Friday Rambles and Gamedev Update 2024-03-01

It's the Friday Rambles for March 1, 2024. Time flies.

Busy week. Did some post launch support for KR localization, fixing up stuff I found while working on some other localizations, which are finishing up playtesting. Finished UI work for CHS localization, while the translation is still in progress.

Above: Air fryers are the future of cuisine!

KR launch sale went okay. Looking forward to the Spring Sale next in 2 weeks.

PTBR is for all intents and purposes done, with the script finalized and achievements, store page, trailer completed. RU needs another round of playtesting, but I'm gaining confidence that it's on track to be good to go for Steam Spring Sale. So it seems like we'll have two more languages ready for the Spring Sale, and the CHS release, whenever that's done, can be a part of some future big localization update marketing bonanza with all the new supported languages.

I wrote a long rant here about how proper localization is very important and also very hard and takes a lot of time, but it came off mostly as whining about how much stuff I need to do, so I'm saving you from reading all that. Anyway that'll probably be it for localizations for the time being, because I'm not confident any more will be worth the huge amount of resources, time, and effort that every single additional language I support requires, and I really, really, really, need to move on to the next thing and chances are high that you can probably read at least one of the supported languages if you're following me. If not, I'm sorry, maybe I'll come back to your language when I can afford to. Oops! I ranted again!

In between frantic localization updates I also did some work on the story update. However it's spoilers and I don't want to post spoilers. What even is there to talk about the next update then? Then again, who cares? 

I also finally finished the DLCs for the Case of the Golden Idol. Focusing on the aesthetics, in the DLCs the characters all move in like this smooth Spine2d?/Live2d? sort of way, unlike in the base game, where the characters cycle through like 3 frames of movement. The shift is a little jarring, but it works for the style of the game, I think. The interesting thing to me is that they just changed style like that with a story expansion, instead of maintaining how they did things previously to preserve consistency. Anyway, good game. Can't wait for the next one.

I kind of want to make a Golden Idol-like prototype where Penny investigates who stole her lunch from the breakroom. Maybe a sort of Frankenstein's monstering of the Ace Attorney style story and dialogue based investigation segments (which EMDND kind of already is) + a Golden Idol inspired thinking/keywords concept. Maybe one day I'll have time to work on a new game. lol.

I also played some Balatro, which has some nice number going up action. I think I'm more hungry for some narrative right now though, which, as a roguelike deckbuilder with the only objective being to score bigger numbers every round, Balatro has only the "emergent" variety.

How are you playing video games when you're supposedly so busy working on stuff, you ask? Well, there are 24 hours in a day, and even if i work, idk 12 hours a day, I still have 8 hours to sleep (lol) and 4 hours to eat food and do whatever else. let me do other things! 

I am too tired to write more and it's late and my spine and eyeballs hurt. It's been raining all week and I haven't jogged. I'm moving in less than 2 weeks so I'll be busy packing during non work hours. During work hours I'll be busy doing localization stuff, probably.

This sure was a rambles. I don't think I'll email this to the substack people. i'm not presentable. but nothing's too rambly for the ramble club (that's you, dear patron).

Anyway, thanks for your support, as always. As I watch the subscriber numbers on all my social media sites and paid supporter thingies tick down as I hunker deeper into my gamedev hermit cave, i appreciate those of you who stick around even more. Then again, feel free to not stick around either. But then you might miss me talking about localizations for languages that may or may not apply to you for the 10th week in a row. Hmm, yeah, I get your point.

PS I'm going to close the shop next week for like 3 months because of the move and everything else. If you want something, you'll want to get it now. Here's a link to a discount.

Okay see you next week!