3/31/23

 I actually have been working the last few days on the game, I just don't feel like writing on here. But here I am FYI, still doing it! I'll be more detailed in the next post.

3/26/23

 

Time Worked: 2 hours, 30 mins

Today I worked on adding in a highlight when an actor is occluded. But it's hard.

I'm tired. Lol.

Decent progress though.

3/25/23

 This is going to be a ramble. Deal with it.

So I've been working on this project for like 6 months. I'm quitting my job in November to do the best I can at making it as a game dev. I must  learn as much as possible between now and then in order to be successful. 

This project has been great so far, but I feel like I'm getting ready to move on. On the other hand, I must make sure I give this project it's due and not just move on because it feels good.

What are the goals of this project? That's how I need to make my decision; did I accomplish my goals?

I didn't know what I was doing when I started this. I didn't set realistic goals at all. I didn't really specify WHY even make this game? Just now I looked over all the iterations of my design docs.

A lot of things didn't go according to plan. 

• The team lost interest very quickly besides me (OTHER THAN YOU AUDIOGUY. I APPRECIATE YOU). So I didn't have the backup I assumed I would.
• I massively over-scoped from the start.
• As a result, there was almost zero longevity to any designs or plans.
• I overshot almost every deadline.

Why am I doing this now?

I want to make games. I want to create cool stuff. I want to do this forever. I want to learn. I want to master the field of game development one day. I want to make things that inspire people. I want to make things that generate some kind of feeling in a player. I want to create worlds. I want to use the artistic talent that I know I have. I want to create.

And it would be sweet to do this for a living. So that I can pursue all the above goals without distraction.

So that being said, how does this game help me get there?

• Learning about hosting a game on a page and promotion. 
• Learning about graphics and sound implementation/design. 
• Learning about how to even make a game. 
• Learning what is realistic and what is not. 

There is no upper bound to how much I could learn about each of these. And even if I start a new one, I will still learn lessons.

Here's why I feel like I have to hang around:

• I have not attempted to promote this game.
• I can't say the game is "finished".
• Missing environment graphics.
• Missing a few enemy types.
• Glaring bugs.
• Missing tools for the player (alternate weapons, equipment, etc.)
• Missing sound effects.
• Missing animations.

Let us fucking finish this shit.

I can't waste time. I don't have time to waste. This has to be done. It must be done.

I want to give myself a month. Which was the goal I set not long ago anyway. I really would like to be done before that. 

So how about this? 

• On May 1st, I stop work on this project. It is done. No matter what state it is in.
• These are the tasks I promise myself to finish.
• Promote on Reddit, at least one time.
• Add environment graphics. No more placeholders.
• Sound effects.
• Death
• Wound
• Reload
• Pick up weapon/equipment
• Click button
• Add missing animations.
• Get hit
• Reload
• Pickup (if there is an anim for that)
• Add weapons
• 3 more weapons
• Add equipment
• 3 more equipment pieces
• Add enemy types
• 3 more enemy types
• Fix all bugs.

This is the home stretch. I got this. I have to finish this, I must. 

3/23/23

 Time Worked: 2 hours

Today I exposed the mouse again (just have to make it line up with the point of aim), implemented weapons from the shop now being ammo drops if you already have them, and made the explosives deadly. 

The explosives still need some force, haven't figured out what's up with that yet. The actors kind of just jingle hard when they get force applied to them; I probably need to apply it to a single rigidbody per actor.

I'll figure out a new end goal for this project. It has been so good but I need to be clear on what the goal and ending is. It's pretty cool as is, but I can't say I feel like it's "finished".

But very soon.

Ultimately I need to keep moving, I should not stay on one project for too long now that I have the ball rolling. Although I also shouldn't move too quickly to learn lessions. So we'll see.

3/21/23

Time Worked: 5 mins

Today, I just opened the game on the page and played it. I did a lot today. Recently I've just been really addicted to videogames (Skyrim). Normally, I'm fine with that. But this really got in the way of everything. 

So I'm better now, I'm getting a handle on things again. I took care of a bunch of personal stuff (chores) today and really don't feel like doing much on this right now, so I won't. Because just doing this is a step forward. And tomorrow I'll do just a little bit. Have to remind myself that that's how I made it this far and that's how I'll make it in the end. By taking my time, not stressing about it, and consistently showing up.

See ya tomorrow. 

3/11/22

Total Time: 2 hrs, 20 mins

Today I worked with the sound guy to record some gun reload sound effects. It was pretty fun! I'm really excited to see the results when they come in.

