- Boxes, boxes, boxes. - 26 August 2019
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F6442780%2F4410ba72f8628bb4e22e3582793d6327f42c464e.jpg 60 offices done, 7 open floors. 8 floors to go, two additional locations. (and some over-painting post process) And all of them contain boxes. So many boxes! I hope you'll all hate the boxes as much as I hate the boxes. :) Needless to say, the scope of this has expanded a bit, even though the progression is still quite linear like the first 2 acts. Anyhoo, as before I will not be reading comments, but hope you like the look of the posted shot. You will be visiting three companies within the building, each taking up 5 floors with a unique look to each of them.
- Happy 2019! - 13 January 2019
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F6442780%2Fdfeebea0f2b26be9c8ccf065da3599feda7b8e4c.png Here's a quick peek at some Act 3 stuff. Development is still at a glacial pace, but there's some good momentum going. This location shows the style of the first 5 floors of the tower, albeit without the random clutter that is being added. Hope you like! For my own sanity, I won't be reading the comments here. Can't suddenly be demotivated by one stinky comment. :) I'll just imagine it''s all rainbows down there. (Also, don't ask "when" - any answer I try to give will most likely be wrong) Have a good rest of January, and take good care of your mental and physical health. https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F6442780%2Fdf06ef9b91a749eb7d4f2863504e89aa1db55d86.png
- OVER 900!!! - 19 August 2016
Since we spoke last quite a lot has happened. TME has now been updated to Unity 5.4, which is quite a step up from the 4.6 version that's currently deployed. The update will roll out with Act 3. For you this will likely mean some perfomance improvements, especially for Linux users. I've also (down?)graded from Unity Pro to Unity Personal Edition. This decision was a cost-cutting one, more below. I have now also dropped my day job. TME is not paying the bills, so money still has to come from other sources, but I do have a lot more time now to wrap up Act 3. Now, on to that... (ACT 2 SPOILER?) Act 2 left off with us preparing to ascend the tower. The main thing that sets this one apart from acts 1 and 2 is that you will be able to go almost every place inside the tower. This equals over 900 locations. When I say "location" I mean basically mean "node" - like every point where you can stan…
- OVER 900!!! - 19 August 2016
Since we spoke last quite a lot has happened. TME has now been updated to Unity 5.4, which is quite a step up from the 4.6 version that's currently deployed. The update will roll out with Act 3. For you this will likely mean some perfomance improvements, especially for Linux users. I've also (down?)graded from Unity Pro to Unity Personal Edition. This decision was a cost-cutting one, more below. I have now also dropped my day job. TME is not paying the bills, so money still has to come from other sources, but I do have a lot more time now to wrap up Act 3. Now, on to that... (ACT 2 SPOILER?) Act 2 left off with us preparing to ascend the tower. The main thing that sets this one apart from acts 1 and 2 is that you will be able to go almost every place inside the tower. This equals over 900 locations. When I say "location" I mean basically mean "node" - like every point where you can stan…
- The Maker's Eden Act 2 is here! - 15 February 2016
http://indiesquish.com/x2.png After a wait far too long, act 2 has been released! Well, it was actually quietly released about a week ago. Even had one bugfix patch at some stupid hour this morning. If you encounter more, please post in the Bug Reports subforum here. Next, on to act 3! Act 3 development is already underway, but for now I am taking the rest of February off TME. :) Enjoy!
- The Maker's Eden Act 2 is here! - 15 February 2016
http://indiesquish.com/x2.png After a wait far too long, act 2 has been released! Well, it was actually quietly released about a week ago. Even had one bugfix patch at some stupid hour this morning. If you encounter more, please post in the Bug Reports subforum here. Next, on to act 3! Act 3 development is already underway, but for now I am taking the rest of February off TME. :) Enjoy!
