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    Monday, June 04, 2007

    Questions :: Round 3 *ding* *ding*

    Q/ I'd like to ask about the techniques you use to make the visual perspective of these games so scary (from Matt)

    A/ Every scene is created slightly differently and there is so much I can say about the different techniques I've adopted for this series. I've tried to keep certain effects and colour palettes as constant as possible across each title. To give you an example, in Exmortis2 I primarily used Photoshop to create each scene. I usually start with a photograph, manipulate the shit out of it until I have all backgrounds and animated objects layed out and separated on different layers.
    I apply a sepia and/or multiplied overlay to create the scene's palette (try colorising if you're unfamiliar with different types of blending). All blood effects are a combination of different red/moroon coloured brushes and applied with the "color burn" blending style. I then great a gradient feathered gaussian blur to the outside edges of each scene to create an interesting effect that makes the centre of the image look in focus, and the rest gradually blurs out. The picture above is a perfect example of all these techniques married in to a single scene...
    Q/ I was wondering if Exmortis 3 will be longer and even more challenging than the first two? (From Faytar)
    A/ I certainly do plan on making Ex3 both longer AND more challenging. Thankfully with the cost of bandwidth going down, and the uptake of broadband services increasing - I can now pretty much double the size of my flash games. Exmortis 1 & 2 were both restricted to 5MB due to Newgrounds placing limits on submission sizes - unfortunately as a result I had to heavily compress graphics and sound and cut a handful of scenes from each game... which was a shame at the time because I put a lot of time in to creating the highest possible quality images and sounds - but it was unavoidable if I was to be able to submit to the most popular Flash portal on the planet.
    About a year ago, Newgrounds revised their limitations (thankfully) and doubled the allowable submission size to 10MB. Keep in mind that this doesn't necessarily mean Exmortis 3 will be twice as long as previous titles... indeed it will be longer, but the extra space also means that I can smash together the game with the quality of graphics and sounds that I wish I could of had in Ex1 & 2 had my hands not been tied.
    As far as challenging - this time around I am trying to put some real thought in to puzzles. Rather than just throwing in a sudoku puzzle and a click-sequence puzzle, you can expect some puzzles which may require lateral and 3-dimensional thinking. But fear not - there will be in-game clues to help and I'm sure a walkthrough will be floating around at the time of release as I have done with previous games.
    Q/ What do you intend to do with exmortis beyond the third game and potentially creating a redux version of the three games as a DVD? (From Faytar)
    A/ There are currently plans in place to look at extending the Exmortis series in to other media. I let out a little blurb on this about a week ago, but I am currently in the act of working with a team of engineers to alpha test a Cable TV version of the original Exmortis 1 & 2 games in India. I won't go in to too much details on this because it is still purely concept and a raw-bones engine we're working with - but the basic idea is to allow the Indian market to be able to play a revised version of Ex1 & 2 via their digital cable television remotes. This is in a pure proof-of-concept phase at the moment, so it's all just rolling along in demo over the next couple of months.
    Other than that, nothing is set in stone as far as the future of this story is concerned after Exmortis 3. As I have said previously, I'm just going to wait to make my next decision of how or if this story gets furthered after I've wrapped up the arc with the release of Ex3 and gauge it's successes/failures.
    That's all for now!
    Cheers,
    Ben.

    10 comments:

    ricobrian88 said...

    Hey Ben, i'm just another big fan of your work and wanted to wish you the least stress you'l have on this game after the incident with that Asshole low life that decided to steal from you. We all have faith in you! show that asshole that stole your shit from you that you cant be beaten down so easily, with the new exmortis ^_^
    We all are here for ya buddy, hers my aim Shrimpisgood808, would be great to talk to ya sometime man, Take care!

    -Brian

    Unknown said...

    Wow... just have to say amazing.

    This games were awesome! I just found the first one yesterday, became completely absorbed, beat it and moved on to the second one just now.

    I was mildly surprised with the redone style of the second one, as the first one was a nice style, but I felt it needed a slight amount of work.

    Definitely not amateur work in my opinion. I eagerly await the third installment and I am ready to see the next big twist (I loved both of the twists in the other two).

    I would like to see this in it's highest quality on DVD, in response to the question you addressed in this post. It's too bad that the size was restricted, I noticed the lack of high quality audio and graphics on the first game especially, though not so much on the second. I'm hoping the third will be able to have the originally intended quality!

    Keep up the good work!!

    pk said...

    hey...

    I no this has nothing to do with ur post, but iv been having trouble with exmortis 2. I can't seem to shoot the demons neer the end. Iv read the walkthrough, tried cliking, clicking and holding, space bar, and clcking as they strangle u. Iv also tried it on two computers (one windows one mac). Is this a bug, or am i doing something wrong?


    If u care enough to help, send some advice to id.fake.n@gmail.com (pls)

    THX
    pk

    Ben Leffler said...

    HINT: When you first return from the Spirit Realm, try looking on the floor around the corpse leaning against the wall on the left. There's a box of bullets there. You'll need to click them to reload your gun to use in the next scene.

    WilliceX90 said...

    Love the games.

    Unfortunately for me I couldn't make it through the second one without a walkthrough, but whatever. ;P

    I love how you made the story in exmortis connect with the story in exmortis2. Have fun with what you do, i can't wait for #3!

    Unknown said...

    Two very awesome, the audio for 2 was outstanding. I noticed your starting to get some attention around the net. If any of the big game companies get ahold you keep creative control, you got something with these games.

    blacksteel27 said...

    hey ben, you should seariously make this exmortis series into a movie. there have been very ugly, stupid movies that came out recently. I am disgusted with these new horror movies. the plots are stupid and uncreative. Ive played exmortis 1 and 2 and read all the books in the game. and wow, the stories are so deep. i think you should think about writing a script for this series for a movie director, or maybe you can be the director. Just an idea that could make you some cash. i'm looking forward to exmortis 3, its looks cool as hell.

    homiekyle27 said...

    wtf ben?!....i just beat ex mortis 2...n da endin fuckin sucks!!!...i hope ex mortis 3 is gunna be better...im still a big fan of the game...its mad epic...da art iz beast...make da 3rd 1 2 rememba homez....

    Unknown said...

    im in love with horror

    and exmortis 1+2 were both excellent! please bring exmortis 3 for 2008. asap. cos i need a horror p+c fix! its like a drug! gimme more horror!

    Unknown said...

    hey, i'm just here to say.
    that i freaking enjoyed your gamee's concept, and really think it should be made into a movie, cause it's really bloody good. and it would be like silent hill. from a game to a movie. it's really good. please MAKE into movie, really enjoyed it.
    lovee.x