This blog has been going for well over 2 years now. Its purpose is to chronicle my game development efforts and hopefully to share some insights with you. 2009 and 2010 were both productive years. Now, with 2011 officially over, its time to take a look at what I achieved in 2011 and what I plan to achieve in 2012. keep reading…
In my last post I said that I would be sketching out ideas for my next game over a series of posts. This hasn’t happened and in addition to that I’ve missed an entire post. At the risk of turning this into another horrendous iDevBlogADay post about failed promises and lack of time – I’ll just say, I haven’t done that.
Instead, I’ve been fighting a bit of a battle in my head about what my next game should be. Not just in terms of idea but also in terms of monetisation. I recognise that lots of developers are going free in a bid to reduce the barrier to entry but at the same time this means monetising the game in some form other than a one-off purchase (in-game currency is becoming more and more popular). I also recognise that I should be jumping on this bandwagon. Whilst Freemium (that’s what the “cool” kids call it) probably won’t be THE future of gaming, it will almost certainly represent a large part of it.
The problem I have is that I kind of sigh when I see a freemium game in the App store. I rarely buy in-game currency or IAP of any kind (unless its additional content for a game I really like).
The dilemma I have is that I’m finding it difficult to come up with a concept for a freemium game where I myself would pay for the virtual currency. As a result I’m stuck between building a game for others (and maximum revenue) vs building it for myself (and others like me).
I’m not against freemium but I’ve decided to park it temporarily. Instead my next game will just simply be a game (the game its meant to be). Monetisation will not be part of my design process and I’ll decide what to charge once its built. That may be a one-off fee or it may be free. It won’t however be riddled with virtual currency.
With money removed from the equation it all starts to feel fun again – which is kind of why I’m doing it. I know its not that easy for a lot of you, especially those who do this full time. But for now I have the luxury of a full time job and this is a hobby.
So, I’ve thought a lot about the type of game I want to make. RPG’s have always been something that I’ve enjoyed. I like that they offer choice and exploration, along with a story that I can lose myself in.
More recently I’ve been enjoying the new-ish sub-genre (or perhaps genre mashup is a better name) that is the Puzzle RPG. This was popularised by Puzzle Quest but recently there has been a bit of an explosion creating equally enjoyable games such as Dungeon Raid and King Cashing.
I’d love to create a full RPG but I simply don’t yet have the skill or resource to complete it. The Puzzle RPG is the perfect fit for me because it could be much smaller in scope.
So, once again making a promise that I may not keep, that’s my next game – a puzzle RPG.
I haven’t decided on platform or the tech i’ll use to create it. I’m seriously considering targeting a desktop platform and also looking into cross-platform engines.
That said, I’m currently prototyping with cocos2d on iPhone because its what I know so its faster for me. I have a basic prototype (with the core gameplay mechanic). The problem is that it isn’t quite fun. My next challenge is to knock it into shape so that the core mechanic is enjoyable before I begin to design the additional layers of complexity.
I’m also going to start to play around with Art. I haven’t decided on a visual style for the game as yet and I may take this opportunity to delve into 3D modelling.
The remainder of this year will be about prototyping, sample visuals, and making that core gameplay mechanic fun. I want to start 2012 ready to go into full production mode. If all goes to plan, this will be THE game that I want to make with no monetisation concerns overshadowing its production.
I’ll aim to share bits and bobs from the prototyping phase this year so stay tuned for slightly more regular posts.
I’m please to announce that my next iPhone game has been submitted to Apple. It was submitted on Wednesday 25th November at 3.30am (UK time), just in time to make the rumoured 24th November cut-off.
Rocket Santa is a collaboration with designer ClintonMc. We’ll be releasing some more details on the official Rocket Santa website very soon and I’m hoping that Apple will approve the game within a week or two.
In the mean time, here’s the synopsis and some pixel art of the game’s protagonist.
“On Christmas Eve, your reindeer fall ill without warning. Faced with the prospect of a Christmas without presents, and with hope all but lost, you turn to operation Santa Soars.”
Its been a while since I last wrote an update and in that time things have changed somewhat. What was to be my second game has been temporarily put on the back burner to work on a brand new game.
The brand new game is a collaboration with graphic designer Clinton McMaster. It’s already well underway and has a firm release date of Christmas 2009. Since the schedule is very tight, we’re working to firm milestones and i’m happy to report that we are already ahead of schedule. Its pretty exciting and i’m sure that people will really enjoy this one. Stay tuned for more information shortly.
I plan to return to my second game in the new year. Its a challenge because i’m attempting to create all of the elements myself (Idea, code, graphics, sound effects, and music).
My second iPhone game is progressing well but at a slow pace (as expected). I’m really stretching my digital art skills on this one, investing a huge amount of time creating the artwork and interface. These both need to be spot on if this game is to stand out in the App store.
I’m also spending some time exploring the gameplay mechanics. The core idea is simple and I want to enhance it with appropriate intricacies to ensure that it holds peoples attention. I’ve already got an idea for a “multiplayer” mode of sorts which I hope will add to the longevity.
As it stands, i’m currently working towards a Christmas release.
Here are some early art assets for my next game. These don’t represent the final look and hopefully they don’t give too much away. I created them using Inkscape and my Wacom graphics tablet. More to follow in the coming weeks.
“Alas for him! Warmer and warmer grew the air. Those arms, that had seemed to uphold him, relaxed. His wings wavered, dropped. He fluttered his young hands vainly-he was falling-and in that terror he remembered. The heat of the sun had melted the wax from his wings; the feathers were falling, one by one, like snowflakes; and there was none to help.” keep reading…
I think its important with any project (be it a game or otherwise) to know when to quit. I’m not one to give up easily and I certainly wouldn’t give up on something if it was just a case of lack of knowledge. keep reading…