- Act2: Monday 8 Feb! - UPDATE 2 - 2 February 2016
UPDATE 2: So uhhh, it's live, I think. Works for me anyway. :) Now to update the Steam page and do a proper announcement. UPDATE: Slipping the release by 1 day to address some last-minute issues and some feedback items. Tiny announcement and will certainly blow the trumpet louder later in the week. Act 2 is a few bugfixes away from releasable. Got some gamebreakers to fix this evening, then will distribute beta builds for one last round of testing. 8 Feb is probably further away than needed, but since my ability to predict development times suck, methinks it's safer that way. Very excited to hear what people make of act 2. It's a very in-between sort of episode, with some of it being info-dumpy and set-up for act 3. But there still are a few exciting moments in there and the production values have gone up a notch or two. Also, the addition of the world map and ability to choose destinat…
- Act2: Monday 8 Feb! - UPDATE 2 - 2 February 2016
UPDATE 2: So uhhh, it's live, I think. Works for me anyway. :) Now to update the Steam page and do a proper announcement. UPDATE: Slipping the release by 1 day to address some last-minute issues and some feedback items. Tiny announcement and will certainly blow the trumpet louder later in the week. Act 2 is a few bugfixes away from releasable. Got some gamebreakers to fix this evening, then will distribute beta builds for one last round of testing. 8 Feb is probably further away than needed, but since my ability to predict development times suck, methinks it's safer that way. Very excited to hear what people make of act 2. It's a very in-between sort of episode, with some of it being info-dumpy and set-up for act 3. But there still are a few exciting moments in there and the production values have gone up a notch or two. Also, the addition of the world map and ability to choose destinat…
- A very creative studio needs help! - 28 January 2016
https://arcengames.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Doomsday-Victory-4-300x169.jpg Not a Maker's Eden post. (plan is to aim to roll out act 2 on Sunday, incidentally) It's about a studio called Arcen that's in some trouble. The reason I would post about this one in particular is that it's a studio that consistently tries new things and does interesting things. The medium as a whole NEEDS studios like them. Their output might not always be for everyone, but their creativity and ambition is what has kept them one of my favourite game developers over the years. The blog post. What can we do? Well, if you all bought some Arcen titles on Steam or elsewhere, this would already help immensely. Also, spread the word! Their games Some of my favourites are: The Last Federation, Bionic Dues and the new one, Starward Rogue.
- The lineup! Aren't they pretty? - 8 December 2015
http://screwylightbulb.com/tmex2b.jpg Character art and one week crunch went very well! I'll have an actual release date soon. (It'll be in January). And I suppose we better make a trailer also! Thanks for your patience thus far!
- The lineup! Aren't they pretty? - 8 December 2015
http://screwylightbulb.com/tmex2b.jpg Character art and one week crunch went very well! I'll have an actual release date soon. (It'll be in January). And I suppose we better make a trailer also! Thanks for your patience thus far!
- You see: A release plan! - 13 November 2015
http://screwylightbulb.com/x2mol.jpg Character art progressing nicely and looking rather swank! The plan is to have Act 2 in final testing by the end of next week, the 20th. Then, tweaks and bugfixes for a bit, aaand boom! In the mean time, I present to you, Molly, admiring her taxi, and also a new character. Her name is Zeelicht and she monitors the production of androids at a big facility nicknamed "Mother". Is she friend or foe? Guess we'll find out. http://screwylightbulb.com/x2zee.jpg
- You see: A release plan! - 13 November 2015
http://screwylightbulb.com/x2mol.jpg Character art progressing nicely and looking rather swank! The plan is to have Act 2 in final testing by the end of next week, the 20th. Then, tweaks and bugfixes for a bit, aaand boom! In the mean time, I present to you, Molly, admiring her taxi, and also a new character. Her name is Zeelicht and she monitors the production of androids at a big facility nicknamed "Mother". Is she friend or foe? Guess we'll find out. http://screwylightbulb.com/x2zee.jpg
- September Update: Hang in there! - 28 September 2015
Stop me if you've heard this one before: Hang in there just a bit longer! Act 2 development going slowly, but moving forward. Development is nearly complete, but a butt-tonne of character art still needs to be done. I guess this is one of the things about going episodic. It's not easy unless you are pulling in big studio money, or otherwise able to work full time on it. Also from a consumer perspective it can be frustrating. I too have a series or two I am waiting on for new episodes. :) Another episodic title, The Journey Down, is heading back to Kickstarter to fund its episode 3. If you are a supporter of TJD and would like to support them, you can check that out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/983397390/the-journey-down Luckily we don't need to seek funding for our act 2. Just time. Or adopting some unhealthy work habits, but I've been there and definitely not doing that a…
- September Update: Hang in there! - 28 September 2015
