I think TEKO is finished.
I'll quickly explain the latest patch (u9.1.1) and then I'll tell you some important things.
- Improved the run save system: previously, when closing the game suddenly or exiting from the settings to the main menu, the run would save in any intermediate state no matter what, so sometimes when trying to return to the run, the game would get frozen between states. I actually shouldn't have ever put those 2 save points because the game was already saving well enough, and it was what caused the biggest issues. The run now saves correctly when the player is on the Shop Filter screen (the new feature). It no longer saves in the shop when using items even if you're not in the shop (this error has been happening since it became possible to use consumables on the play screen). You should now be able to exit to the Main Menu in the middle of chip plays (I had previously forbidden this due to bugs). According to my fixes, it only has to save when you draw chips for the first time, once per round. In the shop, it should save whenever items are used or bought.
I finally understand why many indie games take months to make a system like this. Some games even leave EA and still haven't finished their Save System. Well, in my case, it's guaranteed that it should work at least 90%. Please, if you notice specific things that don't save correctly, let me know. I promise to fix everything I'm aware of. I tested it on my own and didn't see any bugs! remember that the game gets little feedback, there are only a few of us playing TEKO.
- Now, if the player has a lot of chips, on the chip display on the play screen, the text will shrink so it fits properly.
- When entering the Codex, Preview Boss, Settings, or Pocket selector (all menu screens), previously on Discord/Steam's rich presence it appeared as if the player was in a run instead of "Main Menu". This has now been fixed.
- The tutorial screen for new players was changed to match the current aesthetics.
That's all.
Since I started creating my third game, I've come up with things for TEKO. This is great, it seems my imagination is back at its peak. I feel really good and I'd like to keep it that way. Maybe, by putting energy into another project, I've stopped feeling so much pressure with TEKO. Or maybe it's a mental effect generated because TEKO's development is finally coming to an end. Just to clarify, this doesn't mean I won't make content expansions. Finishing the technical development is one thing, and the amount of gameplay is another. TEKO aims to be infinite in that regard.
In a few months, I'll probably need testers for the 3D RPG I'm creating. So you can join the Discord. I'll announce and give important information there in the future.
I'd like to improve my first game (Almohadin). It's finished, but there are things I never polished, like the interface. And I'd also like to make a system for it to be played entirely with a keyboard or controller, because I've noticed it's easy to implement in such a simple game. Thanks to my TEKO knowledge, I'm capable of improving my first game. Maybe I'll do it at some point. I'll never close the doors on continuing to develop any of my projects. This is something I love doing. And I still love AEFTB just as much as the first day. I have a sense of attachment to every game I make. It's very likely that in a few months we might see a beautiful, huge update that will leave everyone surprised. I don't promise it 100%, but I want you to know it's in my plans to continue with all of this.
I made an important post on Patreon (it's FREE), giving some conclusions on TEKO's balance, in case you're curious and want to see some interesting data.
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be able to take a vacation. It seems that made my project improve. I remember that at the beginning of the vacation, I got really stressed because I overloaded myself with tasks. I think this was inevitable. I took my time, meaning I didn't rush as much, but I still got tired. This is normal. It's something you have to go through. I don't want people to think I'm sick of the project just because I got exhausted for a few days! for as long as I can remember, I know that when I'm about to finish a long job, the exact same thing happens to me. And well, what happened to me a few weeks ago was a sign that TEKO was about to be completed. Now I feel a great sense of joy. I feel liberated. In fact, that's why the RPG idea came up, because I was able to clear my mind.
The truth is, it doesn't matter what happens anymore. I finished it. I did what I promised. TEKO is a fact, it's real. I'm satisfied now, I finished it just the way I imagined it from the beginning (even better). I don't regret anything, these 2 years of development, all the effort it took, the frustration. Today I can say I overcame it. I want that, even if only 5 people play my little game, the few who have seen it, to be witnesses of what consistency can achieve, and for it to serve as an example for their own lives; in the end, that's what all this I achieved is about: inspiring others. If I could do it, you can too. Don't give up, and even if you have obligations and boring things in life, never forget what makes you happy and truly entertains you, and never abandon your inner child. Finally, I did what I promised Pixi many years ago. If my old friend were real, he would be proud.