New Item Menu Graphics

Howdy do folks! Here's a small update! I've incorporated a new Item Menu graphic Window. It's pretty self explanatory. The Menu Window is now textured, aiming for a more of a 'map' look to it. Overally, it looks a bit more solid than the original WIP menu (also depicted below).

NEW ITEM MENU

OLD Game Menu

I'm scrambling to get as much work done as possible for my portfolio, as I'll be applying to some game development companies pretty soon. Expect more updates soon!


Cheers!
Jerrel

Zelda CDi Reviews

Hey guys, feel free to watch these brilliant Zelda CDi game reviews by the Angry Video Game Nerd. This guy is genius, and spends his money and time to show the rest of the world what we missed out on... some pretty horrible games. Before seeing these videos, I had no idea just how bad these games were... I feel much better about the Ballad project now, hahahaha!! I'm inspired to keep trying to make Ballad better and better. Go on, have a watch!

Video Games | ScrewAttack | Angry Video Game Nerd: CD-i Part II

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Video Games | ScrewAttack | Angry Video Game Nerd: CDi Part 3

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Engine Improvements

Ahoy there mateys!


Here's some behind the scene news, and it's quite good news indeed!

• 3D collisions between player and enemy objects is now glitch free. Player and enemies no longer push each other through walls.
• Enhanced attack-combo system. Fine-tuned battle engine allows multiple attack zones to be generated with a single attack at different times. This makes room for more complex attacks.
• Enhanced model-to-player attaching. There are no longer any glitches that cause equipped weapons and other model parts to become out-of-sync with the character model's frames of animation.
• Glitchless smooth transition in and out of Z target animations during and after attacks. Transition animations are now seamless and without glitches.

Woot? Also, on an unrelated note, I may be trying me hand at applying for jobs in game development companies in Australia... I'm also hoping to become involved with the independent game developers of Australia using my own original games in an exhibitions in an attempt to get noticed and hired by companies. Please forgive me if I don't work on Ballad of the Wind Fish for a while. Fan-games can not aid me in my career. If I can get a few of my original games out there, I may get that chance to make commercial games in the near future. Thanks for sticking around!

Cheers!

Jerrel

Growing, Learning!

Hello folks!
Sorry for the lack of new screenshots. Work and classes has been hectic and I'm really hoping to leave my current casual job for something else... Just to post a few little details here, I've got some (gradually) great news!! Working on my little projects, I've been developing new animating and programming techniques, as well as designing better, more efficient physics engines and overall better game engines!! My work on the Resident Evil side project has allowed me to really get a feel for developing a stronger, more solid combat system.

What does this mean? It means I've been trying to improve myself more and more as a game developer. Am I any better than I was when I first started the Ballad of the Wind Fish project? Yes. Is it a big difference. Yes.

Anyway, I'll be spending what little downtime I have daydreaming about working for big video game companies, making awesome sequels to my favorite childhood games (Breath of Fire, Link's Awakening... har har har)... I'm really trying to develop new techniques to get that anime-style of 3D modeling for characters, and I'm really striving to get better and faster at character modeling and texturing. Since I've been studying Capcom's style of 3D character modeling and texturing, one might be able to say I've 'megamaned' some of their technique. I've been improving immensely with 3D modeling the past few weeks.

In the near future, I may be developing 3D models of the 8 heroes from the Breath of Fire game from the SNES. Why? Breath of Fire, hands down, is my most favorite game in the whole world, and it is the single game that inspired me to start develop games. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of making games like Breath of Fire... I'm hoping to develop the 3D models as an exercise to develop that commercial-quality, anime-like character model style. If I can master that a little further, I'll really know what I want to get out of Ballad of the Wind Fish.

I'm going to spend a few days developing a base traditional RPG engine; something solid, open ended, and can be used to create unique, good looking 3D RPGs without much difficult. I might even make this a "3D RPG maker"! Hahahaha. I'm also considering coding a 3D fighting game engine as well, which I might even release as a "3D Fighter Maker" for people to use. All good fun. There's so many possibilities! So little time!

I've also been improving my skills with HUDs and inventory menu interfaces...

So please bear with me, since the Ballad of the Wind Fish was simply a learning exercise to begin with anyway. I'm not yet a real pro game developer, but I'm trying to get there.

Cheers!
Jerrel

HDE - High Definition Environments

Hello hello!

Just to show you guys what I've been working on, I've posted two little screenshots of another WIP. Obviously, the character model is unfinished and untextured, and the room itself is missing objects and a little bit more moss, cement cracks and other atmospheric bits.

The screenshots depict a demo-game running on an adapted engine based off Ballad of The Wind Fish, as the game engine iself is built for use in almost any genre of 3rd person game. This demo game, dubbed Resident Evil : Abstraction, is also a sort of fun challenge for me to built a game engine that runs like a classic Resident Evil game (if there are any RE fans out there, let's year ya!). The game engine uses Real Time 3D (not prerendered), and makes use of cinematic, dramatic camera angles, darkness and environment detail to build a level of suspense and immersion.

What's so important about the screenshot, and why so random? Quite the contrary! I've been studying nex-gen games, and games with just particularly detailed graphics in general, such as Resident Evil Remake and Resident Evil 0. The past few days I've been developing techniques to produce High Definiton Environments, using high resolution textures with a high level of unique detail. Obviously, this takes more time and skill but produces more visually appealing environments.



Here's a video just to show a bit of in-game footage in the beta room. WIP of course. I've been working on it about four days now.

Study, Study, Study!

Hello everyone!

I've been studying a few different games lately, trying to understand how developers are doing 3D graphics and what not. After all, I myself am not a commercial console game developer by any stretch of the imagination, so my experience with making things real purdy is limited.

