CHAPTER 3 and 4 LOOK BACK!

CHAPTER 3

Concept art by Gigi DG

Chapter 3...

Like every other Chapter, I started thinking of ideas for it around 2016. The concept was, "As a break from the regular formula, let's have a crazy board game like Mario Party! Let's have a TV character who will be like Mettaton!" Ghost Trick was still rather fresh in my memory and I really loved the 3D from that game, so I wanted to have a 3D character with the same kind of appeal. Around that time I bought a Kinect and tried to do motion capture, thinking I could combine it with MikuMikuDance to create a crazy dancing 3D TV character inspired by Mr. Tv Dinnah.

I composed the music for "TV World" in 2015. I used the project file for Mettaton's battle theme as a base. Closer to release, I modified it to add the theme from Hip Shop / Green Room.

Actually, I had started composing a totally different concept for TV World in 2018 that focused more on the motifs from the rest of the Chapter... but my friends' reaction to it was like "Yeah... sure... it's good..." so I was like... okay... fine... I'll go back to the original...

(note: this song is unfinished so don't take it seriously)

♪ TV Land (WIP)

I drew Tenna in 2017. Before that point his name was "Mr. TV Guy."

Concept art by Toby

I actually asked Kanotynes to make him in 3D at first. I don't think we have any files from this anymore though.

Gigi drew a turnaround based on my concept art, that helped serve as a base for PixelatedCrown's 3D model.

Concept art by Gigi DG

The "Word Art" was put together by Audrey Waner and animated by Everdraed. The concept of a character that speaks with "Word Art" was inspired by P.T. Bridgeport from the comic "Pogo".

Concept art by Gigi DG

Completing the graphics was time-consuming, but it wasn't really a massive hurdle… If there was any hurdle in the Chapter, it was the gameplay.

Concept art by Gigi DG

I went through multiple iterations of different ideas for Tenna's BOARDs. Originally I wanted it to be like Mario Party, or Black's Base from Gunstar Heroes... then, I realized creating that would be not only inefficient, but also result in a lack of exploration during the chapter. So, then we switched to having a Super Mario Bros. 3 style overworld that contained many mini Zelda-style maps... then, I just decided it would be best if everything was just one big map, combined together.

Then, we also had to create the minigames. I seriously underestimated how much effort and direction they would require. I think the end result is pretty fun, but I don't think I would have bit off so much if I knew how challenging and time-consuming they would be.

Because the chapter was made up of many disparate parts (minigames, boards, scenes) all being created independently, it was very hard to figure out the pacing until nearly everything had been put together. After that, it became clear that there was a pacing problem.

This was the original projected scope of the game, before anything had been created:

Board 1 (Desert Board)
Cooking game
Board 2 (Island Board)
Rhythm game
Board 3 (City Board)
Susiezilla & Cowboy
Board 4 (Tenna controls the game)
TV World

At that time, I had assumed that the boards would've been much quicker experiences. Only the City Board would have been larger, with one minigame within each half of the city. Completing both games would allow you to go to TV Tower, which would trigger a sequence which ultimately brings you to Board 4.

(There was no S-Rank room in the original concept.)

After programming most of the game, this is what we had come up with:

Board 1 [Z*lda style]
Cooking Game
Green Room 1
S-Rank Room 1
Board 2 [Z*lda style]
Rhythm game
Green Room 2
S-Rank Room 2
Board 3 [Z*lda style, re-factored so that it was intentionally short]
Trick Tenna into letting you have a break from Board 3
Green Room 3
S-Rank Room 3
Backstage Area
Board 3 Part 2
Susiezilla
Board 4
TV World

We actually created the third board! But we tried making it short because the game was dragging on with no typical DR gameplay.

Because of that, we also added an overworld area in between each "half" of Board 3, the backstage area. It was made of wood and heavily featured sneaking mechanic. This is also where you originally fought Rouxls Kaard.

After defeating him, you would get a controller that allows you to play in the Board as Elnina. She could cry up a storm, allowing you to access the key card that would allow you to skip the rest of Board 3...

... despite trying to add the backstage as a breath of fresh air, though... it just made the game drag even more. Watching friends play this version, everybody was kind of getting tired after Board 2. So, we realized we had to cut it down!

This is what we had in the final version of the game:

Board 1 [Z*lda style]
Cooking Game
Green Room 1
S-Rank Room 1
Board 2 [Z*lda style]
Rhythm game
Green Room 2
S-Rank Room 2
TV Puzzles
Board 4
TV World (+ absorbing parts of backstage, such as the sneaking mechanic)
S-Rank Room 3

Ultimately, Board 3 was cut. The only remnant of it exists in S-Rank. (Isn't that better anyway?) The Susiezilla game was made optional, and the actually enjoyable parts of the backstage were absorbed into TV World.

Some people are of the opinion that having more things is always better... but, when you think of the entire game with all its Chapters as an overall experience, you really don't want any one Chapter to bog it all down.

Especially when - true to my assumptions - this Chapter proved to be quite divisive. Honestly, I thought up to 50% of people might hate this Chapter, even if some other percentage of the people were crazy about it. But, it seems like the majority of people enjoyed it, so I'm just relieved.

"I'm just glad anybody likes this!" That's how I feel.

CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4 was much easier to make!!

Concept art by Gigi DG

That being said, it did have a few lesser difficulties.

Originally, the climbing mechanic just use the normal overworld movement with… climbing graphics. The result felt mushy, so I programmed a new climbing system myself. This is one of the only things I got to program, so I get to point it out.

