Dear Scholars,
In my previous entry, I pondered the paths of seeking a publisher or investor versus embracing full independence for the journey. Today, I'm excited to announce my decision to finally cease my pursuit of a business partnership. It was a time consuming process that ultimately proved fruitless because of what state the games industry finds itself in right now. Due to some expected crash, it's nearly impossible to secure funding for a game even by an established studio, let alone a debuting one. Without the further need to keep polishing the publisher demo in hopes to appease some people in suits, I can now dedicate my energy entirely to the long term goal of bringing the game to your hands as soon as possible. This means my "Plan B" is being put into motion and that is preparing for an Early Access release, which would otherwise be skipped if I managed to get funded via a business partnership.
As part of this pivot, a public testing event is on the horizon, likely in late summer this year, and most certainly before the year's end. Depending on how this unfolds, we might see a public demo by the end of 2024 or, at the latest, in the first half of 2025, with a realistic aim for Early Access in the second half of 2025.
Depending on the reception of the alpha tests and/or the demo I might also consider running some form of crowdfunding to ensure I can pursue the goal without interruptions, or even hire additional people along the way. Being able to work on the game full time has been my dream ever since the project started.
Thus, 2024 promises to be the year when you'll finally step into the world of Selenwald! Keep an eye out for future diary entries and join the Discord community for frequent development updates and some occasional discussions.
In the upcoming entry, I'll venture deeper into the core of the codebase refactor discussed previously. I'll explain its purpose, illustrate with examples, and take a closer look at the nuances of code architecture design. For the current and aspiring programmers, this might prove a useful resource. Meanwhile, those with a general curiosity might appreciate a glimpse into how games are crafted from the ground up.
With this in mind, I wish you all a new year filled with energy and enthusiasm that mirrors my own.
Thank you for reading,
Wiktor