Images below depict Tales of Symphonia : Dawn of the New World for the Nintendo Wii. The game itself is quite pleasing to look at, and I've been studying the graphics, figuring out a way to duplicate the graphic quality and style. I have yet to decide to suspend the Ballad of the Wind Fish project for the reason that the project itself is still very useful to me as a developing game designer. Ballad of the Windfish allows to develop and refine new gaming/graphic technologies, techniques and engines.

Okay, so I've really been taken with the graphical style of ToS:DoTNW. Hopefully I can develop graphical skill to match commercial quality games. Also, on a somewhat related note, I've been studying Resident Evil 4 character models to better understand how developers make lolawesome models. I've come to the conclusion that the character models are developed using Awesome Sauce.

Hopefully BoTWF can look something like dat! ^

Cheerio!

Baby Steps, But Steps Nonetheless

G'day folks! Thanks for hanging in there. This week I'll be posting new screenshots of the alter Tunics as well as Swords and Shield(s).

Again, I can't express enough how grateful and humbled I am by the support of everyone who has posted on this site.

I'm currently working on develop educational programs people with disabilities and computer games for and for the blind. I enjoy making games, and having a chance to help out a part of society that doesn't normally get to participate in the entertainment that everyone else gets to is an opportunity I don't want to miss.

I know this is extremely random and unrelated, but if you know someone who is blind who would like to play adventure or exploration computer games that only requiring hearing, then keep an eye out here at the blog. Who knows? I might write an audio based Zelda game for the visually impared! Of course we'll need Navi back to help guide our blind hero.

The realization came to me the other day that the featured demo here at the blog is only of a build a month and a half into development. How sad is that!? I wonder when the next demo will come out!

Thanks everyone!

Cheers!
Jerrel

Project Status : On Hold

Howdy everyone!

Thanks for sticking by. I must apologize for the lack of posts and updates, but there has been some unfortunate death in the family, and with an increase in my workload from two jobs and classes, I have had very little downtime.

I've started tutoring computer lessons to handicapped clients and working with a group to build a Pizza Restaurant database and Point of Sale / Administration system.

Please understand that I have a lot of work on my hands at the moment.

I have not been able to work on Ballad of The Windfish at all lately. As time passes and my work schedule evens out and settles down, I will continue working on this project again.

Thanks for much for sticking around. I'll post any updates that I can. You all are top blokes (and Sheilas!)

Cheers,

Jerrel

Which Zelda Era do you prefer?

Which Zelda games appeal to you the most?

Whether it is the graphics, music, mood, or gameplay that attracts you, each Zelda game offers something unique and new to the table. As time progresses, the Era evolves into something else and the Zelda universe becomes something new. Each game holds dearest a particular era of these games. Which is your favorite?

• Zelda 1 to Link To The Past (Including Link's Awakening and Zelda II)
• Ocarina of Time to Majora's Mask (Including The Oracles)
• Wind Waker to Twilight Princess (Including Minish Cap and Four Swords)

Tunic Updates Coming Soon - Back online

Howdy everyone! I'm back in Australia, and can continue work on the project. As stated before, I'll be adding the alternate tunics, shields and weapons, and will post screenshots as they are available.

Also, if you are interested in my other games, please feel free to check out a Monster Raising / Battling Pet simulation game, called Monster Pickle. This was one of my first games, released in 2003. I am posting this because I intend to do a 3D remake very soon, with many online game expansion sets and new features.

Check out the game here:

http://sunprogames.com/monsterpicklemain.html

Download Here:

http://sunprogames.com/mp/mpranch.html

Cheers!

Jerrel

Unforunate Delays

Hello everyone!
I apologize for the lack of updates. There have been some unfortunate delays. A family medical emergency has forced me to leave the country and head back home to America for a few weeks, so I won't be working on the project during this time.

Thanks for understanding,
Jerrel

New Concept Art : Tunics, Swords and More

G'day happy Hyrulians. The sketches above depict the initial concept designs for the alternate Tunics, as well as the alternate Swords, Shield, and Power Bracelet. Of course, if you are looking for the full surprise of a new adventure, drink a Poe and forget that you saw this article and the concept sketches.

Do keep in mind, these sketches were drawn in a moving vehicle so things are pretty rough and all around very sketchy. If you are curious to how the Alternative Swords work in Ballad of the Windfish, simply imagine how the Giant's Knife and Big Goron Sword functioned in Ocarina of Time. The four alternative swords in the game will beome available after accomplishing certain sub-quests and reaching certain points in the story.

Each sword has a unique style, strength, and speed. There is one spot in Link's inventory, so only 1 alternative story can be picked up, but they can be swapped and traded at any point by visiting various locations through Koholint Island.

The Mirror Shield will also have an new function. The Mirror Shield replaces the Hylian Shield in the inventory, and now uses up the Magic Meter whenever it reflects anything 'magical'. When the Magic meter runs out, the Mirror Shield reverts to the Hylian Shield. This feature may end up being a unique first to Zelda games. The magic>shield function has been implemented to take advantage of the newly-incorporated Magic Meter, which can also be upgraded a fair bit.

The alternate shield takes it's own unique slot in the game inventory, but is not required to compete the game. The Spike Shield allows players to flip, stun, or disarm certain enemies who would otherwise be extremely difficult to deal with. The Spike Shield can also deal damage to most enemies, but it can break from exposure to fire or magic.

Power Bracelet is no longer an 'equipped' item, and has evolved into an 'auto-use' treasure. The "Lv2 Bracelet" is replaced by the "Magic Bracelet", and allows Link to pick up much larger, heavier objects.

Now, for the hot topic!! Following Twilight Princess' cue, Ballad of the Windfish features alternate Tunics which not only change color, but style as well. As seen in the figure above, the Ocean Blue colored tunic features silver plating and a copper mesh-type chain mail with a white undershirt. The Lava Red tunic is adorned with heavy, gold armor, dark chain metal above a charcoal colored undershirt.

