So the reason that I’m taking a hiatus from my running vlog is because, fun though it is to make videos, the editing process does take a lot of time – and I need to prioritise other fun things at the moment, namely the frighteningly large text adventure game that I’m making for the next big competition. As such, in lieu of my Monday vlog share, I’ll be doing a weekly update on here about the game project.
Last year, I made the first section of this game – an excerpt called Pre-Marie that I entered into IntroComp. The full game is called, perhaps unsurprisingly, Marie, and it has turned out to be an absolute behemoth. All my games start out as behemoths but most of them get ruthlessly hacked down to size due to the time constraints of the game jams I make them for. I had three months to make Marie, starting from the beginning of April when I finished Barry Basic and the Quick Escape, and believe me I have found I need every spare minute of those three months. It’s an ambitious project, but I’m so determined to get it finished.
I’m halfway through the project now. I spent April planning out the game, am spending May coding, and will be spending June making the bells and whistles (graphics and music) and doing as much playtesting as possible. I expect it will get a bit tight at the end (game projects always do!) but I’m so invested in this game and it will be so worth it when it’s complete.
I’ve been getting a lot of very good reception for Barry Basic and the Quick Escape, which has been really lovely and encouraging and has spurred me on to keep working really hard on my game creation! The game came second in the jam, which meant that as a top five game it was entered into the ‘Scott’s Choice’ award shortlist, judged by adventure game legend Scott Adams. I’m thrilled to say that I won the Scott’s Choice award, and will soon be the proud wearer of the prize t-shirt!
The halfway point feels a bit scary as I’ve still got so much to do, but I know I can do it!
July will most definitely be a month spent playing other people’s games instead…