This week only needs a short update — a simple “and then” post so mom doesn’t get scared that I haven’t written anything. I haven’t done much except work hard on the first half of the first plot in The Ben Wander Murder Collection. That might be strange phrasing, but it’s my next milestone.
Okay, very quickly, why the first half of the first plot? Well, it’s the smallest chunk that has all the features of the full game — you’ll travel, interview suspects, note clues, and solve a small mystery. Making that section of the game will let me fully validate ideas in my head — the gameplay elements, art-style, writing, and intro tutorials — while keeping the freedom to tweak ideas that initially flop. It’ll also remove any ambiguities still on my calendar (right now I’m guessing 2-3 months per plot, but with all the remaining unknowns, I might have miscalculated). Finally, it’ll be my showcase demo — when I’m touring gaming conventions, it’ll be the thing you can play at my booth.
Conventions? Yeah, I’m hoping to apply to SXSW, which cuts off submissions at the start of December. I’ll be vacationing for three weeks in the middle of September (an extended Odyssey home) — but if everything goes well, that date should still be doable with plenty of buffer time. If there’s a deadline for this milestone, that’d be it. Let’s see if my six-hour days can crack it!
Alright, update over. Back to fun work!