The concept swords feature the Zora Sword, Ancient Sword, and Royal Sword. The upgrades of the Hyrulian Sword will all remain pretty close to the original sword's design. The Ancient Sword will be a giant, longer-range, slow weapon, capable of dealing massive damage, while the Royal Sword performs like a light, swift saber, dealing less damage than the Hyrulian Sword, but is capable of being wielding with blinding speed. The Zora's Sword will be more of a balanced sword and serve a magical, mysterious function!!

The Concept Sketches depicted in the figure above remain just that: concept sketches. Designs for the objects may face numerous adjustments before implimentation in the game, and some may not even make it into the final product at all.

Feel free to share your thoughts through comments and the Chatbox in the NavBar to the right!

Thanks!
Jerrel

The Sound of Music

Greetings!
Yes, it has been a while since the last real 'update'. Why has it taken the author so long to get any work done? The author has been working on progressing his real-life career aspects, so making non-profit fan games has taken a back seat. Also, due to a still-running Diploma Course in Software Development, the author, yours truly, has gotten sick of programming. That's right!! The course I am in is so poorly designed and executed that I'm quite fed up with programming, and need some time to recover my programming stamina.

6 months and this programming course will be done forever. Joy! Life will be amazing.

For project supporters, I'd like to give you the head's up of what I'm working on. I'm concentrating on 3D modeling for a while (as 3D modeling has nothing to do with programming, alright!), so images of the Siren Instruments can be expected soon. I will also be modeling Link's alternate swords (similar function and mechanics to Big Goron sword, etc.).

For textures, I may be working on the ocean and sky backgrounds, making the environment more detailed and pretty. Cloud/wind effects will follow later.

If I'm going to program anything soon, it will be adding Bow Wow as a functional item.

When I get a few more items added and add more textures, I will be posting a 'minor' demo update for anyone curious to try.

Thanks for the support, stay tuned!!

Jerrel

Evolution of Zelda - A Look Back and a Look Forward

Do you ever look back to see just how much The Legend of Zelda has grown over the years? Much like the transition of young, adorable Link of Ocarina of time into the valiant hero that strikes down the darkness covering the land of Hyrule, The Legend of Zelda series has become just that, a Legend in itself.

After the harrowing events of A Link To the Past, players were gracefully introduced into the future of Zelda; a fully 3-Dimensional, engrossing adventure that revolutionized action adventure genre, changing the way gamers play.

As seen above, The Wind Waker broke all boundaries of Zelda by presenting a fresh, brilliant visual style, allowing Zelda to appeal to a whole new audience and a new generation. Following the wishes of fans across the world, Twilight Princess presents an impressive, realistic world on the brink of total despair. Over 20 years later, the legend carries on, and a daring return to the past allows dedicated fans to relive an adventure larger than life.


Smashing all expectations, Ballad of the Wind Fish aims to retell the story of Link's Awakening, using an all new visual style. Blending old and new, Wind Fish drops players on mysterious Koholint Island, newly presented in 3 glorious dimensions. The return of Koholint's characters and Link's unique items of Legend, along with The Siren's Instruments should harken players back to this familiar world, while warmly welcoming new visitors.

Months after development, lone game-designer Jerrel Dulay has released a playable alpha-demo for curious players to take the work-in-progress for a test run. Innovative new ideas are introduced with the revolutionary gameplay style, and icons of old have returned with whole new functions. While many changes have been made to the original formula, the story and land of Koholint remains faithful.

• Explore familiar areas of Koholint Island.
• Make new use of weapons and tools of legend.
  
• Experience enhanced rearrangements of original soundtrack.
• Relive the adventure.

As an independant, lone developer, Dulay is only able to work on the project casually, operating around a busy work schedule, but rest assured, the adventure has and always will live on.

Stay Tuned!!

Never Fear, Project is Still Alive

tHowdy do folks.

From the bottom of my Goron heart, I apologize for not posting updates for the past few weeks/months.

Please don't fear, the project is most definitely not canceled.

As I've stated before, my time has been completely occupied by school finals. Exams and final projects have been knocking the little red hearts out of me, and I have had absolutely no time to work on any of my projects.

I will be posting more updates to the project soon, as this semester comes to an end and I have more time to work on my games.

Don't bust out the ocarina and play yourself a sad song of storms just yet. I will be continuing work on the project within the next few weeks, and we can expect to see more gameplay areas.

Thanks for sticking around and being patient!

Cheers!!
Jerrel

Support Ballad of the Wind Fish!

Heya everyone! Thanks for checking in! Would you like to support this project in a simple, easy way? It's very possible!

U3D Forum

Simply (quickly create an account and) log in to the U3D forum on May the 20. Not sure which time zone you should be logging into? Just log in 20 and the 21 if you are not sure.

U3D is the development engine used to create Ballad of the Wind Fish. Support this project and help U3D break log-in records! Help me help the community!

Again, here's the URL : U3D Forum

Thanks so much everyone! You all rock!

Moblin Concept Sketches

Moblins as depicted in Wind Waker.

Moblins as depicted in the Link's Awakening Manga.

Moblin Concept Draft 1 for Ballad of the Wind Fish

Howdy. This is the first draft for the Moblin art style for Ballad of the Wind Fish. I'm hoping to get some thoughts and opinions on how people prefer to see the moblins. I'd like to develop the moblins to very closely resemble their original counterparts while adhereing to the general art style of Ballad of the Wind Fish. Without a doubt there will be much more refinement and adjusting before the final draft and models of the Moblins.

