Summary 2022

This year is not very pleasant to do summary, but I want to keep annual tradition. And I already did some semi-summary in the middle of the year so this should be easier.

Indie projects are still only my hobby that I do during my free time aside from my primary game dev job. But this year broke my rhythm: it hard to do hobby during the dark times when your head is occupied with searching for security for yourself and your family... I've changed my job and moved to another country.

Projects that I developed a lot, but still far from release:

• WORLDS, more details will be below
• a logic game about blocks in pseudo-soviet style (working title is 'blockage')
• some kind of successor of COLORUS (my old game), casual metroidvania
• new shoot'em'up with top view
• ressurection of HOBO

If 2023 will be merciful, I want to release or move into active production phase at least one project from the list (or new project may be). This is of course not mandatory, especially if I keep spending time to WORLDS.

Speaking of WORLDS, I am already doing it more than a year. But it's true only for the itch.io project. In fact idea of this project came to my head more than a decade ago. During years concept transformed a lot and continue changing into something that I like to spend my resources for. A lot of the components are still missing, it is early to play and understand it. I want to believe that after 3-4 updates base of the game will be solid, fan will be visible and systems will "click" one with another. I have possible plans for development for dozens of future updates if the entropy of projects will not destroy me completely.

But I need to accept that this project and another are in some sort of development hell. Almost every mentioned projects are stuck in some kind of design problem that I don't know how to solve yet. No worries, it will be solved.

The main value for me is still not result, but the regularity of my indie time. Be the samurai without the target, but with the path. Thanks for reading, I wish you successes in the future year.

Year Progress ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 50%

 Just to reduce dept for this year summary, I decided to give a quick overview to my indie progress 2022.

As I planned, WORLDS game (still working title) got an update in January. I've focused on interactions with bandits (that can ambush you): now you can try to negotiate them. Besides that map roads are updated, used Poission-Disc algorithm to fill map with locations and A* algorithm based on nodes to path-find best routes. More changes are listed at itch.io update page. The game is still raw in fact and I can't recommend you to try it. I already have big plans for next updates and it is what I passioned about for the now. 

Then I spent few months on creating new vision for one of my prototypes. Originally it is block building game in the setting of soviet-like history slice from 50s to now days. But I eventually stuck in some sort of dead end, where I'm not sure how to evolve the game in something interesting. Still a lot of problems, but I definitely will continue or somehow will re-use this idea because there is something interesting inside it. Decides do not put link for playtest demo but it is existing somewhere.

It is was tough time actually because war started. It was hard to accept, it was shocking and not a lot of options what you actually can do against it. By coincidence I moved to Turkey for a month right at the beginning. And at the start of April there was 20th anniversary of Ludum Dare with Ludum Dare 50. So when I decided to participate it, idea for the game (theme was "Delay the inevitable") threw up out of me without any efforts. The final game as always was made under Compo category in 48 hours. It is something like autocracy simulator but where the end of dictator is inevitable. It also has bonus music track: complete all 5 endings or just type 'bonus'. In my opinion the game is ugly and almost unplayable but I also got some very positive feedback, you could play it through LD page 'Your Regime'.

And the last thing I want to mention is the first demo for my another new concept. I'm planning something metroidvania-like arcade game with some aesthetic and story exploration focus. It is only the first demo, and there a lot of things that I cut here (e.g. almost no sounds) just to finish it to break free to other projects. But if you interested, you can use pass 'monday' to download the prototype for Windows or macOS from itch.io page.

That's all for now I guess. Pretty satisfied that I finished at least this one post in half of year and it was written in one seat. Love you all!