Another change involved the layout of the Dark Sanctuary. Originally, I wanted to create a giant nonlinear interconnected dungeon, kind of like something from Zelda. However, the result of having a nonlinear structure, made it difficult to have a linear series of story events… this caused the implementation of the Old Man to feel really weak. So the structure was changed to be linear just like everything else (lol)

Finally, if there was one part that was most annoying to make... it was the section in Noelle's house. Because we were introducing a unique new mechanic, I really wanted to make you feel like it wasn't wasted... My first concept was that you would have to set up a Rube Goldberg machine, involving many crazy parts. For example, you had to launch a treat with a treat launching machine over to the bathroom, which would attract a hungry Asgore to sit in between Susie and Noelle...

Then, when that didn't work out very well, we tried installing a toy train that would go all the way throughout the house, and make puzzles around this.

I was having so much trouble, I ended up asking my friend Andrew Hussie for help thinking of ideas.

I'm going to toss out an idea that might sound really [redacted] stupid, but let's just roll with it for a bit and see where this goes.

Imagine instead of the treat-catching snoopy on the table, at the center there's a large bust of Macaulay Culkin screaming. Like this classic pose:

Except it doesn't literally have to be Macaulay. It could be a character that makes more sense in-world. Let's just say it's Papyrus for now.

Also another key difference is the bust in its initial form doesn't have the two hands on either side of the head. Those are separate pieces which are elsewhere in the house. The bust must be completed to proceed. The reason for this is because of all the [redacted] that's happening. The bust keeps getting knocked over and destroys things, so it must be buttressed from either side with two supporting stone hands.

WHY DOES THE BUST KEEP GETTING KNOCKED OVER?

This is a key event that needs to keep being repeated often naturally in order for the puzzle to work. Luckily it's [redacted] obvious what this should be. The answer is already provided by the scene. Asgore is cleaning the bathroom. By now he has moved on to scrubbing the shower (you'll need to move the shower curtain so you can see him). But the floor is very slippery, so he keeps falling on his ass and shaking the whole house. Whether this is chronically accidental due to buffoonery is an open question. Maybe Kris sneaks through the vent and pops a little paper bag to startle him. [redacted][redacted][redacted]. The point is it just keeps happening every time it needs to.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BUST IS KNOCKED OVER

Every time it falls on the floor and starts rolling around like an out of control bowling ball, destroying things you need to solve the cookie puzzle. At first, it rolls to the right side, until you can find the right hand and push it into place.

Ultimately, I realized that just focusing on the story and atmosphere is the best, and so we finally remade everything one more time. I think it turned out great.

I think most everybody enjoyed this Chapter!

Concept art by Toby

(By the way, "Hammer of Justice" is another song I started making right at the beginning of 2016... I think the final arrangement is pretty good, but since I didn't create it for seven years, the original piano sketch is the main version that I remember)

♪ Hammer of Justice (Piano Sketch)

MAIN TEAM BREAKDOWN

I feel like the credits aren't clear enough, so let's talk about the main team a bit.

Around since Chapter 2

Sarah - Programmed most cutscenes in Ch3 and Ch4, handled localization implementation, handled patches and building the game for every platform, and helped with testing and organization. Also, had to remake Noelle's house sequence three times. Occasionally makes journal comics, and has a hydroponic garden growing in recycled trash. Grew an avocado plant in a Spamton popcorn bucket.

quote: "every time i worked on a scene with the snack tray in ch4 it made me want a cheesed cracker"

Fred - Programmed the Boards on Chapter 3, and most overworld rooms in Ch3 and Ch4. Apparently his favorite food is tacos and he almost left that as text in the game. Made a game called LOVE.

Jean - Programmed the logic of bosses and enemies and created all the ACTs. Also created all the attacks for Rouxls / Lanino / Elnina. Worked on a game called Death's Gambit.

Taxi - Assembled the rhythm game, as well as some other complex visual sequences, like Kris falling into the prophecy, and into the Titan with Susie. Also made some attacks, like the Knight's star attack, box cutting attack, and also Shuttah's attacks. Made a project called Moment to Midnight.

Temmie - tem. Drew basically everything. Also got really obsessed with baking for a while.

Toby - Did something

New from Chapter 3

Alex - Programmed many bullet patterns, and also programmed Susiezilla. Made all of the Titan attacks, and the Knight's rotating slash and final attacks.

PureQuestion - Programmed many bullet patterns, including Jackenstein's attacks, and the majority of the regular enemies. Along with Alex, created a game called Star of Providence...

New from Chapter 4

Enjl - Handled the Titan Tower and a few overworld rooms in Chapter 4, all the Switch 2 exclusive content, and Pluey. Now the main overworld programmer of Chapter 5.

quote: "I think my favourite part of Chapter 4's development was when I got to dual wield cats for a while. I wish I could do that IRL all day every day."

Joost - He did the tiling and assembled visual and background details for Chapter 4 and Chapter 5!

SaraJS - Did various visual effects, and difficult programming things. Helped out with lighting, ripples, prophecies on Chapter 4. Now creating cutscenes in Chapter 5.

Andy - He created 3 Michaels, and the games Jongler & Battat. Now working on things even he doesn't even know what they are. Created the game Knuckle Sandwich.

quote: "I had to move my workspace into another room because I was yelling into my microphone too much."

Robert – Producer that has a soft spot for older Japanese men and history. While generally not involved in the core development process, he works on team organization, task management, and publishing guidance. May actually be a frog.

Guests

Ondy - Helped out as a guest to do the cooking minigame. Also, created important things for Chapter 5. Created Tres-Bashers (and more!)

James - Helped out as a guest to do the cowboy game. Also, made the tornado vortex when everybody spins at once in that one ACT.

????? - Programming boss bullets for Chapter 5!