Cheers!
Jerrel

Tail Cave Concept Sketch / Maps

Howdy do everyone! Here are some concept sketches and a portion of the map for the Tail Cave. Obviously, these are the first stages of development and are just sketches on line paper (weeeeee!!) These sketches are just for anyone who is curious to see how things are coming along behind the scenes.

As a note, on the concept map, numbers indicate the height map. Higher numbers mean higher elevation in floor/terrain.

Short Hiatus

Howdy do everyone! Thanks for checking in and being interested in the project. I will be taking a short hiatus from the Ballad of the Wind Fish project to concentrate more on not failing my Academic Endeavors, as well as work on a training program called World Survival Guide, which can be used to learn about dangerous animals and vegetation in various parts of the world, how to deal with first aid emergencies ranging from vicious bear attacks and Heat Strokes, to venomous snake bites and rescuing a person or self from falling through an ice sheet and landing in frigid waters.

I will be casually working on small aspects of the project but will not be dedicated huge amounts of time or focus for a while. I plan on modeling Marin soon, so let's hope for the best that it turns out alright! I will still be making updates, so stay tuned.

Cheers everyone!
Jerrel

Support Banners!

Howdy do!

If anyone is interested, available for use are these support banners for forum signatures and what not! By copying and pasting the code below each banner, anyone can click on the banners and be redirected to this page.

I will be continually adding more support banners as I complete more character and enemy models.

Banner 1

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4140/botwfsupportbanner1.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 2

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1405/botwfsupportbanner2.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 3

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/73/botwfsupportbanner3.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 4

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1051/botwfsupportbanner4.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 5

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8422/botwfsupportbanner5.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 6

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3913/botwfsupportbanner6.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 7

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1452/botwfsupportbanner7.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 8

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1333/botwfsupportbanner8.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 9

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6649/botwfsupportbanner9.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 10

Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/393/botwfsupportbanner10.png[/IMG][/URL]

Banner 11


Copy and paste this code into your forum signature :
[URL=http://balladofthewindfish.blogspot.com][IMG]http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5070/botwfsupportbanner11.png[/IMG][/URL]

Alpha01 Preview Demo : Now Online

Howdy do everyone!

The Legend of Zelda - Ballad of The Wind Fish Alpha01 Demo

The Legend of Zelda - Ballad of The Wind Fish Alpha01 Demo Low Process Mode

(If your computer will not run the game properly such as not responding to controls accurately, use the Low Process Mode download, which runs a little slower due to using less processing power but should work on any PC with half a graphic card.)

PLEASE NOTE : This project is only a month and a half old and I have not been working on it every day. There are countless errors and missing content, so roll with the punches with me on this. It's just a preview demo to let you guys know what the game will be like. This is an alpha release and more of a tech demo than anything else. Everything in the game is WIP and subject to a LOT of change before the final release.

Obviously, this project takes ton of work, and I only have so much time to work on it. I'm well aware of all errors and issues. Trust me, if I had the time to fix everything straight away, the game would be finished by now.

For Controls and debugging notes, press the F1 button.

Also, not noted in the Controls is the 'Careful' button. By holding the CTRL button when walking or aiming a weapon, it is possible to control movement more accurately.

I also forgot to mention that the Hookshot can snag onto Wooden Crates.

Other Notes

*This current build actually kicks your computer into 16-bit mode to ensure that weaker PCs can run at optimal speeds, so this build does not actually look as good as it is supposed to. The game normally runs in 32bit, and the option to run the game in different modes will be implemented with a later release.

*You can actually 'climb' Ulrira's House in this game build to test the ladder/vine climbing animation and physics.

Items (with functionality)
Bomb
Bow /Arrow
Boomerang
Magic Powder
Cuckoo Balloon
Shield
Sword
Hookshot
Roc's Feather
Ocean Rod

Combination Effects
Bomb + Bow
Magic Powder + Boomerang
Ocean Rod + Roc's Feather

Missing / Incomplete Items
Fire Rod
BowWow
Ocarina
Bottles
Guardian Acorn
Siren Instruments

Map Areas (Obviously, all areas are unfinished and still being developed)
Mabe Village
Library Path to Mabe Beach
Mabe Beach

Enemies
Octorok
Sea Urchin
Leever (animation incomplete)

Other Modules
Reading Signs
Using Game Menu to switch items
Talking to NPCs
Picking up Items
Swimming
Climbing
Ledge Grabbing

Areas are missing textures and models and structure are still being adjusted and refined.

Game Build Issues

If you get the error message :

"Failed to copy an animation from the model "resources/anm/npc/human_stand1.an8" to the model "resources/anm/npc/model_npc_boy1.an8". The source model has 0 bones, but the destination model has 26 bones. This is not allowed. Please make sure, that the skeletons of both models are identical and try again."

Just hit OK and continue playing. It shouldn't affect gameplay. Because I am unable to make the error occur on my PC, it will take some time to repair, and beside that, the message should be physically impossible to generate.

* Quite obviously, the game script and game events are not implemented yet.
*Title screen and Enter Name / Load game screen is not implemented yet.
* The Camera is still not 100% smooth and perfect. It will take hours of testing and adjusting to get it just right, so it is a long and tedious process.
* Optimizations are still unfinished, so on older or weaker machines, a slight FPS drop may occur.
* Due to adjustments to physics, Link may phase or stick to certain objects when jumping or rolling.
* There is an animation glitch that occurs if Link is attacked while performing certain actions. He may get locked into his animation until he is hit again. This will take a while to repair this so it may not be fixed before the release of this game build.
* The orientation variables for picking up certain items (such as rocks) has not been adjusted, so Link will hold them in a very strange manner.
* Animations are still not complete, some are not implemented yet including 'connecting' animations and T-target-while-using-a-certain-weapon.
* Textures are not finished in many areas.
* Certain Game Maps require adjusting texture maps and retexturing.
* Using Bow with Bomb sometimes ignores the Bow-use button.
* Link can walk off the maps where the other game areas are not implemented.
* The Hookshot physics is not yet 100% perfect.

