A new character change that I think will fit Pumpkinton’s world more is Mayor Pumpkin. Originally I modeled him after older cartoons (This was when I thought I would complete CB before Cuphead came out). That’s not very Halloween-esque though? So I changed him to be modeled after 1960-1980 old Halloween decorations. I’ve always loved how the color would usually be misprinted outside of the lines. Everything around him in a 3 foot radius will temporarily be transformed into the vintage decoration aesthetic. I think I’m going to keep the “messy” sketch lines so that against the other crisp pixel art the change will be more noticeable and impactful(though this may change if it looks too much like oekaki pixel art). His personality will stay the same.
Too pink? Too pink! CB was way too pink and “cutesy” for my tastes. If you met me you would have never guessed I would make a game like (past) cb. At the time of creation, I was really digging Sanrio’s Halloween aesthetic and that’s what inspired the (then) vibe I was going for. However, as time went on, cb felt more like a game I was making for others and not really for myself. It was disorientating and felt more like a chore I was locked into.
This may be disappointing for some, but I’m changing the entire aesthetic and feel of the game. It’s still a Halloween platformer, but I’ll be adding more of...myself? in it. No more being engulfed in pink tones and hearts. It’s switching to a more cartoon style with a broader color range. Characters will be more dynamic and expressive and not feel like stagnant pseudo-anime flat images.
New character design (subject to change):
I’m keeping the colors from the original design, but that’s it. I’ll leave the cutesy stuff to the professionals. 2017 kind of kicked everyone in the face, so here’s to hoping for a kinder 2018. CB will now be off hiatus. Happy New Year!
I kinda have a thing for a radio silence don’t I? hah. This post will detail important information about Candy Ballad and the future of it.
Alright! For those of you who need the gist of it: CB is not cancelled, but is going on an indefinite hiatus. Yeah I know... the term “indefinite hiatus” in the gamedev world is basically a death sentence, but I’m going to explain why that won’t be true for CB.
Backstory time: Both Rum and Rat are really old OCs of mine (I actually made them in this avatar creator back in like 2013.... they used to have piercings too). At the time, they were both a closeted expression of me trying to come to terms with being gay. I grew up in a very homophobic atmosphere (did you know in conservative schools its legal to kick out lgbt students if they even suspect you might be lgbt? yeah... messed up), and was always outcasted by my fellow peers on the suspicion that I was “queer”.
I wanted to be gay.... but I felt so gross because of it. I felt like I was taking advantage of every girl I knew for not outing myself immediately to them and that I was even “abusive” or “perverse”.... just for being a gay in a world of straight people (intrusive thoughts didn’t help this either)
I had this mindset for so long... even while I was working on CB. I just told people that I was Aromantic for years to quiet my brain. Rum and Rat were my way of escaping (”HA ... what im not gay??? ijust wanna make a game about two girls in a loving relationship but I Assure you imnot gay... what do u mean”).
That’s changed though! I’ve learned to accept my sexuality. Right now I’m even in a relationship with a girl. I’m not perfect, and the thoughts are still there, but I’m learning that Gay Thoughts (TM) doesn’t make me bad. And for those of you who are scared or even disgusted at the thought of being not straight, I SEE YOU. I get that feeling and I want to let you know that being gay is a good thing and doesn’t make you a bad person.
What was the point of me telling you this? Candy Ballad is very important to me. This story.. these characters... I want to make them come true. I want to make it wholesome so that others who maybe felt the way I did can feel closure and have media about lesbians where nobody dies and everything turns out good.
I definitely rushed into this game too quickly though. I was so excited after the release of ENTROPY that I didn’t think through the amount of time and energy a game like this would require. I need to complete a few things to feel stable enough to work on this game.
I’m sorry if I have dissapointed you, but please understand that this game isn’t the last you’ll see of it. It’s not over; it just needs a break.
