This first post will be focused on detailing exactly the current state of the game overall. And the direction for the coming months.
Nobody Astral Travel - Review Of Overall Progress
A bulk of the game's original planned look and feel has been created and implemented since first laid down over 2 years ago. Time was spent to design, think on and improve on and acquire neccesary assets.
Next year I would like to make one where I push to create and complete this project moreso.
However moving forward I need an assessment of where we are in development.
In the background of 2022 while working on asteria we still managed to allot some time to this project organization & re-attachment to this project was my focus, These are the major points detailing where we currently are in development.
Progress: The Lore
The lore is refined so far down to the basic concepts of the game's original storyline. Being a nobody, meeting your shadow in the dream world doing certain tasks in which you may encounter story content and thus certain areas of the UI have already had to have been created for this such as dialogue menus. Apart from that, the main story hasn't been fleshed out yet however the ideas are noted and the shell of depth is being formed.
Progress: The Game User Interface
Almost all parts of the UI (User Interface) work as intended with only the still "in prototype parts" requiring attention and updating. This accounts for the remaining workload. I could say this is fully completed because it technically is, but I know that I will improve, tweak and possibly add more parts over time until the concept is more refined.
Progress: The Game Mechanics
Game mechanics are currently sitting at various levels of completion. As part of the initial user interface mechanics, we already have implemented lots of the complex navigation for the story based elements and for other areas of story content like combat, skills an stats. User settings, Options settings etc. However they do not really have any effects as of yet past the basic variables.
However, at the writing of this post we are currently in the middle of hooking variables up to a saving and loading system. Once this is done, game mechanics will start to connect more with one another and will begin to deepen in some areas and reach a more final form. As well as being reset on new games and saved between continued games, hopefully starting in the next update.
This is part of the necessary updating so that I can begin to create a game experience rather than a cool concept.
Progress: Sound
Sound is one of the first things I did in game in terms of mechanics. Which is all set for anything of this nature. I've some test audio and have already set it up. This has been so far considered a final polish item, and thus I've spent no time or money on creating anything for this side of the game yet.
However, I have planned the sound themes. So with some audio commissions at the right time and a weekend of implementation, a sound update can surely come.
Progress: Funding, Art, Information, Development Stuff
I began the project by first getting a basic level of mental scope together and into actual art. To help form the game. This means I've a good collection of character portraits, the game logos are already done. Other areas I've done myself and there are things still being worked on that will improve and be added as time progresses on.
I'm not going to be asking for anything from you. I'm all good on the funding and for what I do not have, I will acquire. So if you were worrying about any aspect of that, don't.
Progress: Steam Preparation
One of the other things I've been doing while working on the game is preparing for a steam release purely brought on by the fact I need a good way to have people test the game and the steam platform even before an official release is great for this. I browsed the alternatives. Locations of stores and what's best and steam seems to be the best method of delivery to the people for this game. So I've spent time setting up and paying the steam fees to get it out of the way. All of the store, community and artwork needed has been labeled, marked, and steamworks itself is understood. The whole thing is planned and now it will cost no time for me to do this alongside development. The process is simple.
What about steam extras? We will have cards, emoticons, backgrounds, foils. Achievements will be coming. These are all confirmed as doable and possible. And I've already tested the steam integration for these if required. *thumbs up*
It will serve, as I said, as a way to test things. If anyone wants to test the steam version when it is possible, message me and I can give you a Steam key you can use to download a test version.
What Next?
I am aiming for a 3 month build. Goals of build are as follows:
Finish UI Components.
For future build updates on this project look here in the forums. I may write future blog posts on the project but only at major points. I see no need to waste time on that when I could make a quick post in the dev forum and just get myself lost in the work side of this. I hope you understand. Thank you.