Enjoy
Jerrel

10 Hours until Alpha01 Demo Release

Howdy do everyone!

Thanks for sticking by, expressing interest, and being patient. The demo is now posted.

Thanks
Jerrel

The Answer : Boxer Briefs

Yep, the answers are in, and finally the moment of truth has come.

Boxer Briefs.

The poll results for guesses are :

Boxers	35 (31%)
Briefs	7 (6%)
Boxer Briefs	17 (15%)
Bare All	51 (46%)

Total Votes: 110

Also note, the countdown timer is up for the Alpha01 Demo. More details will be posted later.

Cheers
Jerrel

Don't worry, I'm still alive.

Worry not, I haven't faked my death via an imaginary submarine accident yet. (free candy for those who get the reference).

I have been dealing with work and classes, and it has all been about as pleasant as a hole in the head. Thanks to a retarded amount of stress from my programming classes and instructors, I have been unable to work on Ballad of The Wind Fish this week. I have been working more hours to avoided getting my butt kicked out of Australia and need to slow down on the project to catch my breath.

Over the next few days, I will be slowly and gradually cleaning some things up and adding some content to the game but don't be alarmed, the official alpha demo 01 is on its way. I am a bit disappointed I have been unable to release it yet, but I can only do what I can manage.

Thanks tons for the support and patience!
Tomorrow is my Friday and I only have a 3 hour work shift, so I will be able to get quite a bit of work completed for BoTWF. Stick around! I will be posting a countdown timer when the time is right so we'll all now when to expect the download link to be posted.

Cheers!
Jerrel

Quikie

Heya howdy everyone.

Woahey! My new drawing tablet just arrived in the mail tonight! I will finish up a few textures, drop in some more content

Sorry for the lack of updates. Classes are on again so I have less free time.


I will be posting a new alpha demo within the week, possibly tomorrow or the day after.

I am also working on another project of mine titled Through The Storm, which is a realistic winderness survival horror game. I will probably open another blogspot for my other games or something.

Game Menu Further Developed

Howdy do. A quick update before I run off to work : I've been working on the game menu further, and it is now possible to access the Siren Instruments and bottles/ocarina (though the graphics are obviously not complete.)

Expect a new demo in a few days. I'm just tying a few loose ends and adding more content.

Work on NPCs has commenced

I've begun work on modeling and programming NPCs. The NPCs run on an alternate physics and AI engine, and I've finished that up today. By tomorrow I should have the first NPC model finished, but again, as the same with the environment graphics, I cannot texture anything completely until my new drawing tablet arrives via the post.

As you can see, Bow Wow is now in Mabe Village and wanders around while chained to post. The Village is really starting to seem more full. As I add more NPCs and little envinronmental details, the village starts to feel more and more like the real thing.

Cheers!
Jerrel

Surprise!! Bow Wow!!

Howdy do everyone. I took a break from working on the game graphics and refining the models to match the new concept for the game style, and decided to model Bow Wow. I'm pretty happy with the model as it does sort of look like a proper Chain Chomp (in my opinion). It will take days to program his AI, and even longer to test and debug it. Also, I will be programming the use of Bow Wow as an anchor to aid in underwater adventures and exploration. W00t.

The next demo should have every game item except for the Fire Rod (unless I feel like adding it in before hand).

Tomorrow I will be working on building more indoor areas, fixing up textures, coding and implementing a new, more extensive lighting adjustment module, and after that I will model and implement the first NPCs. Shortly afterward, we can expect a demo.


Thanks for checking in!
Jerrel

Link Version 3

Hi everyone. It's been hours and hours of meticulous work, but I've finally finished what I consider 'Link Version 3'. I personally like this look much more than the previous versions. I've made many minor adjustments to the model, and have decided to go with A Link To The Past artwork color scheme and style. I may make further minor adjustments in the future.

Please leave comments and let me now what you think!!

Graphic Style to Undergo Further Refinement

Howdy everyone.
Thanks for the support. For the time being, I will definitely keep this project running.
I have been contemplating adjusting the graphical style of Ballad of the Wind Fish. At first, I really wanted a cross between Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time, but leaning more towards OoT's realism and more structurally sound look, but after examining Wind Fish, I've decided to try and lean a little bit more towards Wind Waker / Phantom Hourglass's exaggerated, wobbly stuff graphical style.

My reasoning for this is due to the Wind Fish's texture style, which is a hand drawn / coloured penciled look. In my opinion, the overally look of Wind Fish might jive better, and seem more fitting if I just exaggerated proportions a tiny bit. I will post screenshots tomorrow and see what y'alls think.

It will take a painstaking amount of time and adjusting beforeI find just the right balance between Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time graphical styles.

Also, I will be re-texturing Link tomorrow so his hair is a closer color to his standard yellow (since I based the model off only one game art), and I will 'try' to get his eyes to look more like OoT / TP.

I have been studying WW / Phantom Hourglass and Oracles of Seasons tonight, trying to think of a way to fine tune Wind Fish so it feels as close to a real Zelda game as possible. This is just my rant, but the Oracle games for the GBC aremost blatantly the black sheep of the Zelda series (the CD-i games DO NOT COUNT!!). The development team behind OoA and OoS obviously did not study Zelda as closely as they should have. The story-telling was completely out of style, the game features were painfully uncharacteristic to the Zelda series, and the overally structure and design made me feel like I was playing a bastardized fan game using Link's Awakening Graphics.

^ This is what happens when you hand a very specific series, such as Zelda, to a foreign game development team and expect them to get it all right.

