take a look, folks! it's a brand new location.
I'm working hard on the game, as per usual. Soon I'll be heading to Mexico to bang out the demo, which will be available before the year's end.
I'll continue posting art and progress, free for everyone to view, and when the demo is released, patreon backers at every level will get to play!
2017-11-23 22:00:00 +0000 UTC View PostHey folks, just keeping you updated on Pairanormal's progress. We have two major announcements!
that's right folks, I've found the -perfect- musician to score this game. He was actually my first pick, and after shooting an email to him, he was down! I want y'all to know that the money you are pledging in the following months is going directly into that brilliant man's pockets. YOUR PLEDGES allowed me to hire an AWESOME musician.
(yeah, yeah, but who is he?) You'll have to wait until the demo comes out to find out!
as of right now, 90% of the game's demo/first chapter has been written. It features about 3 different scenes, and interactions with ALL the dateable characters. Once it's completed being written, I'll have to produce a little more art (which all patreon supporters will get access to!), and then put it all together. A VERY rough estimation of the amount of work left tells me that the demo might be available this December.
Patreon supporters will get a copy of the game's demo on the day of its release! Thanks so much for supporting us!
The final boss, from StarSlam! I finished her~~~
This image took a surprisingly long amount of time, considering how simple the game's style is. I figured out how to automate that awesome dithering, but it took a while to get used to it!
2017-10-16 08:27:44 +0000 UTC View Posthey folks! Yesterday I streamed some art and answered questions from folks on the Geek Remix server. Since the stream was not recorded, I wanted to write an abridged version of the answers to the questions I got, as well as post the art that I made during the stream.
Q: What has been your favorite part (or parts!) so far of creating the dating sim?
A: The art is by far the most fun! I have been challenging myself with the visual novel backgrounds, and the characters have been easy and enjoyable to make
Q: Which characters did you have the easiest and hardest time designing?
A: Mari and Stacy were definitely the easiest, as I know them and their personalities better, and I have met them in person. Minx was probably the biggest challenge, since of all the YouTube characters, she had the least references available of her appearance. But recently I've gotten to know her better. I should note that all dateable characters were consulted as to what their in-game personas looked like, and I didn't publish the images until they'd okayed it!
Q: Which dating option would you be most interested in if you were playing the game?
A: Hard to say, since I'm writing all of them!
Q: what are your favorite dating sims? did you use any as inspiration for this game?
The games I'm using as an inspiration--gameplay only, of course!--are "Cute Demon Crashers" and "Coming Out On Top" which are more about getting to know a character and developing a relationship with them, rather than "say the right thing" and "buy a character's affection" based mechanics popularized in many other dating sims.
Q: Do you get a positive outcome with any character you choose to date regardless what you say to them?
I would say, yes, you will always get a positive outcome, but not always necessarily a romantic outcome. In most dating sims, negative outcomes are a punishment to players who say the wrong things, but since all dateable characters in this game have real-life counterparts, it also doubles as a way for players to roleplay harassment. I don't want to enable that.
Q: Will characters only be romanceable based on their real life sexualities?
A: The player character is a gender neutral individual, or at least, their gender is never specified in the game. As such, its easier to any player self-insert, and its possible for all dateable characters to "stay true" to their sexualities. I hate to admit it, but this is done purely because it saves me a lot of time and work.
Q: does the game already have a fully fleshed out storyline/s or is that still being built upon?
Yep! I wrote the outline for the whole story in a single night.
Q: What do you have planned for music?
A: Nothing right now. I'm asking some people I have in mind for some quotes to put their music in the game, but its not set in stone at the moment!
Q: Is the game going to be free?
A: Best answer for this right now is: probably not. The truth is we don't actually know how the release would be monetized, if it will be at all. But if it turns out that everyone wants to later on, I don't want to promise anyone anything that we can't do. I will say this, however: Anyone who backs the game's development on our Patreon WILL receive a copy at no extra cost.
