Hello! It is me, Lua "Computa" herself. I feel like writing a little reflective post + talk about my future plans. I would have waited for like the 1 month anniversary to do this, but I feel like I've been radio-silent for too long.
First of all, thanks for playing, thanks for feedback, etc, etc!!! The game has been really successful in my eyes. I like that I can actively look for art, Youtube vids, reviews, whatever about the game, but THEN I can also just like not do that and feel like life hasn't changed too drastically. I've achieved the exact level of attention I'd like this game to have, I hope y'all will stick around. I'd also like to thank anyone that's made any fanart, or videos about the game, as well as thank the people who have commissioned me or donated to my Kofi since release! I really appreciate all of that! It's also been nice interacting with Internet mutuals and friends of mine, who I haven't talked to in like years, all thanks to this game reminding people of my existance.
Obviously, launch could've been better. There were definitely some glaring issues with the game at launch that turned people off of it. The difficulty balancing, the hitboxes, yeah. I have like addressed most of those major, glaring issues, but it would've been nice if those issues weren't there at all. Hopefully with me pivoting to Steam releases now for major projects, I can get a wider range of feedback during things such as Steam Next Fest demos for future projects. I also learnt that I really should WATCH people playtest my game, it really helps see issues in the game that I wouldn't think of as a big deal otherwise.
So yeah! Thank you all! That's the reflection done! Now, what about my future plans?
Content updates
I am currently working on the very first content update, that I plan to get out some time in October! In this time, there will be no more patches as I'd rather release content updates as decently big packages. More info on this update will be available sometime before the launch of it in October.
I plan to support the game for quite a while, probably for the whole of 2027. I will adding new trials, new modes, new characters, new level-sets for Gauntlet Mode, etc! I also have planned a more crazy content update, that might potentially be full on DLC but I haven't decided yet. So, stay tuned!
Future projects
Astral Court DX isn't my first big game! Before that was 'Outer Outage' in 2024. A 2D collectathon where you explore vibrant, alien lands in order to return to your home planet. I always wanted to get this game on Steam, but alas I was 16 years old at the time so that wasn't happening! But now, I'm an adult and can do that! Unfortunately, Outer Outage isn't exactly up to my standards nowadays. So I'm working on an update for it that'll drastically improve visuals, level design, boss design, movement, and specific parts such as the finale. I've already done quite a bit of work on it but, with Astral Court DX done, I'm now able to put way more attention onto it. Hopefully that'll be out in like Q1 or 2 of 2027.
That's not the only game I plan of getting on Steam! 'Go Go, Groove Ghoul!' is a web game I made, where you play as a ghost and kill everything via possessing them and driving them into hazards. I plan on adding much more levels, refining the score mechanics, giving the game a proper story, and dropping it on Steam. I'd release this game for free, on account of the fact that like 40% of the game is already available for free, but unfortunately I'd have already dropped like £140 to get 2 FREE games on Steam by then. So this will be my first like paid game, being priced at like £3-£5 (once again on account of the fact that like 40% of the game is already available for free).
I also will be doing entirely new projects in the near and far future! I really wanna make even more arcade-y games, but I also would like to make something more story-heavy as well. We'll just have to see how that plays out in the future though, however ;)
General life update
I'm starting University soon for game design! This will definitely eat up my time, but I've had to deal with a school, game dev balance for many years so I'll be fine! This also means you all shall be expecting some smaller games from me, as well as like more gamejam games and such. Yeah! I also need to find a proper job lol, which will take up even more of my free time.
That's all though! Hope y'all are excited for the future! See ya, have a good day/night :]]]
(P.S. Soundtrack release coming soon!! I said on my Youtube's community tab it would release last week, but I haven't hand the time/motivation to work on the album artwork + slight song adjustments. Just be on the lookout!)