The Oracle Effect, as I will dub the aforementioned "let's have a completely different team make our game and see what happens" is what I would like to avoid AT ALL COSTS. If there are any fans of the Silent Hill series, they might know what I mean when I say that we can also call this The Homecoming Effect.

On a lighter note, I will be modeling, animating and incorporating the first NPCs very soon possibly tomorrow.

Thanks for tuning in, and check back soon for further developments.

Jerrel

Mabe Beach, and Grim Future for Project

Hi everyone. Mabe Beach is up, but as you can tell from the screenshot, obviously, the texturing is not completed. I thought you find folks would like to see how the progress is coming alone. My drawing tablet has broken, as I stated a few days ago, so texturing models will have to wait until my new tablet arrives in another week or so. Yes. I know. Lame to the max.


Also, I have some grim news concerning the future of this project. This project is on the edge of termination. I am very strongly considering dropping it indefinitely and continuing to work on my original games. Why, you ask? There are inconsiderate, egotistical internet users who find it fitting and acceptable to ignore my repeated, polite and explicit requests to remove leaked videos and information about this project. As such, the Wind Fish has far more negative reputation than positive, and on top of that, many videos and articles are completely lacking accreditation to me as the author, and some are even crediting other people.

Why should it matter to me, you ask? Because I'm working on this project for FUN. The issues stated above take a LOT of the fun out of this project for me. I will have just as much fun, if not more, working on my own, original games, which no one will care about anyway because they re not Zelda remakes, so I won't have to fear the threat of leaks.

Thankfully, one of the major video leaks, which has resulted in the majority of negative press, has FINALLY been removed from the gametrailers website, but not before spreading and causing splash damage. Thanks to everyone who helped me get this video removed from the gametrailers website.

I appreciate everyone's support, and thanks so much for checking in. A new alpha demo will be released within the week. Obviously there will be tons of missing content and a few glitches, which is to be expected.

Cheers
Jerrel

April 19 : Fishy Updates 3

Howdy all. It's been a long, busy work week.

Today has been a frustrating day as I fine tuned the game physics, primarily making the hookshot physics as reliable as possible. A few days off from work this week will give me some time to tidy up some game maps and get a small demo ready for release.

I've been working on more animations for Link, refining swimming physics, and I'm currently adding Link's climbing animations so he can move up and down ladders and vines and such. The environments will require a few days or adjusting, fine tuning, and further texture mapping. Also, I need the camera to be as sexy as possible. Ohyeah, random info if anyone wants to collect tidbits, when Link jumps into the water after obtain the flippers, he will equip them and wear them while in water.

Oh yes, I've revamped Link's walking and running animations after carefully studying Link in Twilight Princess. Wind Fish Link's movements now very closely resemble his Wii-counterpart. I've also increased Link's moving speed so the game feels much smoother, and handles very much like WW and TP, and less like Resident Evil 1.

In the screenshot above, we see Link swimming and climbing. Yes, he can now climb in the same manner as Link from TP. For a test, I had him climbing houses, just like in real life.

I have yet to program diving and the Bow Wow anchor, but we can expect that soon.

Cheers, thanks for checking in!
Jerrel

Very First Dungeon WIP Screenshots AND Fire Rod Test!!

Bon jower everyone!
Here are the VERY FIRST screenshots for Tail Cave dungeon in Ballad of The Wind Fish. Please note that the room is unfinished and most textures are incomplete. My drawing tablet has broken and I am awaiting delivery of a replacement. Also, I was working on the textures for the walls this evening when my computer crashed for no reason and corrupted the image file I was working on. I didn't feel like redoing everything just now, as I spent over an hour drawing JUST the one batch of vines. Note that I will need to draw up many variations of vines to keep the environment interesting.

For a bit of commentary, the dungeon, so far, is turning out how I expected it to. I still have yet to texture everything in the room, and I want to have moss all over the walls and floor and columns to give it an aged, abandoned look. Yes, I do realize, the dungeon is quite dark, but as an artistic decision, I feel that it offers a strong contrast to the overworld, which is bright, colorful and inviting. I want the dungeons to feel distinctly different and make strong use of lighting, since the overworld uses global lighting and minimal shading.

I have had a few people wondering what dungeons were going to look like in this game, so here is your answer. Feel free to post comments and questions concerning the dungeon style or anything else!

This is a test render of the Fire Rod. This isn't the final texture but I figured I'd post the Fire Rod Model for anyone curious about it. since I've been talking up the Ocean Rod like sliced bread, some people were under the impression that I had replaced the Fire Rod. Not to worry!

Cheers
Jerrel

First Tail Cave WIP Render...

Howdy.
Progress is coming along nicely with Mabe Beach and Tail Cave. I promised some screenshots, but I overestimated my free time today. I've been modeling and building the Tail Cave and Mabe Beach, but I haven't finished drawing the Texture Maps yet. The rendered image above is taken while I was working for the antechamber for The Tail Cave. Obviously, it's a WIP, and missing the Statues and the rest of the textures. The final product will havemoss covering the columns, walls and floor, and there will be vines and weeds everywhere, but here you can see the progress of how the dungeon is turning out.

Cheers!

Surprise Update April 15 - Lost Woods and Tail Cave News

Hi everyone, thanks a lot for helping me out and trying to get rid of this Unauthorized Leak Video. It irritates me to NO END that this user and the website are both totally unresponsive to my messages. Every message and report you guys send helps in the effort to try and keep this project just a bit more under the radar, a bit less illegal and ALIVE.

Despite being out all day, I did manage to get quite a bit of work done while traveling on the train. Updates are as follows:

*Link's Water Treading and Swimming Animations are Complete.
*Lost Woods has been completely redrawn and the maps have been designed.
*Tail Cave has been redrawn and the maps are 80% complete. Please read below for Tail Cave Details.

