[Boss Prototype] Fantoccio's Theatrical Show Full Breakdown WIP

Here's a small update on the boss fight thus far and some behind the scenes insight into our development. Fantoccio's boss fight is an interesting process for us, and certainly a learning experience. Not only is it our first boss fight, but a musical one, meaning we have to time the attacks to the music. To tackle such a big task we broke the song into segments, fortunately, Daniel Ingram created concepts for us to work with the song lyrics he made.

We've been coding in the major attacks and testing them as we go, we want to finish the entire song as a whole and then fill in the gaps so there are no long pauses in between each phase change. I want to make sure the boss fight encourages both movement and jumping so that Billie does not remain static for long periods of time.  

Attack Patterns 

 VERSE I

YOU! 

You’ve  been nothing but a thorn in my side

Since day one!

But  I

am  Fantoccio the Great and I’ll not

Be outdone! 

Attacks were removed and are being reworked so nothing to preview here. Fantoccio will do small blasts of magic that the player must avoid, slow build-up.

 PRE 

Welcome  to Fantoccio’s spectacular

Theatre  in the ‘pound’ (attack: giant  magic fist on strings smashes down)

Please  excuse my thespian vernacular

When  I say: thou ist going down! 

(rapid  attack of 2 more fists* maybe the floor lights up to warn of where they will drop)

This will be adjusted to only include 1-2 hands, check the link below to hear how this syncs to the music. A shockwave will be added that the player must jump over. The fists will also follow Billie around before they fall, increasing the difficulty in this section. I always test the concept and make sure it syncs with the music, then rework it to be more fun and engaging.  (preview with music:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYgYbFGU23w)

 CHORUS  

*Fanto shoots out puppet strings from his hands. If they reach Billie she’s made to momentarily dance a wild dance that drains her energy

I’ve  had enough of YOU

So...  time to be my puppet

On a string!

I’ve  had enough of YOU

Oh...  dance my little muppet

Plaything!

This was the most difficult concept to work with. The boss stage is a 3D space, not 2D, so it's hard to imagine how the strings would come down in a manner that is hard to avoid.

Ash came up with an interesting concept but it only really works if the boss fight was 2.5D. I considered swapping the boss fight into a side scroller format. However, being a 3D platformer and the penultimate boss fight, I felt this would feel anti-climatic and should instead find a new solution. We also NEEDED to include the puppet strings in some form, the lyrics not only reference them but additionally Fantoccio's entire concept was first pitched as a puppeteer, to remove this attack would remove one of Fantoccios defining character traits. 

The first concept art of Fantoccio by Ash Ortiz

Solution! Jovi joined the team and worked closely with Ash to create an interesting set design for the boss fight. A giant clockwork Fantoccio towering above the stage. 

(wip concepts)

This amazing prop piece had to be used in some form during the fight, so we replaced the current glove fists to the clockwork Fanto hands, and wanted to include them more often throughout the fight. I figured this could make a great solution for our puppet string problem and mocked up my idea for James inside 3DS Max.

The giant hands tower above Billie and the stage below, each moving in a figure of 8. The stage split into 6 segments. The hands will start at random positions on the spline, but both still be in sync with one another. 

 When the music reaches the lyrics "On a string" Fantoccio will command the hands to stop on one of the x's each and drop their magic strings. If Billie is caught she will dance, Fantoccio will teleport next to her on stage to dance alongside. The player must then button spam to get free of the strings, the faster they press the quicker they'll be released and less health is lost. 

 INSTRUMENTAL  BATTLE SEQUENCE (8 bars)

*this  is where Fanto’s attacks can be repelled by Billie and do him damage

“Haha  hey, get back here”

“Take  that!”

“Ouch!”

“Hey, none of that!”

Fantoccio will throw balls of magic at Billie that she can reflect back at him, causing him to fall to the floor, the player can now get a hit on him. 

VERSE  2 

NOW

The  audience is thirsty for fun

Time to run!

‘Cuz  Nooooooow

Your denouement has already begun!

That means you’re done!

This section will most likely repeat previous attack patterns from previous phases 

PRE:  *Pirate section, chased by  mops around a magic ship deck

We  could both be pirates on the sea

You’ll  swab the deck and play your part for me 

Mops galore! You better keep it clean

Watch out now my little friend, that shark is looking mean!

