Hey everyone, happy Vernal Equinox! Or, in other words, happy first day of Spring! Here in Seattle our Spring weather is a little slow to arrive, but I'm looking forward to more sunny days and lots of flowers blooming :D
I've been hard at work finishing up Timespinner. Like always, this takes longer than I expected, but that doesn't mean that I'm not making great progress on the game! I'm very happy with how everything is finally coming together. It is so satisfying to slip in a puzzle piece that completes a section of the game.
There are 3 major pieces of the game left to be completed: Cutscenes, Kickstarter Content, and random polish!
Cutscenes and Dialogue
"What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets. But enough talk, have at you!"
Most Metroidvania games take a 'lightweight' approach to story and lore.This is intrinsically tied to the gameplay flow of the genre, making it better to stick to fast-paced exploration than to bog down the player with slow exposition.
This prologue cutscene is much prettier than it was during the Kickstarter!
This has presented an issue for Timespinner, as it has a lot going on in the story, as the plot involves multiples planets, cultures, and characters. In order to tackle this challenge, we have split the game story and lore into multiple formats. These formats fall into the following categories:
- Skippable cutscenes
- Optional character quests
- Collectible lore items that can be read at your leisure
The general idea of these exposition formats is to allow players to choose whether they want to just explore and kill things, or immerse themselves in the lore of the game as much as they'd like.
A letter found hidden in the world.
Now that the writers have finished nearly 100 pages of text, my current task is importing this literary gold into the game! :D
Backer Content
As the core of the game is done, I've begun putting Kickstarter Backer content into the game. I've begun reaching out to Designers on an individual basis to get input on designs for Orbs, Bosses, and Enemies. So far this has worked out really well!
An Orb Designer's Spell + Passive in action!
If you're a Designer Backer and have not yet heard from me, please feel free to send me a message on Kickstarter so that we can start putting your ideas in the game! (But also, maybe check your Junk Folder in your email Inbox, lol!)
Nintendo Switch
I've heard from several Backers and fans asking about whether or not we are bringing Timespinner to the Nintendo Switch. Here is our official response:
We are not currently planning on bringing Timespinner to the Nintendo Switch. Our current goal is to bring Timespinner to all of the platforms promised by the Kickstarter Campaign (PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS Vita, and Nintendo 3DS). After we finish fulfilling these promises, we will then look into the possibility of porting to more platforms!
Release Date
Currently we do not have an update on the release date for the game. We are still on track for a 2017 release date, though!
In Conclusion
Thanks for reading, everyone! If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me on here (via a Message), or hop into the Weekly Development Livestreams on Twitch (Every Tuesday from 1-4pm PST!) to ask me in person!
Take care everyone! See you at the Summer Equinox!