Before you scold me for uttering blasphemy due to my ideas of creating themes and expanding on the personalities of the dungeons, keep in mind: 1) This is just a fan game, not even a real Zelda, and 2)I'm developing this project as a 'What would the game have been like if Nintendo made it as a modern game and not an early 90s handheld game?' type of idea.

Tail Cave
Tail Cave appears to be an ancient, underground Template, long since abandoned. Time has eroded the once pristine sandstone walls and tiles, leaving behind a broken, crumbling ruin covered in soil and foliage. The environment crumbles into what the name describes the location as : a Cave. The Tail Cave will seem much larger due to platforming and height level variations, and certain 'empty' rooms will be redesigned for length and purpose. The overall structure and purpose of the dungeon, however does remain very accurate. The graphical theme of the Tail Cave will have a disarmingly royal environment at times, and eerily broken and abandoned in other places.

The Tail Cave will also face some pacing adjustments, so you will not end up sprinting through it in 5 minutes. I'm looking at a Deku-Tree length experience, or something similar, but definitely not the Forest Temple from TP. That dungeon lasts like 40 hours and is about as an enjoyable as a hole in the head.

The next few days I will continue to work on Mabe Beach and Tail Valley (a small, added transition area leading to the Tail Cave,) but I've decided to hold back the demo a few days so I can build the first few rooms of the Tail Cave. I'm itching to get the environment together and I'm sure everyone wants to see what the dungeons will be like in this game, so please be patient with me and wait just a few more extra days.

Thanks for checking in and offering support!

Cheers everyone,
Jerrel

Update April 14 : Mabe Beach Has Been Modeled! W00t!

Last minute update, I've finished modeling Mabe Beach, yarr! I will have to make quite a few adjustments and fine tunings to the terrain, but for the most part, the terrain is complete! A few hours of level building, planting enemies, trees and seashells here and there and I will post some new screens, and perhaps a new video as well. After I've polished up the Leever AI and the 3 maps that the game current consists of, I will be posting a new public Alpha Demo.





Greetings and salutations. The updates today are pretty tame. No new items or bad guys, but I've added slashing effects to most of Link's attacks, again, aiming for that cartoonish, hand drawn look. I've been doing adjustments to graphics, building Mabe Village further, and the past few hours has found me modeling Mabe Beach.

I think for anyone familiar with the game, they might find themselves a little confused, as I've redrawn the beach to look and feel like an actual beach, and not just a flat, horizontal strip of tiles representing sand which meet more tiles, representing the ocean. A little bit of exploring might assure you that the new Mabe Beach map actually is based off the original.

Well, have a warm drink and kick your feet up. It should about two or three days before the map could be considered playable, but the textures and graphics should all be there, and we will get to have Link swimming. On that note, I'll have to spend a few hours on Link's swimming animations, which will be familiar to his existing, physically impossible because I've tried it in real life and it didn't work, swimming style. Yay for swimming.

Cheers Everyone,
Jerrel

Ohyeah, I posted the comparator image of all the Links just for fun! The best part about our Ballad of the Wind Fish Link is that we can make graphical adjustments to him. The other Links, not so much.

Update April 13 : Alternate Terrain Style?

Leever has been modeled and is currently being programmed into the game.





Howdy. Today was a painful day as I spent tireless hours trying to develop a new graphical style for texturing the terrain, and the result is seen here. I've also adjusted the lighting so that while outdoors, objects and buildings will be lit with equal light from all directions to help the game have a more graphically equalized look. Link's personal shading and lighting still needs fine tuning.

I've also animated Link's charge power slash, and in terms of epicness, it might seem similar to his attack from Smash Bruddas. I have also added enemies which can knock Link of his feet, and the recovery animation took 3 hours to acheive one of the coolest animations I've ever done.

Later today I will be adding the Rupee display, have rupees pop out of grass, rocks, and pots, and model and incorporate the Lever enemies.

Heartache, however, as the Tablet which I draw the game's textures with seems to be broke, as I can no longer draw in the right half side of it. The game may face unexpected delays until I can obtain another one, which may no be anytime soon.

Please, for the love of Lon Lon Milk, leave some comments and let me know what you think of the terrain's graphical adjustments.

Cheers
Jerrel

Updates April 12 - Link Version 2 and Beach Urchin Enemy

Happy Easter everyone! I spent most of the day celebrating Easter with friends and strangers and overcoming awkward social situations. With a few hours, I've updated Link to Version 2, which features a different 'neutral' look on his face and now has the stitches on his tunic. I've also completed the Beach Urchin Enemy. Honestly, I could not find the actual name or concept art for this enemy so I just winged it.

For anyone interested, the Beach Urchin will be appearing in more areas in Ballad of the Wind Fish, and will actually have an attack!!! When provoked, they will roll rapidly and charge at Link. a trust Shield will keep Link standing, of course! (A Guardian Acorn will even deflect them, but why waste the Acorn??? The game starts with a max capacity of 5 guardian acorns, and you must find upgrades to capacity throughout the game.)

Feel free to leave some comments and let everyone know what you think!

Cheers everyone!!
Jerrel

Grand Opening

Welcome, and thanks for visiting.

This is the official Blogspot for The Legend of Zelda - Ballad of The Wind Fish fan-game project.

This game is neither supported nor endorsed by Nintendo, and all resources except for the game soundtrack are completely original.

This project hopes to recreate the 3D Zelda gaming engine and environment while retelling the story of Link's Awakening for the Gameboy and Gameboy Color. This "3D-Remake" will feature all content from the original Link's Awakening while incorporating new gameplay features and concepts to create a fuller, more involved adventure.

The only new item being added to the game is the new Ocean Rod, which can be used as a magic weapon, or in conjunction with the Roc's Feather to vault Link high into the air. Objects and tools that existed in the original Link's Awakening, such as Bow Wow, Guardian Acorns, and the magic flying Cuckoo have been incorporated as inventory items.

