SeveralBytes
Alan joined
I’m an indie game developer, still fairly new to game development and currently using Unity3D. My first game, The Willow Effect, was written in C++ and uses the terminal/console to play in and is a short text adventure, and is currently in Steam GreenLight. I’m currently working on two projects, Quantum Wing, a top down shoot em up where you don’t have any weapons and Station Generator a tool for generating space stations, primarily for use in space themed table top games. Both use unity and share code which reduces the overhead of working on two projects at once.
My Blogs
The game is out you guys, go get it, tell me what you think! :D It's over on itch at
It comes with a few extras I've been working on for the release. It's got a developers commentary video where I play the game and give a few tid bits of info on the games development. I've also included a post development review, just shy of 2,500 words of what it was like to do the project for a first time developer. There's a spoiler free walk through for anyone who gets stuck and just needs a little hand to move on, or someone who wants to just experience the story without worrying about solving any puzzles really.
Hopefully there's something in there for most people to enjoy, not forgetting the game itself!
So tomorrow see's the release of The Willow Effect: Prologue. I haven't posted much lately because all my spare time has been working towards making sure everything is ready for tomorrow's release! And I still have plenty to do. I'm currently editing my developers commentary/lets play video and still have to finish and edit the postmortem as well. However things are moving along and I think I should be able to make it without having to push back release unless something else happens in the mean times but I'm not expecting any surprises (who does?) so fingers crossed!
I hope you check it out and if you do, I really hope you enjoy it, it'll be available on itch.io here:
So I've hit version 0.94 for The Willow Effect. I'm so close now, I can almost taste it. I'm starting to get pretty excited not just about finishing, but getting started on the follow up game. But I'm trying to be as disciplined as I can and keep working on TWE.
There are no major technical hurdles left at this stage and the narrative is pretty much done excepting a few tweaks here and there. I'm just waiting on a bit more feedback so I know what really needs polishing. I'm too close to it to really tell myself ya know.
There's also some supplementary media I'd like to do for the game before it releases that I'll include in the download. A postmortem of some description and maybe a lets play style directors commentary and I think a spoiler free walk-through in case people get stuck they won't have to far to go for an answer.
Another issue I'm debating with myself is whether or not to leave people to option to leave a tip (The game is going to be free) or just to have payments switched off entirely. Any comments would be appreciated on that one :)
Beyond that there's a few bits to do like write up the instructions into a nice PDF maybe get some licensing/legal stuff put into it. I think I'll take the Beta down and release maybe a month after that when I have all the media together and release it as a complete set. Then game number 2!
I've a pretty firm idea about how I want game number 2 to work and what it's going to include and not include from a narrative perspective. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the core mechanics as they're going to be much more complex and hopefully more engaging and natural as a result.
So that's were I'm at now and where I'll be heading in the future. Life is about to get a fair bit more hectic for me though so things are likely to slow down. I'm starting a six month course at work and as my baby girls gets bigger she needs more of my time (and she'll get it) but I won't stop developing.
I've been plugging away on The Willow Effect since January one and off and I'm really eager to get it finished. It's a small game but I work a full time job and have a family so time is at a high premium. But I'm nearly there. On version 0.9 now. All I need is some feedback and I'll be able to stick a fork in it, do a little marketing, spread the word etc and I can start on game the second.
I've been making quite a few plans for it, and since it's a direct follow up to The Willow Effect will slot in nicely. Kinda starting a franchise I guess? Ideally I'd love to do a point and click adventure game but my graphics skills don't lie in that direction so I'll continue as I am with a text adventure. Hopefully something relatively modern.
I'm looking forward to getting stuck into chapter one, I've loads of plans for making the parser more sophisticated and hopefully easier for people to get into and enjoy.
What are you working on?
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