Every time I sit down to write an update I conclude that the time spent on it would be better used working on the game itself. But I do realize that people need to know what's happening with the game. So here it is! In short: I am still alive, and the game is progressing really well, check out the screenshots and videos below!:D
The most important news is that there was a closed playtest a couple of months ago! Around 1,500 people requested access.
Exactly 600 people got access to the first version of the demo.
Around 300 people played it.
And around 50-100 people provided feedback.
Currently there are another 5,000 people in queue, I'm sorry but you will have to wait for the next iteration, I promise it will be better and worth the wait!:P
The current version of the game is simply not scary enough
There is too much empty space (map is too big, walking simulator vibes)
Nobody noticed the monster, he was too subtle haha
The story was too complicated and confusing
The intro sequence was quite boring and prolonged
The new dialogue system requires actual voice overs to be recorded, which is quite expensive and complicates a lot of stuff
The physics interactions aren't intuitive - I tried to improve them from Clap Clap, but they are still too difficult to use
I was overly ambitious in so many aspects - tons of effects, characters, massive maps, I also planned 3 chapters in the full game etc...
It might look like a ton of bad news. But it's actually not!:D I learned A TON working on this iteration of the game. The feedback I got is pure gold. The next iteration of the game is going to be sooo much better.
I had two options:
try to address the feedback and release a mediocre game
or scrap a ton of stuff and do a major pivot
I decided to scrap a massive amount of work. It was risky. It was stressful. But I truly want to provide the best possible experience that I can muster. Here's some of the things that are changing...
I've decided to simplify the story massively. At the moment the synopsis looks like this (W.I.P.):
"When an ambitious archaeologist discovers a map to a forgotten island, you — the ship’s mechanic — are dragged into a voyage into the unknown."
I believe that now it's super clear about who you are, what you do, why you are there and where you are going.
Everything is communicated in a single sentence.
(I apologize for the poor video quality; the videos are heavily compressed because I post them on my discord community)
In the previous iteration I was using a ton of custom made assets, but also assets that I bought and modified to speed up development.
This ended up creating a ton of optimization issues and also the visuals didn't look like they came from a singular mind no matter how much I tried to modify stuff. Just too many issues.
So, I decided to go all in and make everything myself. Here's a few quick screenshots/videos!
I got heavily inspired by the old King Kong The official game of the movie, or whatever its name is haha So I decided to completely overhaul my colorful island to a darker one. Here's the new look:
Here is a quick screenshot of some of the new models that will be used to recreate the ship level. The textures are a lot more detailed this time around and everything is just so much more cohesive.
This went through quite a few iterations - from a cave tunnel system to what it is now. I really like how it turned out. Cob webs, cockroaches, moths, ice cold walls, the only bit of warmth comes from your torch.
In the previous iteration I was relying a lot on scripted events for scary/spooky moments.
Moving forward, there will still be some scripted events, but the bulk of the horror will be unpredictable due to the new monster AI who has a mind of his own and does what he wants to do.
Here's a sneak peek:
Nothing in the video is scripted and the frantic camera movement came from my genuine fear:D
I've also started designing some puzzles. The goal will be to have relatively simple, yet interesting and tactile puzzles that provide a breather between the intense sections of the game.
Here's an early look into the gear system I've been working on:
There's actually a ton more to show, but I'd rather spend that time working on the game!:P
I'll try to write up more updates soon, but no promises this time! Thank you for being here! <3