WSC - Devlog Ramble

15/04/2023

Now that WSC is released I do intend to start updating here on Patreon. I don't know my exact schedule yet but it felt apropos to update since the snapshot just released!

So to give everyone an update of where things really are with this project now that it is roaming the wilds:

The story is probably around 60% written.

With overlapping/concurrent routes, the writing doesn't really go the same way as it does for a game like Gilded Shadows.

With GS, when I finish a route and move to the next one, I have to start completely over.

Overlapping routes just don't work in this way. The routes share scenes all the way up to Chapter 8 (they share less and less content as the chapters progress but Chapter 8 is the last place they share any content at all.)

With Asher's route mostly complete, all those shared scenes are now written. So when I move to Daaz's route, I'll really be writing his variations through the game. Not a full cohesive standalone plot.

In addition to that, when I started the game, I wasn't actually writing it per character but per chapter. That means that all the character paths are about 30% complete already.

So I guess I have about 125,000 words left (based on how big Asher's path ended up being)? I mean, it's not a small amount but also not huge comparatively. (Though I acknowledge that after the size of my last couple of games, my definition of 'huge' is heavily skewed).

As with all projects, the writing is really my first focus. The writing is always the hard part - it is where projects go to die. So getting the writing out of the way first is my plan.

THAT SAID.

I did initially intend to do intro-CGs for the first chapter. I still don't know how the CG situation will work (every chapter, every other chapter...dunno). But I did want to have CGs in the snapshot.

AN ASIDE: Istg, I can never type snapshot correctly on the first try. EVER. Shapsnot, Snapstop, Snapshop, Snapstap...there is always SOME kind of shenanigan that my hands are doing when I try to type this word. LoL! 😡

ANYWAY.

AS I WAS SAYING.

I did want to have CGs but I wasn't sure I'd get them done in time and I knew I had to release Reuben's route so I ended up deciding to leave them out to remove a stressor. But I also...really want to have them.

So I'm now working on getting those done so I can update the s n a p s h o t with them.

I have  Daaz's CG done and Raif's in progress.

And then I'll go back to fully focusing on writing. LoL!

Anyway, I don't remember if I've talked about the features I want the game to have but here we go:

- Flowcharts. 

I do think I've mentioned these. BUT. Just like with Gilded Shadows, I do want to show flowcharts for this game.

First of all, I personally dislike when people refer to this game structure as "linear" - it's not. The branching in WSC is way more intense than the branching in Gilded Shadows. This is Chapter Four. If this is linear, Gilded Shadows is a 1 dimensional point in space-time.

My issue with games like this is that they do seem deceptively simple. And I hope that by putting a flowchart in, it does show that not only is there a lot of content available but that's not just the same thing in every path. Things do flow a little differently.

-Affinity tracking.

This is another thing I intend to do in this game. The choices through the first few chapters affect different characters differently and some choices affect multiple characters at a time. Sometimes it's really obvious who has the highest affinity with a given choice, but other times it's not. So I wanted a way for the player to be able to see what was going on with choices.

Now. Some players don't like affinity tracking. But I also hate having to put a toggle for everything. Especially because it just clogs up the UI with all these toggle buttons. So I decided to put the affinity tracking in its own little window that you can access if you want. It still required an additional button, but the quick menu set up can handle additional buttons.

Obviously the other things you get in this game are the glossary (which will eventually have an index you can sort and read through) and the 'translator'.

Since I did create multiple languages for this game (because WHY NOT?), I thought it would be fun to use them more frequently in the text and also let people see the translations if they want because a lot of them are not translated in context.

I am really having fun with experimenting with different features and different ways of doing things.

As always, every game is a learning experience and trying something new means thinking outside the usual box for me. I've learned a lot about game design just working on this game so far.

Anyway! This is getting extra rambly so I'm going to stop now.

LoL!

That is where WSC stands now and I'll continue to do devlog updates for the game going forward now that it has had a public release.

See you...next time. Whenever that is!

Sneak Peaks and Snippets: