Hot Beach Volleyball - The Game

I really like beach volleyball. Well, at least, look how the girls play in it :) What else to dream in a snowy Russia, how not about the sun, the sea, hot sand and beautiful girls in a bikini? Therefore, I wanted to have in my phone a game that allows me to pleasantly pass the time, throwing a virtual ball through a virtual net.

Modern smartphones already allow the use of powerful graphics, and I expected to easily find a similar game, but when I tried to find games about beach volleyball on my Android device, I was disappointed. Existing games had either bad graphics or bad gameplay. And most often both at once. So I decided to do it myself (if you want something to be done well - do it yourself).

When creating the game, I'm inspired by such games as "Summer Heat Beach Volleyball" and "Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball". Of course, with the amendment to the fact that the game will have to work on mobile devices.

The main idea of ​​the game concept is a fast and fun gameplay, with large plans for the playing field, so that the characters and the field itself occupy most of the screen. Smooth and intelligent movement of the camera, giving the most profitable overview of the game moments. Possibility of slowmo replay of game moments and viewing them from any point of view.

There will be approximately 3-4 different game locations and 6-10 characters, from which the player will be able to compose commands arbitrarily. Part of the locations and characters are initially locked and open as the game progresses. Each character has its own values ​​of the game characteristics. For fans of the strategic direction of the game will be the ability to develop the characteristics of each of the characters and lead the management of teams, as the characters will also have different coherence when playing in a team with other characters.

Support for multiplayer mode, to be able to play with each other over the network. Multiplayer games should be possible without the Internet and a dedicated server. Players should be able to play together by connecting via wifi or bluetooth.

To maintain interest in the game in it will be a game currency, accumulated for playing matches and which can be spent on developing character characteristics and obtaining bonus content - different clothes and items for characters, opening and downloading additional locations and characters.

What we have and what we need

Now completed - understanding the general concept of the game, the game engine is chosen, technologies are selected and mastered for the implementation of the conceived. An alpha version - prototype of the game was created.

11/30/2017 Update

This is the screencast of the next alpha version of the game.
There is work on the playing according to the rules.
While the bots simply beat the ball back with the addition of a random
change to the speed of the ball. Worked the order of the serves, the presence
of the goal, the change of the court, counting scores.
The game is up to 5 points with a matchboll.
After the victorious dance, a new party begins.
Video sometimes slows down due to the recording of the video itself.
When the recording is not conducted, the FPS is stable 55-60.
Device Yotaphone 2 (2014 year, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, Adreno 330, 2GB RAM), FullHD.
		

About my production stack. Since I'm a small developer, I have to spend my money very sparingly and use free products as much as possible. Therefore, for the game engine, I use Urho3D, for 3D modeling - a Blender, to create characters - Makehuman.

I have no problems with programming games, but this game does not cost one programming. The work of an art designer is necessary. Development of models of locations, beautiful characters. As in any good sports game, we need tons of animation movements, obtained by motion capture. All this work requires considerable expenses.

Planned

Plan for further work:

• Completion AI for the behavior of computer players.
• Implement playing game by the rules.
• Creation of several locations and the design of characters. We need create hi-poly and lo-poly models of characters.
• Preparation of animation of the movements of the characters - motion capture plus manual animation.
• Add mimics - game engine support it.

The immediate goal is to create an arcade part of the game with fast and fun gameplay. After that - create a multiplayer version of the game to be able to play with each other over the network. Then follows the implementation of the system of character abilities development (tree of development of strength, dexterity, accuracy, endurance, speed, luck) and team management for more thoughtful players, who are more attracted by the strategic aspect of the game.

You can get current alpha version of game for Android from Dropbox.