That's all folks! I've gotten much better at streaming, so if you missed this one, stay tuned for more!
I'm sure many of my newer patrons have been anticipating this project, and I want to take time now to officially announce it! The Geek Remix Dating Sim is going to be called "PAIRANORMAL". The featured dateable characters are Mari and Stacy from GeekRemix, as well as their Youtube friends LauraKBuzz, HoodiePanda, Todd Schlickbernd, and MangaMinx!
The dating sim has been getting really popular these days, and I've wanted to do this one justice by presenting gameplay that is more interesting than reading several walls of text, but still simple enough that I can produce it fairly easily. I think I've come up with something that will work well! In the following months, I hope to keep everyone updated on the art and story tidbits that I've been producing. Thanks again so much for supporting me!
For most people, High School is difficult to navigate. Imagine how challenging it must be when you can't remember who you are. Luckily, Foster High's Paranormal Investigation Club takes a keen interest in your case. Work together with six awesome, unique students as you uncover the mystery behind your past, and the strange happenings of your town. Maybe you won't get closer to answers, but you might just get closer to friends you never knew you needed...
And for older Patrons: STAR SLAM'S DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES! Don't worry folks. It's almost finished, and I'll continue to post updates about it here as well!
2017-10-12 01:07:42 +0000 UTC View Post
we've just added the UI to the game. I tried to keep it reminiscent of old school NES type stuff. I'm really liking how it looks!
2017-08-02 20:50:07 +0000 UTC View Post
take a look, folks. We've got Estee, the game's protagonist, hoppin' and boppin'!
Next up we'll be adjusting the physics and adding the titular Star-Slamming action!
2017-06-22 20:40:45 +0000 UTC View Post
hey all! since it's #screenshotsaturday, I thought I'd take this opportunity to post what I've been working on after Charmixy. It's a small game called "StarSlam", about smashing stars and making new friends.
You'll play as Estee, a human girl who has found a magical star wand that gives her incredible acrobatic ability. Where did the wand come from? You'll have to play to find out.
Before you ask, this game is what we'll be charging patrons for in the coming months. Make sure to adjust your pledges accordingly!
2017-06-11 03:34:19 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey y'all. Big news. Some good, some bad. First of all,
*big breath*
Charmixy is going on Hiatus.
Yeah, I'm sure my gamedev friends could tell this was a long time coming. Unfortunately, Charmixy is game that I both love, but has caused me some trouble for the past three years. As a creative person and game maker, I need to constantly be creating, and working on a single project for such a long time has taken a toll on me. I want to put Charmixy down for a while so I can regroup and make more concentrated, simple, small games. This will probably be better for my mental health, and hopefully will allow me to re-enter gamedev spaces because I've got something to show for myself.
I will come back to Charmixy when I am ready. I promise all the time and money that y'all have invested in the game will not go in vain. My musician and my programmers, who get the majority of your contributions, have made great use of it already.
To soften the blow, I'm adding some links below here to games that anyone who was looking forward to Charmixy will probably LOVE (I sure did!)
Ikenfell by Chevy Ray Johnson - still in development, but it's an RPG also based in a wizarding/witching school
Beglitched by Jenny Jiao Hsia - a fantastic tech witch puzzle-style game, my favorite game of 2016
Fairy Song by @2Pblog1 on twitter - it's been on my twitter timeline a bunch these days; it's small but gorgeous!
The Arcana by Nix Hydra Games - a magic themed dating sim with fantastic art and lots of diverse characters
Card Witch by @bloodyhoney_ on twitter- I heard about this excellent game from the Game Devs of Color Expo. it's looking incredible, and I can't wait to play it!
as I stated earlier, I'm gonna be making small games (about 1 hour of play time). I'm letting go of the massive scopes my younger self thought they needed to make, and focusing purely on a simple, bite sized experience. Making games that I (and you, as a player) can finish and really enjoy.
