Alpha Creo: The Sandbox Game Built on User-Generated Content

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ThunkGames

Guest

The sandbox game built on user-generated content, now in closed alpha with 27/50 slots open!


Creo is not your average 2D sandbox game. Inspired by the vast modding communities of open world games like Terraria and Minecraft, user generated content is at the core of Creo. Players can create their own blocks, materials, tools, foods, weapons, crafters, storage, saplings, structures, trees, mobs, quests, biomes, ores, bushes and more! Upon the start of each new world, players are thrust onto a small, floating island surrounded by other, similar islands. As players experience the world, the island will expand outwards to include more biomes, resources and flora.

In many ways, Creo is like other 2D sandbox games. With the powerful tools in the hands of the players, it is easy to think that the resources made by some of these players could be out of control. However, with a review system and a system for auto-balancing, the strength and caliber of these resources are kept in check.

I spent the last three years working on Creo on and off because it was my passion project. My goal was to replicate the satisfaction that I find in making games and deliver that to those who find satisfaction in playing games. I conceived of what I felt to be my perfect game and got to work on it. This involves a fully fledged multiplayer experience to group up with your friends, face off against others, or simply show off your creations.

I'm excited to see what you all can create.





      • Custom keybindings
      • Wide array of display sizes
      • World browser
      • Inventory
      • 3 Different layers
      • Infinite terrain (expands as the player gains experience)
      • Swords, hatchets and pickaxes
      • Liquids and buckets
      • Lighting
      • Sappling
      • Bushes that grow and flowers
      • User created foods
      • A deep buff/debuff system
      • An item combiner
      • A storage container
      • 3 different mobs, one of which can attack the player and one of which can be ridden
      • The monolith; UI for customizations
Because many aspects of the game are built to allow user generated content, you can get your hands dirty in txt files representing crafters, mobs, quests and more. Want to ride a zombie? Rainbow colored crafter slots? A container that can hold an infinite amount of one item? All of this will eventually possible through in game customization, but if you are eager and ambitious you can mess around with the resources.







Ok fine. Now how do I play it?
TL;DR: Go here.
For a few reasons I have decided to have a closed alpha and limit testing to 50 players. That being said, I can't imagine a situation where I haven't put this game up on greenlight by next year, so I hope everyone who wants to play it will be able to in the near future. If you would like to apply, visit this web page and fill out the short form. I will add users 10 at a time, so it could be up to a week before you get added, but I will send you a detailed email when you do. I add users in batches because currently, every time I want to add users, the database of user created items will be wiped. I imagine this will happen quite frequently though, because even small updates to how items are balance could massively effect every item in the game and will require a full reset.

 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Looks pretty cool! I would recommend changing the name of the game though since there is already a sandbox game called Crea on Steam.
I had been following the development of Crea for a while, hoping I could beat its release. Obviously I've failed spectacularly. I'm by no means married to the name "Creo", but I'll stick with it until something better comes along.
 
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ThunkGames

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Release 13 is here, and adds the ability for users to create custom foods and give the player unique buffs through standing on a block, eating a food or having an item in their inventory.

For a more in depth look at the new features, the devlog is available here.
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Looks cool, applied.
Accepted. Apologies for the password inconvenience, but as long as I have to manually enter passwords into the server I think its best to use throwaway ones and therefore encryption isn't a huge priority right now.
 

Cpaz

Member
I've immediately applied. Any GMS game with the option of user generated content is an instant look for me.

Edit: key bindings are also an instant plus!
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
I've immediately applied. Any GMS game with the option of user generated content is an instant look for me.
Accepted! Your information will be added to the sever and you will receive an email at the next update, which has been delayed until today or tomorrow and will be dramatically scaled back. Custom bushes will not be in the next update because this would require the addition of a check-for-update system, something I did not anticipate.

Edit:
Scratch that. Custom bushes and flowers will be created through block customizations, which solves all technical limitations and makes some more work for me.
 
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FROGANUS

Guest
Yo I applied.
Very curious about just how this works, how worlds are saved, etc.
Are you like able to draw sprites in-game using GM?
Will we be able to make pants?
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Very curious about just how this works, how worlds are saved, etc.
Are you like able to draw sprites in-game using GM?
Will we be able to make pants?
World Saving/Loading (EXTREMELY BASIC DESCRIPTION):
Worlds are saved in "chunks" (as is the case in many sandbox game). Every chunk is 20 blocks by 20 blocks, 320px by 320px. Each chunk has 3 layers. Blocks are read from their chunk files (binary) and into one of a 27 chunk grids (3 layers, 9 chunks loaded at once). If there is no block at a position, -1 is entered into the grid. If a block is at that position, a buffer is created with some critical information about the block and the pointer for this buffer is inserted into the grid. Each column also has data, like its original height and its biome, which is useful for spawning.

Sprites:
Sprites can be created from surfaces. If the client does not have an item downloaded, the server sends 64 pixels at a time (4 messages for blocks). The client writes this data to a surface and saves the surface as a file. When the game starts up, the game looks through a file containing a list of all installed items and loads the sprite for each of them (as well as stats, etc).