(*a  giant magic shark drops on the deck and starts flopping around after Billie? This could continue over the chorus to extend the shark sequence gameplay)

The buckets drop to the beat of the music, and the mops change direction with each chord change  (with music:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyQxmiKu7Dg)

 This section is the most difficult section thus far, but I still think requires improvement. Cardboard seagulls on strings may be added that chase the player around, forcing the player to move more OR we may force the buckets of water to fall around Billie's location rather than randomly across the stage, which would also help keep the feeling of the beat in time, as some buckets/beats hit out of the players view.

Prop concepts

The buckets currently leave puddles of water on the floor that will cause the player to slip if they walk through it. The mops will clean up the puddles as they pass through them. 

A giant shark will also spawn onto the stage that will chase the player around, however, we need to think more about how this attacks pathways and patterns that will make it stand out from the others.

 CHORUS

I’ve  had enough of YOU

So...  time to be my puppet

On a string!

I’ve  had enough of YOU

Oh...  dance my little muppet

Plaything!

Another repeat of the magic puppet hands on strings. This will need something extra to bump the difficulty up in some form. Potentially something that requires the player to also jump or to include the shark from the previous phase. 

NEW  INSTRUMENTAL BATTLE SEQUENCE (8 bars), more heavy, with an electric guitar. 

*this is where Fanto’s attacks can be repelled by Billie and do him damage

*the set changes again, maybe reddish light and more devilish, and like a twisted circus funhouse. Big red bouncing clown noses bounce across the stage towards Billie

“HAHAHA!!!!”

“Get  back here!”

“Oof”

“Ack!  Shakespeare's bonnet!” (like a curse)

“For  the love of Hamlet!” 

Potentially could have Fantoccio throwing juggling ball bombs onto the stage

 BRIDGE

*Circus  staging continues to be rather intense, parts of the theatre itself are starting to crumble from Fanto’s attacks

A  battle! 

Like  no other

Better move!

Or  here’s another

At  least you’ll see defeat in epic style

The  audience is primed (*audience   cheers)

Each  attack right on time 

Seeing you entwined is so worthwhile! (alt: enshrined)

But why stop there? 

Add a lion, a bear!

What wrong ma petite chère?  Let's see that smile! 

Falling debris, stage lights fall. Bad cardboard cutouts of a lion and bear made by Fantoccio chase Billie around the stage similar to the shark.

PRE

The  final act

Is  sure to be theatrical

A  plot twist worthy of a prize

Want a chance?

You  better be more tactical

Messin’  with Fantoccio is never wise!

Currently, no new major attacks planned currently. Another idea involves trying to stay in the spotlight as it moves around the stage. Damage is taken if you leave. 

CHORUS

I’ve  had enough of YOU

So…  won’t you be my puppet

On a string!

I’ve  had enough of YOU

Oh...  dance my little muppet

Plaything!

I’m  up to here with YOU

So...   why don’t you finally face it

Your  fate is sealed

(*final  chaotic build, attacks coming faster in time)

And everything you DO is what I say!

Starting  NOW and every day

You’ll  be my puppet

Learn  to love it

Every  word I say 

You’ll  covet

Start  anew

Stuck  like glue

Bid your former self adieu!

Most likely will reuse a lot of the previous attacks we've coded into one big finale but with more speed and intensity. 

-Ending cutscene plays here-

Cuz’  I’ve   

HAD  ENOUGH

OF

YOUUUUUU!!!!!!

(With music:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jni-shylC9Y)

Camera

The camera is still a work in progress, trying to find the right angles, making sure the player isn't too far from the camera, and keeping it dynamic. My concerns were

• The camera too far away from player and Fantoccio making it hard for players to see the characters on smaller screens or for people with vision impairment. 
• Keeping Fantoccio in the frame, he floats in the air out of Billie's reach throughout. Zooming in would cut him out of frame in some instances, so he has to be a main focus for the camera position and rotation.
• Making sure the camera isn't TOO dynamic that it makes the player feel nauseous by its constant movement
•  Keeping incoming attacks in the frame so the player has a chance to dodge them

The first version was a static camera, but required to be far away to keep everything in the frame

My first idea was to split the stage into sections

A camera position for each segment, making sure each camera position kept Billie and Fanto in the frame. However, this created quite a jagged movement as you entered each collision zone. 

The solution was instead to move the camera to track the player but clamp it so it doesn't overshoot the stage. This will need further tweaks but will require trial and error. but here's the current progress

I hope you've enjoyed this insight into the boss fight so far! It's taken longer than expected but covid-19 is taking a toll on our term emotionally and financially. The good news is we now have flights booked home for next month so we can focus on the game once again without focusing on contract work to stay afloat in Sweden!  I'll be doing a video update soon, additionally, this is a new build live currently that I will post in a use in a separate update