It’s VYCE time. I hope everyone is enjoying their free slushie today. We are two months away from the launch of the demo, and I have been working hard every single day making this game be the best it can be. I recently went on an expedition to Alaska, and while I wasn’t able to work on it as much as I have been lately, I came out of the trip with a much clearer picture of what needs to be done and what it will look like come release day.
As for the new additions, they have almost been entirely for the campaign. I’ve hardly touched the multiplayer over the last month except for adding some features that my friends suggested while playtesting. Currently, the overworld locations for Vanilla Plains (the starting town) are mostly complete. I say mostly because some lack detail, but functionally, a dozen of the buildings and the two dungeons have an interior and exterior with unique scripts for each one, along with several npc houses and tents, even with some for sale.
To keep track of all these new story additions, I’ve implemented a new “to do” app on the xPhone that logs your objectives. I’ve also gotten a lot better at programming the npc cutscenes, which initially was the hardest thing I did in the game and resulted in a lot of frustration, but now it’s a breeze. I’ve also added another boss fight and I am working on the final boss of act one, which will close out the demo.
The final boss of act one is different from what I was initially planning before the Alaska trip, but I felt like this character had a lot more build up throughout the chapter and I don’t want to introduce too many characters too soon. There is a tutorial, which opens up a split path of objectives that you can complete or not complete if you choose. I originally didn’t even plan on the tutorial being required but the events were crucial to the plot so that took priority. You still can go to town and experience some of what it has to offer before you advance the story, but I promise, the text speed is fast enough if you like blowing through the text while playing games (which I do more than I’d like to admit).
This summer has been great so far, and it hasn’t even been a month yet. I have a ton of ideas on how to promote VYCE, but have procrastinated in favor of working on the game. It probably doesn’t make a lot of sense now to post content, but when the demo drops I want to have a reserve of media ready to go so I can gain traction more quickly. If you are reading this before I drop the demo, you are so early. This is just the beginning. No pictures this time because I didn’t feel like it. The next two blog posts will be better, “two months away” doesn’t roll off the tongue like “one month away” or “release day” but thank you for reading nonetheless.
–infelicities