📰 The PixelCount Post - Issue #24
This week in code, small steps were made based on some feedback to start getting the build in order. Progress on this was somewhat affected by some real life interruptions in terms of a few days travelling, meeting up with Charlie for some very useful chats, dentists, and one of the rooms in my flat trying to turn aquatic. All in all, it'd be fair to say it wasn't a typical week in addition to not really sleeping that well. It's taken a bit of time but I am starting to feel back to normal now, so hopefully normal service can resume and we can start ploughing through the remaining work.
The main area that I want to focus on next is layering. With the prototype version of the game on itchio, there were a few issues but it was mostly ok. Since then though, with the introduction of more levels and more detail, we're increasingly finding issues with layering. It's been a bit of a tricky one to figure out the best approach but, having written a doc on it a couple of weeks back and thinking through the different potential solutions, I think I'm finally prepared to give it a go. In part, the difficulty with trying to make changes on it is ensuring that it doesn't break what already exists - so fingers crossed that it all goes to plan! |
With the Steam store page up, there's promotional material out there now. This is often the first impression people will have of our game, so it matters a lot! For the music, this means the introduction of themes as well as establishing the atmosphere of the game, but distilled into short trailers and teasers. Our current teaser is split in two. The first section introduces the game world, which we accompanied with very happy music - but then we flip the switch. In the second half, we tease Mr Fairweather, which we do so with the sound of bells. Those bells are like the keychain on Peter Coyote's belt in E.T., or the dorsal fin in Jaws. In the future, I'm hoping to create an overture of sorts to introduce many of the themes we have in Kynseed's soundtrack.
Just a couple of days ago, Matt discovered that we had overlooked some pig-related sound effects on our list. So I went to rectify that. This is the kind of thing where playtesting proves its worth. There's always going to be stuff you missed or overlooked. Spending lots of time going over the game again (and again) reveals this, if we're lucky. Sometimes you uncover something where fixing it is already on somebody's to-do list and all is well. But sometimes you discover something that nobody had noticed before. A bug, a missing graphic or sound, something that's just a tad too loud, or inaudible, and so forth.
I also finished the remake of the track I identified as the 'weakest link' in the soundtrack I mentioned in the last Post. I'm so happy I decided to replace it and I feel much better about the new version! |
It's been yet another busy week for us all as we continue to prepare for the next big phase of things. What's more is that it almost feels like time itself is speeding up - each week seems to go by faster than the last. No doubt this is because deadlines (both internal and otherwise) are ever-present. Time never seems to go by so fast as when one wishes they had more of it.
At least, that's my armchair philosophy for this week.
Of particular note was that character artist Gary recently sent in some new art for what is sure to be a vital character in the game. It's a character I've been personally nervous about. Not because I doubted Gary's skills necessarily, but more so because I was aware that this character's importance was such that we had to absolutely nail the design. Much to his credit, Gary got it right on nearly the very first go. “It is your best work, Gary, the best thing you have ever done,” I said, but not languidly.
(Obscure reference is obscure.)
A day later, Gary sent in the first draft of this character's animations. I won't go into much detail as it's a pivotal character and the test animations are from an equally pivotal story point, but seeing it all in motion made things suddenly feel real for me - that this game we've been poking at for so long was starting to come together. It's been hard to not constantly think of the game as that old and dusty prototype from the Kickstarter. Sure, things have come such a long way since then. But in game development, changes are so gradual and so incremental that it's hard to get a true sense of progress. Instead, it just kind of sneaks up on you one day. For me, I suppose that day was earlier this week.
There's still a long ways to go of course, but it is very exciting indeed to see some of these puzzle pieces begin to fit together. |
Instead of a post telling you how much I haven't done this week, I thought I would share the text from one of the ingame books. So please enjoy...
The Ballad of Bored Bob
By S.T. Deeble
There was a chicken farmer called Bob,
Who had a huge lump on his head.
So he went to the docs,
And discovered his cocks,
Had a virus which they had spread.
The doctor told him the cure,
He must bathe his cocks in manure,
Then mend his sore head,
With Redroot and bread,
Then chop off the lump to be sure.
After 3 weeks the lump did return,
And gave Bob a terrible burn.
So to the docs he did walk,
And after a talk,
Had his sore bits covered in fern.
The lump it did fade well away,
But came back the very next day.
So Bob in his ire,
Set a large fire,
And burned his cocks in the hay.
The Goddess smiled in approval,
And blessed Bob with lump removal.
The curse had been lifted,
The virus had shifted,
Now his wife has it. |
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