I released a new version tonight, just a little ahead of schedule because I felt like I was at a decent cut-off spot. This version of the “game” still isn’t really much of a game. You can walk around in a very tiny world and a house loads in. There is a very basic collision detection system running, but there is a rudimentary map that actually does control where the player can move. I’m going to put together a development roadmap page to help me make decisions about what features to implement in what order, but for now go check out the little sphere you can walk around a house.
Month: January 2025
Version reset
Release AnnouncementI’m releasing v0.00.001 (2025.01.20) today as a reset point for this round of trying to make a game. As you might expect from v0.00.001 there isn’t much to it. You can walk a sphere around a randomly generated world of cubes. It’s very exciting. But I started there to start establishing the look and feel I want for the game eventually. I like the “top-down but in 3D” idea and I think I can stick with that. I’ll get together a feature implementation list and try to start creating some more features of, you know, an actual game. I would like to release a new version every week and Monday seems like as good a day as any, so I’ll do my best to get a new version 0.00.002 out on Monday the 27th.
The visuals
UncategorizedMy idea for the game visually is basically a 3D world on a 2D grid with a top-down point of view. This way I don’t have to deal with all of the complexities of 3D collision detection but I still have some stylistic freedom with the world rather than being cornered into standard pixel art if I did a straight 2D game. The player will be able to move in any direction and the camera will be looking down at a fixed angle. To avoid needing any kind of “x-ray” functionality where the player character is visible behind objects that are blocking him/her from the camera, the camera will be able to rotate 90 degrees at a time around the player character. So, if the player character is behind a tree or a building or some other obstacle, the player can just rotate the camera until he can see the character again to control him/her. This will also take full advantage of the fully rendered 3D world and hopefully create a fun exploration experience.
I have the very basic of some cubes moving around on a plane to represent the look that I eventually want, but once I get the simplest of environments put together I’ll start publishing some screenshots and even very, very early versions of the “game.”
Here we go again
UncategorizedI’ve been a way for quite a while just because of a lack of motivation (mostly due to my working situation) but as of January, 2025 I have a new job and a renewed sense of direction so I’m getting back to the game. I’ve decided that if I don’t have something concrete that is at least beginning to resemble a playable game by December 31, 2025, I’m just going to drop the idea entirely and find something else to spend my free time on.
That being said, I have an idea for how the game could look and I really like it. I’ve been working on some basic visuals and I think this one is finally going to work. I’ll provide some actual details in the near future, but I think I have an idea that I really like and is actually doable. I’ve also been considering some, let’s say “novel” approaches to funding the game. I don’t know how that’s going to pan out right now, but all options are on the table. I don’t need the game to make enough money for me to live on right away, but it’s also not a charity project and I would like to make at least some money for my efforts eventually. But that will all come later. For now, I’m cleaning up some stuff on the site and will get back to posting here somewhat regularly, so stay tuned.