I've been writing up the game design document of the first of these games since earlier this week, and I'm going to pass it on to my programmer today to get started. You'll get a post about it soon!
I'll also be making some tweaks to my patreon page and Charmixy's tumblr. Since the focus of both with no longer be on Charmixy, but all of my games. Expect to see those changes going in effect soon.
thanks for sticking with me through all of this. I know there's not a lot of you, but you all have mattered a great deal. If you choose to back out of patreon support after these announcements, I totally understand. I'm gonna work hard to get you back someday, though! Count on it!
come on down and say hi and relax with me while I work on Charmixy's pixel art assets.
2017-04-03 20:33:25 +0000 UTC View Post
you heard it right, everyone. After our most recent update, we’ll now be focusing exclusively on the battle system for several upcoming updates; adding new battles that you can try very soon!
Here’s a preview of one of the first battles you’ll be able to play: VS London! London is a stage magician, so of course all of her Charmixy are based on her tricks! I wonder what each one does?
2017-03-15 01:30:08 +0000 UTC View Post
the final UI for the game has been implemented. It hasn't been juiced up yet, but it will allow us to navigate the game easily now. Our upcoming update is about shops and item acquisition. we have completed step 1/10 for our roadmap.
As always, dowload the latest version here , completely free whether you are a patron or not!
thanks again to everyone who supports us! We seriously couldn't do this without you guys~
2017-02-20 22:37:03 +0000 UTC View Post
I’ve got a pretty cool full time job, and while that might sound like bad news, I actually get lots of time to work on Charmixy. In addition, I have a little more pocket money! I’ve decided I’m going to invest a little of it in some cute pins to give to patreon backers.
backers at 10$ and up on patreon will have a chance to get these adorbs physical rewards. get in on it while you can!
2017-02-14 07:18:27 +0000 UTC View Posthey y’all, thanks for tuning in, and apologies as always for not keeping in touch. I have several announcements, all of which are GREAT news!
Thanks again SO much to everyone who’s been supporting us. I hope you’ll love the upcoming content as much as we are excited to bring it to you!
2017-01-19 22:42:33 +0000 UTC View Post
Are you a patron? get THREE MORE wallpapers here!
Salty and I are currently working on the shops, which means I have to pixel a lot of inventory items. But the fun part is, they can be turned into cute wallpapers. This one features all the cakes for the game...yum!
If you want this free wallpaper, just download the attachment below. Take care of yourselves, folks!
2016-11-15 00:46:55 +0000 UTC View Post
Click here to go to the itch.io page and download the new build!
We've got a brand new build for the game folks, a little treat just in time for Halloween!
It's been a little sad this month knowing this was the time that Charmixy was originally promised to be done and released; this past year I've been dealing with blow after blow of having to compromise, cut, and delay a game that we pour blood sweat and soul into. But oh man, after seeing this latest build (an admittedly small advancement) and realizing that we're not miles away from completing the game after all...I dunno man. it feels great!
So without further ado I humbly present the next advancement in Charmixy: the game's world! you can explore all the areas and get a general idea of what activities you can do in each.
Thanks once again, all you wonderful Patreon supporters. we couldn't have gotten as far as we've been getting without you!
News of the 7th realm
Here’s what’s on the news: A few miles south of Stonybrook, a young witch was apprehended after crashing her broom through three fairy houses and plunging into the local watering hole. She was found to have been under the influence of intoxicating brews. Her pet cat, who was also riding the broom, jumped off right before the crash and landed on his feet, sustaining no injuries. The chief officer of witch safety, Joanna Howats, has a message for all witches watching: “Don’t brew and fly!”
Here’s what’s on the news: A cranky old vampire was purportedly walking down the roads of Seashire, waving his cane at werewolves and calling them mean names. a nearby witch heard this and turned him into a frog. Experts say the vampire was probably a survivor of the decades-long Werewolf-Vampire wars, and did not understand that it had ended over three centuries ago. The frog has been returned to his family.
https://chicmonster.itch.io/charmixy
thanks to all our amazing patrons, I'm pleased to announce that a more polished version of our game's intro/demo is now up on itch.io! Just follow the link to give it a try.
