Devlog #5 -- April 5th, 2021

[Note: This is a devlog regarding a project that is in development. The full game has not been released at this time. To stay up to date, follow me on my twitter]

Hard to believe it's been nearly THREE months since my last update! I can't thank everyone enough for their patience. This post is a big one, as it includes a playable "Movement Demo" for the game. You can scroll down to download the file, or stick around to learn more about the progress on the game.

As a reminder, there is a forum topic for "Feed the Crown" over at Weight Gaming, so feel free to join the discussion there.

What took so long?!

I certainly did not intend to take this long in between updates, but life happens! This was a colossal update for me because I spent the last three months essentially recreating the game from the ground up. Every single line of code, from the collision system, to the animal powers, to the camera, has been altered. Additionally, you'll find that most of the art assets have either been updated or entirely replaced.

At the beginning of the year I looked at the state of the game and felt discouraged by a lot of it. Of course I was proud of what I had done during the game jam, and I had phenomenal support from friends at the Weight Gaming forum, but so much of the game felt clunky and more amateurish than I was willing to accept. In January, I decided to really give this thing a go and began reading articles, watching GDC videos, and pushing myself to improve my skillset. As it turns out, that stuff takes a lot of time!

While I still have SO much more to learn, I hope you'll find this demo as evidence of how far the project has come since the original game jam entry.

Surveys and Feedback

Included in the Movement Demo is a link to a short survey. By taking it, you directly help me improve the game. Any and all input is invaluable to me and the project.

As a small token of my thanks, anyone who completes the survey will have the option to be credited as a "Play Tester" when the game eventually releases.

Now What?

At one point I had alluded to providing an estimated release date with this devlog, but I've come to realize that I tend to overshoot those by a mile. Ultimately, making a good game is more important to me than making one quickly.

While the demo itself may seem small, the systems that were put into place to make it possible mean that I have made huge strides in the production of the overall game. I'm going to allow some time for everyone who is interested to provide feedback using the survey, and then I'll get back to work refining any core mechanics that need more attention.

In the mean time, I'll continue cooking up additional hazards, enemies, and of course... fun opportunities with the Queens.

Thanks for everything!

- Roops