My game, Lami: A Cup of Code & Coffee, has won the Popularity Award at the Taiwan Bahamut ACG Creation Contest!!
This award is quite special because it wasn't chosen by judges. Instead, it was voted on by the online community. It was all of you, the players and fans, who cast your votes for Lami. I am truly overjoyed! Thank you all for giving me this opportunity!
Standing out among nearly 70 games was already a tremendous challenge. Unfortunately, Lami did not win the approval of the judges, and failed to become a finalist in any category other than the Popularity Award, which inevitably left me feeling a bit discouraged.
Although it might sound arrogant—making it seem like getting an award or making it to the second stage was already difficult enough, and asking for anything more would be greedy—what I really want to express is my own self-reflection.
Over my two-plus years of game development, I've modified and changed so many things. To an outsider, it might look like a stitched-together patchwork monster. The game lacks a clear theme and fails to make its core focus immediately obvious at a glance.
Given the current progress of game production, the demo version I submitted still seems unable to properly convey what I want to express. I suppose the game I want to make is simply bigger than I originally anticipated.
The game I want to create isn't about an epic narrative, a super exciting premise, or thrilling plot twists. It's about a gradual, ordinary daily life.
During the many exhibitions I've attended, people often ask whether my game is a café management game or a programming game.
People who love management sims get scared when they see programming. People who love rhythm or fast-paced games find slow management boring. To be honest, it doesn't please either side. I've often seen or heard similar feedback. Of course it hurts, but I also believe we shouldn't let other people's opinions dictate what we truly want to make.
All I truly want is Lami. After all, the game is called: Lami: A Cup of Code & Coffee
The core focus of the whole game is living together with Lami and experiencing a slightly extraordinary daily life. The stories we experience together with Lami are what truly matter.
Could a game like this ever win the favor of the judges? I think it's nearly impossible. I can't even imagine what kind of feedback judges would give if I won other awards.
Winning the Popularity Award is truly the greatest validation you could all give me, and I feel so blessed. Moving forward, I will keep pushing ahead and faithfully bring the game I envision to life for all of you players.
Thank you for reading this far, and I hope to see you all again next time~