particular mode).

[EMDB]

Hi everyone,
Shadow Gangs video is now available here:

It seems a bit (too) polished. How does it look on a lowrez CRT or LCD with scanlines?

Make sure it is fully controllable with just the arcade (MAME) set of buttons (coin 1, 1 player, directions and button1 - button6)

[shadowgangs]

It seems a bit (too) polished. How does it look on a lowrez CRT or LCD with scanlines?

I am not sure how it would look, but the game will run on any supported resolution the graphics card have. (mine supports 320*240 up to 1080p)
The game native resolution is 1280*896.

It still looks good on my LCD screen at 640*480, and I think it would look better on a CRT at that resolution.
What is the CRT possible resolution?

Make sure it is fully controllable with just the arcade (MAME) set of buttons (coin 1, 1 player, directions and button1 - button6)

Just like arcade games , I guess it's nice to have this kind of input.
I'll do it for you and this forum if we get to do the full game. (and dip switches button too, for the options menu? ).

[adder]

hi shadowgangs i enjoyed watching the demo video (i watched it in 720p 60fps so that the video animation ran smoothly)

did you know in the original game shinobi it had a nice bonus feature:  if you can finish a round without throwing any ninja stars/projectiles (so, you can only use punches, kicks, sword) you got a big bonus at the end of that round
maybe that could be something fun to add (eg. award an extra life if somebody can achieve that) .. unless the rounds in your game seem like this would be impossible (eg. too many bad guys etc)

[shadowgangs]

did you know in the original game shinobi it had a nice bonus feature:  if you can finish a round without throwing any ninja stars/projectiles (so, you can only use punches, kicks, sword) you got a big bonus at the end of that round
maybe that could be something fun to add (eg. award an extra life if somebody can achieve that) .. unless the rounds in your game seem like this would be impossible (eg. too many bad guys etc)

The eventual full will not be released without at least one type of bonus stages. (between missions).
I am trying to think of a bonus stage that will be better than the original Shinobi, the problem is that this is a very difficult thing to come up with because in my opinion Shinobi had the best bonus stage ever made.

[Xiaou2]

Demo video looked pretty good.

 - The kick options are nice.
 - The low kick however.. does not look realistic at all.  Needs work.
 - Punching through boxes, without them being 'opened' .. seems ridiculous.

 If he does possess Ninja training / skills...  then he should be able to pick up other weapons, such as:

 - bow?
 - grenades - (Houroku-hiya)
 - grappling hook - (kaginawa)   - for climbing, swinging, reaching high places
 - sword (constant use until killed)
 - Nunchaku?  Tonfa? Staff?

 Enemy ninjas could use other weapons...such as:

 - blowgun
 - sickle, chain, and a weight  (Kusarigama)
 - fire arrows - Ohkuni-hiya
 - exploding smoke bombs - (Torinoko)
 - Nunchaku?  Tonfa? Staff?

 http://www.ninjaencyclopedia.com/weapon/

 A ninja clothed hero variant, is still desired.

[Xiaou2]

did you know in the original game shinobi it had a nice bonus feature:  if you can finish a round without throwing any ninja stars/projectiles (so, you can only use punches, kicks, sword) you got a big bonus at the end of that round
maybe that could be something fun to add (eg. award an extra life if somebody can achieve that) .. unless the rounds in your game seem like this would be impossible (eg. too many bad guys etc)

The eventual full will not be released without at least one type of bonus stages. (between missions).
I am trying to think of a bonus stage that will be better than the original Shinobi, the problem is that this is a very difficult thing to come up with because in my opinion Shinobi had the best bonus stage ever made.

 Bonus Stage Idea:

 You could make a sort of mechanical shooting gallery, as a skill challenge.
 Pop up Ninjas,  as well as moving chain driven target ninjas, that run from bush to bush... or scale walls vertically.

 You could also have a level where you use a bow and arrow... trying to get bulls-eyes,  as well as the use of moving targets.

 Climbing Challenge - Use clawed hands to scale a vertical wall..  while avoiding rocks and enemy attacks.

 Jump Challenge - Jump from pole to pole accurately.. without falling into a pit of spikes below. (possibly while under attack)

 Sword / Weapons challenges -  Such as objects (apples?) being hurled at you from multiple vectors.. and you have to swat them down.

 Combat Timing challenge - Like weapon challenge, but only use of hands, feet, jumping, ducking..etc.