Tumblr Devlog 16/08
Progress:
Finished Zen's route
Finished the first revision of Callis
Revised and cleaned up Ferran's outline
Started revising Everett's early chapters
Started on Ferran chapter 1
One new BG completed
In the last couple of weeks I managed to finally finish up Zen's rough draft as well as finish up the first revision of Callis's route.
I spent most of this last week revamping and cleaning up Ferran's outline. I don't exactly when I was working on Ferran's outline but it was some time early last year when I was doing most of the outlining for the character routes and I haven't touched these outlines since then.
But I've written 4 routes already and in that time, characters have changed, the world has changed, lore has been added, etc, etc. So one of the first things I have to do when I start a new route is go through the existing outline just to update it. I also like to flesh things out a little and really break it down by chapter and scene more clearly so I can fill in any plot gaps and the like.
I started the draft later in the week and am currently in Chapter 1. I also started working on the first revision of Everett's route. I like having a rough draft in progress and a revision in progress. This just helps me make sure I've still got my eye on earlier drafts and routes while writing new things so I can avoid continuity drifting to at least some degree (though some amount of it is inevitable).
I received one new completed BG and a new BG sketch over the last two weeks. There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel for the BGs but it's still going to be a few weeks before they're all complete.
Last time I mentioned I had a couple of writing milestones coming up and I've passed three of them. I passed the main WSC storyline word count (around 645k), I also passed 650k right after that. And then I passed the WSC total word count (including the bonus scenes, the total word count for WSC is just over 669k).
Callis's route is 146k right now (uncoded). I always lose a certain amount of words when I code due to differences in what gets counted as words in Scrivener vs what counts as dialogue in Renpy. And then there's the branching. Players don't see all the words when they play straight through the game. Because this route isn't coded, I can only sort of estimate both the word count of the linear storyline + the coded version.
And that estimate is about 109,000 words. Now, of course, the full storyline includes the common route which is around 27,000 words linear and coded. So when you start the game and play to any "good ending", you'll be seeing around 136,000 words.
That's about the equivalent of a 350 - 400 page fantasy novel. Except that the game is going to have 8 of them.
Anyway! Look...languages again. Because they're fun.
Also, Ferran now has a forehead! (I revamped his hair slightly because his original fringe just covered way too much of his forehead and eyebrows so his expressions were hard to read.) Even though I think he's showing way too much forehead for someone as shady as he is...here we are.
Next Couple of Weeks Development-wise:
The next couple of weeks I will be writing, of course. I will probably pass the Changeling word count by that time.
I was thinking recently about why it matters to me so much, that word count. I've joked before about someone telling me during the course of Changeling that I probably should scale the project down because they didn't think the scope was obtainable for me; they thought I couldn't finish the project. Every time I wanted to give up I thought about that person and how giving up would prove them right. That I had to finish that project to prove I could.
The relevant word counts (Changeling's original goal and Changeling's final count) have always been things I consider milestones and I've jokingly called them my spite milestones.
But lately I was think that it's a little different. It's not so much about the spite as it is about overcoming. Proving to myself I could accomplish what I set out to accomplish. Every time I pass one of these word counts it's a reminder about persistence and determination...and grit.
Because 10 years on, and game dev is still tough. It's not as lonely as it used to be because I have a vibrant and hilarious community of core players. The Discord server is a gremlin haven and I continue to have so much support that it doesn't compare with the way Changeling was. but...
I still like crossing these milestones that remind me 'hey, you're still at it. 8D'
That's all for this week! I will see you soon!
