The level editor, the name and more - Dev Diary

Hey all!

Today, I have a short dev diary covering some details of the level editor and some context on the name change!

1. We have switched from Project Arrhythmia. How do you feel about the new name, Afterbeat?

Certainly a last-minute swap, eh? Yeah, there was some internal discussion about the name and how hard it was to spell, how it’s not really even relevant to the game outside of legacy and the rhythm pun, etc. In the end, I concluded it was either now or never, and I decided it was probably better to change it. Certainly divisive today, but I do hope folks realize my intent with the name change when the story drops later this year!

Do expect a couple more tweaks to the branding as the game gets closer to release, but the name itself will remain. Though of course you're free to continue debating which is better 😉

2. We are talking about the level editor today! Was it something you wanted to add from the beginning?

Kind of yes, but actually kind of no. I knew I wanted an editor, but I was never sure about releasing it publicly. But when I found out JSAB existed, I realized I couldn't compete with them on the story yet, so I pivoted hard into UGC. I was just one person and not a team of professionals. Obviously, in the long term, this paid off as my skills improved and finally caught up to the level acceptable for the story I had in mind.

3. Which kind of games inspired you to add a Level Editor?

I think it had to be mostly OSU for sure. Little-known fact: the game’s first-ever “name” was Touhou OSU, made as a combo of two fairly popular games at the time with my friends. OSU to this day has probably one of the nicest, most intuitive level editors I’ve ever seen! I hope I can continue to improve the friction in the editor and get it close to how good theirs is! Thankfully, in terms of creativity, my editor allows heaps.

4. Afterbeat's level editor is one of the most in-depth editors I've seen! What made you want to add so many creative options?

My community is just honestly insane. The stuff they make and do in the editor blows my mind regularly. I couldn’t help but keep adding more and more to match their level of passion and creativity. To this day, there are certain members of the community who know about "editor features" that even I don't know about.

5. Afterbeat itself has a bunch of electronic music, EDM, dance, and synth. Does the level editor work with other types of music, and if so, how do you envision it?

It’s funny, I’m actually a huge fan of J-pop, K-pop, rap, and jazz. However, due to the way rhythm games are typically marketed, it’s hard to make those kinds of songs stick for this type of game. Also, the community self-regulates and only uses music that the artist has explicitly approved for use in the game. So I just don’t think we’ll be seeing Creepy Nuts or BlackPink in the game anytime soon, lol. Maybe if I sell enough copies~

6. How long does it take to make a fully fleshed-out level? Is the barrier to entry easier?

It’s definitely getting easier with time, but with everything I add to make stuff easier, the really crazy folks just use it to add more detail to their already impressive levels. I swear they’re like masochists or something.

7. Compared to other titles, what makes your level editor different?

The sheer amount of control. It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, you basically control everything on screen. On the other hand, though… You make everything on screen… Which can get very tedious and annoying unless you know some of the built-in shortcuts. I would actually argue I’m 99% sure, at least for rhythm games, no game lets you do more than mine. Thank you so much for sticking with me through everything so far, and I can't wait for Afterbeat!

Join the Discord to continue chatting about Afterbeat here!