Pants:
Custom clothing is a feature I planned before development, and therefore will make it into the game during the beta.

I'd sign up for this but I won't because I know I'd be too tempted to draw pentagrams everywhere...
When testing with a few friends I saw a lot of d*cks. Eventually a screening system will be in place. In the meantime, unless you make the pentagram block part of a custom biome or a flower, the block will only be obtainable if someone goes out of their way to craft it or uses cheats (nsp str exec "invAdd(id, count, -1, -1, -1)")

:)

-David

EDIT:
Everyone who has applied has been accepted.
 
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ThunkGames

Guest

New update: Flora X Fauna P1! Includes custom biomes, bushes and flowers! All users who applied please check your email for login details.
 
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Stillsilver

Guest
Very ambitious project! Didn't realize this was possible in GMS. Very cool!
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Looks interesting. applied.
You've been accepted, along with all others who have applied. 36 slots are left. Starting on Tuesday I'll be working on a very large update which will include:
  • Custom crafters and storage as well as changes to how they work.
  • Custom tools and melee weapons.
  • Overhaul of power system.
  • Permission system (can other users make your block the leaves of bushes, can other users make recipes using your item, can users make recipes for your crafter, etc).
  • Asthetic.
  • Server changes.
  • Foundations of multiplayer.
-David
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
After way too long...
*Clears throat*
A Very Large Update is here!
It includes (among a host of bug fixes):
  • Custom tool types
  • Custom tools
  • Custom weapons
  • Better/stylized background
  • Custom crafters
  • Custom storage
  • Locked slots
  • Items now appear in the players hand
  • Swinging animation
  • Fog
  • Celestial bodies
  • An overhauled power system
I've decided to make the update video public for now (as I don't feel like adding screenshots or GIFs today). Watch it here:

Also I want to reiterate that if you want to check up on the development of Creo, I keep a devlog here.

Applicants have all been accepted, check your emails.

A patch will be coming out in less than a week, so don't be afraid to apply (I promise I won't make you wait a month like I did to some of these poor souls).
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Absolutely crazy cool idea. Very original as well! I can't wait to see what comes in the future.
Thank you for the kind words! Feel free to apply (I'm not in desperate need of testers, but if you like what you see a few more couldn't hurt).

-David
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Excellent.

Apologies to those who have had trouble downloading the game and logging in. Everything should be fixed now ("fixed" of course being relative to not being able to play the game).

Have fun, and as always, I look forward to seeing what you all decide to create! I feel like this update and the Flora X Fauna P2 update will really give way to some crazy opportunities.

Edit:
Another new original by the talented Jacoo coming soon! Sounds like it will be perfect for Creo.
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
I've applied :D
All those who have applied have been accepted. New devlog here explaining why the new release isn't out yet. I'll write another one soon talking about a small legal issue I've been dealing with. The only thing I'm waiting on now are new sprites. Then, the update ships and new players gets added!

Thanks for the patience and 20 players!

-David
 
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neet

Guest
This is incredible! I Applied as soon as I could and hope I get in!
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
This is incredible! I Applied as soon as I could and hope I get in!
You are in! And by "in" I mean "in the queue of people to be added at the time of the next release which will be in a couple days."

Sorry about that, just how the system works right now :(.

You'll receive an email once the new update is live.

P.S.
Would you say the game looks... @neet ?
 
N

neet

Guest
You are in! And by "in" I mean "in the queue of people to be added at the time of the next release which will be in a couple days."

Sorry about that, just how the system works right now :(.

You'll receive an email once the new update is live.

P.S.
Would you say the game looks... @neet ?
best pun ever. thanks for setting me up though!
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Introducing... The Pixel Perfect Update!

All who applied have been accepted. Check your emails for login information!
This update included an overhaul of the rendering system, as well as a heap of bugfixes and new sprites. Tomorrow, I'll post some updated screenshots here and in the original post. I also feel like mentioning the Creo subdomain got a makeover. You can find any information you could ever need, including a devlog, over here.

-David

Edit:
Here's one: (others can be seen within the "Screenshots" spoiler in the original post)
 
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codybye

Guest
I'd love to be included. Fun thing to get involved with early on!
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Although there has been no release for nearly 2 months, rest assured I have been hard at work on what could be the biggest update before the game goes to Greenlight. Here are a couple of dates:
  1. New update (Flora X Fauna PII): Saturday, December 3rd.
  2. Greenlight: Monday, December 19th (LOOKING LESS AND LESS LIKELY).
Of course, these dates are just personal goals at this point, but they are goals I think I can hit. If you want to follow the games development, I post sort of frequently on my development log. Here are a few of the recent posts that show off stuff I have been working on:
 
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ThunkGames

Guest
Flora X Fauna P. II
New Update! Includes user creation of mobs, quests, ores, structures and trees.
Server has been reset! Everyone who applied, check your e-mail.

(more info on devlog)
 
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