I also worked quite a bit on improving the game's page on itch.io. Since there are some analytics tools (but not too much! thanks), I'm paying attention to them and trying to improve based on that. For example I have around 800 impressions, which I've learned means 800 people have seen the thumbnail of my game. But only 25 views, meaning only 25 of those people clicked the game. So, my first mission is to make that thumbnail cool enough and that description just right to start raising that number.

Here's my current thumbnail (which I LOVE to be honest.)

3/9/23

Total Time: 2 hrs, 40 mins 

The progress I have been making these last few days is incredible. I've made a few decisions that have paid off massively:

• I reduced the scope of the game loop itself drastically
• 8-mission campaign (bro. lmao) to a single map survival
• This allowed me to not worry about developing any other maps, just one map that can hopefully be quality.
• Gave me more time to work on the details of gameplay.
• I put the game up on a platform
• Now I have something to look at (analytics), will eventually get feedback, and can start figuring out this aspect of the process
• I started working mornings and evenings
• I usually have been putting in about an hour in the morning, then 1 - 2 hours in the evening.
• Allows me to guaranteed get something on the game done, no matter what happens in the evening.
• Gives me space to relax and cool off - a productive morning session, and a productive evening session (if I feel like it)

It's goin goooooood! I have so many ideas and I really feel freed up to pursue them now that I've got so much simpler of a game loop.

Here's a cool pic of the loot drop I improved.

3/8/23

Total Time: 1 hr, 30 mins

Look at me I still haven't quit! Incredible.

Today I added the rewards screen. This is basically either going to be a shop or a free rewards screen where you can select something in between waves. Right now I have the loot dropping from the sky in random spots, which actually turned out really cool. It forces the player to explore the map which is a good thing, makes it less boring and more dangerous.

Right now there's a bunch of stuff wrong with it that I need to fix, like each time you pick up a loot crate it's another gun, not just ammo for the same gun, so you'd have like 5 rifles by round 5 with each their own ammo reserves.

Easy enough. I just don't feel like doing it right now.

I'm very excited to add back in the explosives and slow motion. That will be really cool!

I've decided to upload to itch.io every Friday. 

3/6/23

Total Time: 3 hrs, 30 mins

Worked a lot on it today. Putting it up on itch was a great idea, it gives me a reason to do it. It's actually out in the public view, somebody might play it. There's feedback now.

No plays yet I'm pretty sure. But I am paying attention to it and I'm going to start spending part of my dev time figuring out how to improve the store page.

Today I just fixed some important bugs.

3/5/23

Total Time: 3 hrs, 32 mins

Worked a lot on the game today. 3 hours, may not sound like much but 3 hours of actual focused work for me is a lot.

Anyway today I created a page for it on itch.io, it's web browser playable. 

I also added scoring which was fun and I updated the menu page with a sick in-game screenshot lol.

Here's the game's page: https://stylehead.itch.io/endsoldier

3/3/23

Total Time: 2 hrs, 8 mins 

Added some UI for weapons. I originally wanted to try to completely avoid UI, or make it as immersive as possible. I don't think that effort was wasted, because I put in cues that now work in support of the more obvious UI. For example the empty weapon trigger click for a gun that's out of ammo. Might not have done that if I had originally made UI. 

It's coming along! Next up - gotta fix a bug with the weapon name not updating on initial pickup, and then I need to implement the weapon/equipment rewards.

I also need to put slow motion back into the game.

There's always so much to think about. But it's really getting there.

 

3/2/23

 Total Time Worked: 45 mins

Today I got really stressed. I also am considering moving the deadline up. I had to think about what else needs to be done and I had to coordinate some stuff about sound effects, idk it feels kind of meh today. Not really a great feeling.

But I did make the characters a little more interesting. Player is blue gas mask guy and other dude is the enemy (in red). To pay homage to the beginning of the game, I kind of like this idea. Maybe they can be B.L.U forces vs. the R.E.D.D and make them stand for something cheesy. I also thought about theme, perhaps the BLU guy is a part of a special unit of commandos who go on suicide missions. So his whole job is to assault the enemy base and raise as much hell as possible. Perhaps he gets more pay for his family or something the more enemies he kills. 

I also considered doing an Assembly (Chinese war movie) idea, where he's told to hold out until the order to retreat is given, but the order will never come. 

Idk, maybe it works. I just wanna make sure to have some kind of story.

Not sure why this screenshot turned out so dark.