Stop me if you've heard this one before: Hang in there just a bit longer! Act 2 development going slowly, but moving forward. Development is nearly complete, but a butt-tonne of character art still needs to be done. I guess this is one of the things about going episodic. It's not easy unless you are pulling in big studio money, or otherwise able to work full time on it. Also from a consumer perspective it can be frustrating. I too have a series or two I am waiting on for new episodes. :) Another episodic title, The Journey Down, is heading back to Kickstarter to fund its episode 3. If you are a supporter of TJD and would like to support them, you can check that out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/983397390/the-journey-down Luckily we don't need to seek funding for our act 2. Just time. Or adopting some unhealthy work habits, but I've been there and definitely not doing that a…
- July - Anatomy of a Scene - 19 July 2015
Happy July! To those who picked up The Maker's Eden during the recent Steam sale, welcome aboard the "waiting for act 2" train! :) Consider yourselves lucky though as the wait won't be quite as long as for some other folks. We're coming up on the first year anniversary since the launch of Act 1, after all. Progress has been steady, with most of the work being done outside of the house in a cafe where there's less to distract. In fact, this is exactly where I am right now writing this. So far in act 1 we've mostly just seen the parts of the city that is lived in, but there's another part of the city that's in less good shape. Below is a comparison of what a scene from that part looks like in-game, vs the layers that make it up. You'll notice that it's not flat panels, nor is it 100% accurate 3D. It's just enough 3D so that when the camera moves side to side, or when a light source moves…
- July - Anatomy of a Scene - 19 July 2015
Happy July! To those who picked up The Maker's Eden during the recent Steam sale, welcome aboard the "waiting for act 2" train! :) Consider yourselves lucky though as the wait won't be quite as long as for some other folks. We're coming up on the first year anniversary since the launch of Act 1, after all. Progress has been steady, with most of the work being done outside of the house in a cafe where there's less to distract. In fact, this is exactly where I am right now writing this. So far in act 1 we've mostly just seen the parts of the city that is lived in, but there's another part of the city that's in less good shape. Below is a comparison of what a scene from that part looks like in-game, vs the layers that make it up. You'll notice that it's not flat panels, nor is it 100% accurate 3D. It's just enough 3D so that when the camera moves side to side, or when a light source moves…
- May Update - 12 May 2015
Happy May, all! So, I took 2 weeks off the day job to both unwind a bit and to get some Act 2 stuff done. Glad to say I rate 10/10 on both those things! Most of the work has gone towards putting the completed artwork in-engine. I am dying to show you guys what it all looks like, but with such a short game I feel like every reveal is a spoiler to some extent. So instead, here's one big scene, again outside and in the rain: http://makerseden.screwylightbulb.com/uploads/uppowerstation-2.png And here are a few of the others, but super tiny because I'm a tease like that: http://makerseden.screwylightbulb.com/uploads/uptease.png The individual bits and bobs of act 2 are almost done (except the character art, but we're kinda waiting till the near end before diving into that too deeply), and the only real challenge that remain is the save system. I have touched on this before, but to summarise:…
- May Update - 12 May 2015
Happy May, all! So, I took 2 weeks off the day job to both unwind a bit and to get some Act 2 stuff done. Glad to say I rate 10/10 on both those things! Most of the work has gone towards putting the completed artwork in-engine. I am dying to show you guys what it all looks like, but with such a short game I feel like every reveal is a spoiler to some extent. So instead, here's one big scene, again outside and in the rain: http://makerseden.screwylightbulb.com/uploads/uppowerstation-2.png And here are a few of the others, but super tiny because I'm a tease like that: http://makerseden.screwylightbulb.com/uploads/uptease.png The individual bits and bobs of act 2 are almost done (except the character art, but we're kinda waiting till the near end before diving into that too deeply), and the only real challenge that remain is the save system. I have touched on this before, but to summarise:…
- Progress update - Act 2! - 1 April 2015
This is the day one would expect some joke-announcement like "all further development cancelled" or "it's now about pink ponies". But that'd just be mean, and we best leave that to other people. Still plodding away at Act 2. It's going slowly, but we're getting there and I have booked some crunch-time off the ol' day-job in April to get it done. Most of the asset creation has been completed and the rest is coming together nicely. The music too is sounding dang smooth. In fact, my greatest worry about Act 2 is that it's all just so much better than Act 1 and people will feel it's out of place. I like how it has evolved though and would love to go back and do a bit of reduxing of Act 1 eventually. Another day, another alley. Below is a quick work-in-progress shot showing what the artwork looks like vs. what it looks like in-game with the weather added. This particular scene is also camera…
