Friday Rambles 2024-04-26

It's the last Friday Rambles of April, 2024, except it's on Monday, because I was busy still being in Korea, going to places and doing things. Sorry.

I'm drawing a picture for 1 year anniversary, with hopes that maybe it could also serve as the new key/capsule art on Steam when the Big Story Update comes out at some point or another. I'm not done with the picture yet. I'm pulling a Penny and am gonna finish it a day before the sales event starts, in like 3 days. It felt cool when I was thumbnailing it, but now I'm not so sure. I was going for like an ensemble cast movie poster or Phoenix Wright collection key art vibe.

Above: WIP anniversary pic

Anyway, I'll finish it before the 1 year anniversary sale.

Unbeknownst to me, it's Golden Week in Japan, meaning a bunch of game companies have Steam sales going on, Right Now. I bought Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon, because they're like 80% off. I've never played a Yakuza game before, but I started playing Like a Dragon on my Steam Deck before bed and it owns. I've become very invested in the story. I love Ichiban, that ol' scamp. I have another bunch of games in my cart that I might buy later.

I wrote a little bit of the Big Story Update in between responsibilities and I think the draft is good so far. It's the most promising it's ever been, at least. It's still progressing, slowly. Realistically I'm not going to make very good progress on this during this trip. I haven't had a chance to get into any sort of deep writing state because I need to step away from my computer like every 30 minutes for something or other.

I also thought of another game I want to make in the shower, but it's very unlike EMDND or even any other Game 2 prototypes I've shared. But it might clearly be inspired by something you may or may not have played before.

Above: Screenshot after a few hours of working on it. Yes it's a SimTower-like with hcnone characteristics

I loved playing SimTower, but it seems like it's practically impossible to play nowadays because of weird compatibility issues and there are little to no spiritual successors that properly scratch that itch I'm feeling, so now I'm just making my own. lol. It's an interesting challenge as far as coding the thing goes, but so far so good. As a differentiator from SimTower and others, I want it to be somewhat fantastical and have a narrative set in the Endless Monday universe. I'll probably give up when the simulation parts crumble under the weight of my bad code. Stick to visual novels, old man

Anyway, that's all I've got. I'll post the big art thingie once I'm done with it this week. Otherwise, see you next week. Thanks for your support, as always!