Here's all the things we've added since the last version:
combat now has victory and defeat screens to tell players the outcome of battle
Now that the intro is much more polished, if you're a let's player or streamer who wants to give it a try, I'd say now it's in a far nicer and more presentable state. If you run into any bugs or issues, send me a tweet @thechicmonster and I'll be glad to help you out in any way I can~
https://chicmonster.itch.io/charmixy
Salty told me it was ready today. I'm so stoked to finally put out our first patron-backed release! It's up on itch.io now if you want to mess around with it -- CharmixyV0.024 --notice how our last big release was V0.015? oh yeah, baby.
The crude text demo includes the intro chapter of the game (although it's very rough!) and it has included a TON of new content: a working inventory system, dress up, the dungeon, monster battling, animated and talking sprites, several new backgrounds and locations, and some small interactions with Selma, the first NPC besides Candy!
If you are a Let's Player and want to show off the game, do wait until our next release, when we'll have fleshed a much more polished version with bug fixes, music, a better battle system, and better dungeon navigation system.
Thank you, thank you, thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has pledged money! I'm so emotional writing this, right now, lol. the fact that 16 whole people out there believe in the game...well, it's 16 more than I ever thought would give a damn. I hope you'll love the game when it's done!
Thanks to all of you lovely people and your excellent Patreon contributions, I’ve been able to afford to bring on a good friend of mine and an incredible writer,
Marionette
, to work on Charmixy’s story! I’ve wanted him on the project for so long, and now that we’ve got enough money in pledges, we can pay him for his amazing work!
Thank you all, and please keep the donations coming to support all of the lovely people who are making Charmixy awesome! We recently lost 20 dollars in donations for an unknown reason, which I am currently attempting to supplement out of pocket to pay our excellent musician.
If just 25 of you pitched in a dollar, though, we’d be back at almost 100 dollars an update!
Much love! Look forward to our next update soon!
2016-06-01 19:36:31 +0000 UTC View Post
I've been making several character sheets, which means a ton of new pixel art!
keep an eye on our devblog at
http://charmixygame.tumblr.com/
to see new sheets for Brigette, Elton, Lydia, Fae, Alex, and more.
(I've noticed a recent uptick in patrons lately, expect a thank you post coming soon!)
I made some icons for the game, and they were so cute I thought I'd repurpose them into a couple of cute wallpapers! Here's one of them, and you can find the other one on the devblog:
http://charmixygame.tumblr.com/post/142193264729/wallpapers-i-finished-making-all-the-mini-icons
these are UI and Mockups for planned activities players can do outside of battle mode. You can use loot you've found in the dungeon to craft pastries, or use money to customize your avatar!
2015-07-30 09:22:29 +0000 UTC View Post
this gif should give you a general idea of how gameplay works. you can read the full rules and download the alpha from the link below:
http://chicmonster.itch.io/charmixy
“In the dungeons, you must hunt for a treasure, but here they are lining the walls”
The library is the area where players can check out books that give them clues and information about the game world
this is (for the most part) the entire cast of Charmixy. All of the characters here have their own unique personalities and backstories that we're writing for the game!
players will be able to get treats from the cafe in town to give them small stat boosts in battle, or gift them to a friend or sweetheart to let them know they care!
this bad boy took me like, three days to make. I pretty much learned how to make pixel art throughout this whole process. I whip it out whenever I get the chance to--this is the level of detail and character I want my game to have!
Hi all! If you're checking this out, you're perusing my patreon to see what kind of stuff I make. Before I go officially public, I'll be putting some artwork made for my game to show you what your money will be helping me make more of!
If you've already followed me on tumblr, you'll have seen most of the following artwork before, but fear not! new posts will be coming very, very soon :D