Hi all!
I'm excited to share with you news of the upcoming early-access debug for ProtonVR!
If you'll allow me, I wish to convey my absolute gratitude to everyone of you, throughout the many corners of the world, who have shown excitement and passion for this game I'm making.
It's my first game, my nerves are in overdrive with anticipation of what will happen.
Will I be able to see it through? Will players like it? Will it sell well enough on steam to make it through to Meta and Pico? On and on goes the mental hamster running in it's little wheel...
So many questions and so few answers, so... f#ck it, lets launch the thing and get to work.
State of the game
It sounds cliché, but being Early Access, it does not either... I feel that the game is not ready for release.
-> I did add an entire new gameplay-loop and an entire level to the game.
The level ATOMICS requires you to perform a lot of tasks with machines in the level whilst getting shot at. I wanted to escape the archetypical "Enter Room - Kill Everything - Room Unlocks" loop.
The reason I did that is cause it felt safe but in the end, I need to design the damn game not just code it and sprinkle pixel-art and awesome guns on it.
(Lessons learned: No more overhead platforms for enemies to soft-lock you and no giant maps)
-> I also fixed a lot of major bugs that were reported in the demo. (There's many still to resolve!!)
-> Player base got a little love (just a little) with a few informational props so you know what is going on new in the game, and what I'm working on. (if you are too lazy to check it on steam, which I can understand)
-> Player is a bit faster (as requested) but I'm still cooking up something to make the player even faster.
Why launch now, if I don't feel it is ready?
There are two major reasons:
1) Because I said so, and I'd like to believe myself a developer of my word.
2) And also because this solo-endeavour is dangerously close of running out of runway!
Which means it's time to lay it all on the line. I think any developer worth it his grit postpones his game until as late as possible.
The opportunity to get a little return and an actual income will to allow me to continue this full-time, otherwise I will obviously commit myself to getting back to work and making this game part-time, which slows things down incredibly.
I've always been transparent with you all regarding this, and I always will. It's me making this post, not Monica from Marketing and Multimedia. (sorry for any Monica out there)
Future of ProtonVR post Early-Access
Well that pretty simple:
Finish it to 1.0
Ship it onto Meta store
Ship it to Pico store
Make a next game. (not VR)
What will 1.0 be like?
The game took so many unexpected turns from it's initial inception that I cannot say for sure 100% what will the 1.0 be like.
Look... What is on the steam page is what I am professionally committed to achieve, because that is effectively what I am selling:
Over 30 Guns (missing many weapons!)
Skills and Gadgets (still not implemented)
Player Upgrades (partially there)
Multiple Game Modes (Being worked on)
Procedurally Generated Levels (Rogue Game-Mode) (Being worked on)
Static hand-crafted Levels (Being worked on)
Here's what I promise to prioritize, above all else: A polished and fun gameplay experience.
Fun fact about that static hand-crafted level: It became Citadel level, which was supposed to be procedural but ended up becoming a disaster of map-design and navigation, so I ditched that and am focusing on a map that the player eventually becomes familiar with, but has many objectives and things to do (those can be sort of procedural)
Screenshots
Player base got an extension!
One of the many crucial machines: A Nuclear Reactor
Trust me you will need this.
Close up of information terminals (Coming Soon, Changelog, messages from me, etc...)
A steam turbine!
Level selector!!
Propaganda for the Titan Navy: Ex Inferis Ad Astra!
A Lending hand from wonderful interns
I am also humbled and excited to share with you all that since Next Fest Ended I've had the privilege of getting a helping hand from a few amazing and passionate Interns from my local University!
With a generous amount of guidance and lots of room to work they practically did the Atomics level tile-set and props by themselves and the posters!!
I gotta say, I hope to be able to direct some resources into getting some commissions from them when their internship ends.
They picked up the pixel-art style, the rules, the techniques and feel for the game's over-all aesthetic so fast, and I even learned a thing or two from them!
Thank you Bernardo. Thank you Angel. Thank you Miguel.
You guys are amazing.
(you will see easter-eggs referencing them soon!)