Devlog #3
Proper Planning and Coherent Ideas
Throughout development, I was basically shooting in the dark as I started to learn more concepts in Godot, like signals, node functions, and how to make menus. It has been a major trip learning GDScript, especially when looking for specific concepts that need to be implemented for a gameplay hook that I finally came up with, which I will touch on later. I knew I had to organize the project sooner or later, so I used Milanote to organize my thoughts. Thank god I did because I managed to get some design concepts on updating character sprites, a potential budget for the game IF I were to go to the route of getting someone for music, and a checklist where I got about three things done so far by the time I make this post.
I currently have a lot that I will have to withhold so I wouldn't spoil the game's plot and characters, but for now, I am willing to show two screenies of the Milanote chaos I am in.
Also, within the screenshot explaining how Seilrin was described as looking like Soma Cruz from Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, it was a thing that happened some time ago when I showed my friend my redesign for Seilrin, reviving him because he was an old oc since I was about 12 (?) years old, they pointed it out. My friend is also a major Castlevania nerd, and I guess I freaked out noticing the similarities, but I will change up his design when I remake the sprites. It is kinda funny how coincidental it is, but honestly, I might keep Seilrin's general look and make small nods to Soma just because my friend pointed it out. There are already a lot of differences between Seilrin and Soma cause my vampire dork is in his mid-twenties working as a detective to somewhat spite his father, whereas Soma is a high schooler who somehow got teleported to Dracula's castle lol. Either way, this isn't the only obligatory Castlevania reference I am shoving in this game because Juste's name came from Juste Belmont in Harmony of Dissonance, and I am lowkey adding Dracula in the game as a myth within the world-building I am doing. I am that cringe...
GDScript Insanity and Gameplay Hooks
I already detailed how much of a beginner I am with GDScript and got Dialogic 2.0 to make the process of making a visual novel much easier, and things were smooth sailing until I watched a Devlog of Goodgis, the current developer of Dewdrop Dynasty. I recently watched some devlogs to learn and point me in the right direction in my development journey, which also made me look into projects where I can support other developers. However, when I was watching a Dewdrop Dynasty devlog, Goodgis pointed out how important it was to find a gameplay hook, and I immediately panicked.
I was pacing in my room and shaking my cat, Mac, trying to find a proper gameplay hook that would actually make people interested in my project cause all I had right now was a basic visual novel of a concept I found interesting, but it is still a small indie project that needs to convince people "Hey guys, come play my game! I have hot vampires and you can play detective!". However, the crushing reality is that not everyone is like me and is immediately interested in the prospect of hot vampires in a visual novel. I can't just dangle a hot vampire on a fishing pole to attract people to my game. Every game has to have some type of hook for the player, whether that is Doki Doki Literature Club and its psychological horror or Castlevania and its sprawling maps and chaotic storytelling.
My game is meant to be a detective game, and so I got to work thinking of ideas until I remembered Identity V and its super simple deduction system in many of its main story events (When the devs finally feel like dropping main story lore. Literally Ashes of Memory took way too long to come out for such a short mainline update). I thought of many other games as well and how they added light detective elements to their game, and I finally came up with a small concept to work on.
It is a simple system where you collect claims from the people in the bar and refute other's claims to make them fess up or reveal more info that you need to bust the perp! It is a very rough idea, but it immediately fell apart when I started trying to code it by making a simple inventory of claims you can fish out. I am not going to describe it in too much detail, but just know that Dialogic 2.0 is kicking my butt when it comes to making separate GUI and mechanics outside of it, so I am currently trying to get creative as I go. I even tried to make an interface to get your filed claims that you got from people, but now I am afraid I may have to scrap it...
I worked hard on the small icons for it, so maybe after I look into more tutorials, I can figure out the issue, but wherever I search, I can't find much good stuff to help me with Dialogic. I asked the Godot forums before about how to get started with something like this, and I got pointed in the right direction, so I suppose I will just have to keep at it and see where it will lead me. For now, progress is slowed due to some coding issues that need to be scrubbed up and college kicking my sorry rear. Plus, my 20th birthday is in like eight days, and I am taking it as a proper break so I can celebrate. That's all for now, and hopefully, I can stop hitting such awkward dead ends soon!
Stay Bright ! - - Neon (˙∀˙)🎮