To fully incoporate Link's Awakening's feature to combine certain items, Ballad of The Wind Fish allows players to combine more items together to create more uses and functions. For example, the Powder and Boomerang can be used together to create a magic Boomerang attack, and the old Bomb and Arrow missile trick is now an actual game tactic.

The artistic direction hopes to mix the original sprite based charm with Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker detail and grandeur, all the while creating a unique, drawing with colored-pencil like look.

Please stay tuned for updates, and thanks for checking in!

Cheers
Jerrel

Game Information

Curious to know what Ballad of The Windfish is all about? How will it differ from the original Link's Awakening? How will it differ from Zelda games? Read on.

*Two side items can be equiped at a time, and the sword and shield are always equiped.

*Pegasus Boots and Power Bracelet no longer take up a slot in the inventory and are activated by game commands.

*The Siren Instruments are now equipped as items, and have functions similar to the songs in Ocarina of time. The instruments are used to access new areas, advancing story, solve puzzles, and unlock hidden items, heart pieces, and item upgrades. For example, the Lily's Bell (which has already been featured in previous private Beta releases), can activate special blocks, platforms, and doors, which would otherwise be immovable. These blocks can help Link reach new areas and solve puzzles.

*Item combination will play a roll in gameplay. Combinations such as Bombs and Arrows, Fire Rod and Arrows, Ocean Rod and Arrows and others will be integral to solving puzzles, progressing, and obtaining hidden heart pieces and magic containers.

*The Guardian Acorns existed in the original game, but only as a random pickup, lasting temporarily. The Guardian Acorns in this game are thrown like a Deku Nut and create a temporary barrier which halves the damage which Link receives, and also deflects magic attacks.

*The Cuckoo Balloons function similarly to when Link obtains that blue Cuckoo to fly around areas, and operate like Cuckoos in OoT, in terms of aerial gliding. The Ocean Rod can cause objects to spin, be used as a weapon while underwater, and launch Link high into the air when he jumps (allowing him to reach new areas).

*Bow Wow is now an inventory item. When Link 'uses' the item, he throws Bow Wow out onto the field. Pressing the item button for Bow Wow will cause him to charge in the direction that Link is facing. He will attack whenever Link swings his sword. This gameplay mechanic will be useful for enemies who cannot be attacked from the front, as Link can set Bow Wow down onto the ground and have him attract the enemy's attention wile he runs around and attacks from behind.

*Link will be able to swim in water right from the start of the game, but will not be able to dive until he obtains the flippers. Using Bow Wow in water will allow Link to sink to the bottom and swim around as far as Bow Wow's chain lets Link swim. The Blue Tunic will allow Link to breath under water. Using Bow Wow as an underwater anchor will be required for certain boss fights and puzzles. The Ocean Rod gains a sword-like function underwater.

*To use the shovel, the player holds down the item button, and Link will stab the shovel into the ground, holding him in place. By releasing the button, Link can dig up items. However, if a powerful wind were to push Link off a ledge, or a powerful enemy attack were to knock Link off a platform, Link could use the shovel to ground himself and stop from falling. The shovel can also be used to uncover hidden switches and underground caverns hiding items!

*There will be alternate swords and shields available to Link throughout the game. Similar to the Giant's Knife and Biggoron Sword in Ocarina of Time, these alternate swords and shield are stored in the inventory and can be swapped over at any time. There are 3 different alternate swords to obtain, but only one can be carried at a time. Each sword possesses a unique trait and enhanced combat mechanic. The alternate Shield will be kept a secret, but I will say that the alternate shield will be more offensive than defense and allow Link to perform a special attack while using the pegasus boots.

Behind The Scenes Development Images!

For anyone interested, I will be posting behind the scene images, so if you are one of those types who feels like they have to collect one of each of 150 different animals, this would be the blog for you.

Link's Arsenal so far. The only items missing now are the Guardian Acorn, Mirror Shield and yet to be announced upgraded swords, alternate swords, and alternate shield.

Updates, April 11, PLEASE READ

Hi everyone. My name is Jerrel, I am a casual gamer and a fan of Zelda games. I am not a professional programmer or game developer, and I am not Nintendo. I've already gotten a lot of negative feedback because apparently the screenshots of the two-week-old ALPHA build of my game that was leaked onto the internet by my testers apparently are not up to Nintendo standards, and because of this, people are angry with me.

I did not officially release any builds of the game or information to the public. It was leaked by testers and fellow game developers who agreed to keep the project private.

I apologise if my two-week-old, unfinished, work in progress project has upset anyone, but really, I'm just doing this for fun.

If you'd like to stay up to date with the production process, create an account and comment and post, chat and discuss your thoughts with everyone. I will be posting regular, near-daily updates on the project progress.

Again, keep in mind, I'm one guy making this game just for the fun of it in my spare time. Hold the drama and chillax if you don't like this project. In fact, make your own blog and cry about how you hate my game. That's fine. It's not a real game anyway, if that makes you feel any better.

I will be working on the Mabe Beach for a few days, as well as detailing the Mabe Village and Library areas further. I will be adding the Urchin enemies, as well as start incorporating the game script into the game.

Stay tuned for updates!

Cheers everyone!
Jerrel

Alpha 002 Screenshots

Here are the first official press release screenshots from the ALPHA 002 build of the game.
Please keep in mind the game is in Alpha stages and these screenshots may not accurately represent the final product.

Link turns to the camera to show everyone he means business.

Hookshot.


The Ocean Rod consumes magic and can be used to attack enemies, or to allow Link to perform a super vertical jump.

A view of Mabe Village in development shows us that Bow Wow is missing!

Indoor environments will be shown top down, for nostalgia as well as to provide players with a better view.