Reformatted status update and Plan. This is the current plan, subject to change. I will try to keep it updated once every week or two. I'll give estimated timings for areas in progress.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Game Build Progress update -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------January 15th, 20115 Update Link:
http://www.the-new-lagoon.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2920&p=81541#p81541November 7th, 2014 Update Link:
http://www.the-new-lagoon.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2920&p=79697#p79697October 13th, 2014 Update Link:
http://the-new-lagoon.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2920&p=78540#p78540Description of My Process- Step One: Outline. I have a full outline of the game that includes plot points, character sketches, and general story-form of the game. This is completed for all 7 days, although I tend to modify it occasionally, hopefully for the better.
- Step Two: Storyboard - This is where I plot every page and response in MS Visio. I use a torn page shaped box for new pages, and an arrow shaped box (not connecting line) for player options.
- Step Three: Rendering - I create the image that matches the item in Visio. I also change the icon for that page to one that indicates that I've rendered the image. I also link it to other pages that may use the same image.
- Step Four: Logic - I go through the Storyboard and assign variables and functions to appropriate web pages and player responses. I color code the visio storyboard with variables, but most of this is done in MS Excel to aid calculations and track variables. I have Excel set up so that I can quickly map out a new path and determine what relationship values each path will have at a particular junction point, and what all the variables are set to at that point. I just built this tool recently, it has validation, and error checking built in. I can make changes to the node, and it will automatically reflect on every path, and helps me balance the relationship check difficulty.
- Step Five - Web Pages: I take all the information above, and actually build the web pages in Tlaero's Adventure Creator based on the Storyboard, which now contains information for each page including the image to use and game logic included. Once I've created the web page, I again change the Visio icon for that page to reflect the page is created and active.
- Step Six - Achievement Integration: Determine appropriate achievements and sub-achievements (endings & Activitites) and build out the achievements menu to include the new ones. I used to do this earlier but found it is better to do this last because things tend to change as I build out actual web pages and get ideas or cut parts out as I see the flow come together.
- Step Seven - Release to Playtest after running through spellcheck and doing a validation pass. That generally takes about a day. I just started doing Validation on day 2 scenes, and each validated page is reflected in the visio storyboard. Validation means that I've checked to ensure the pages and functions are working. I still miss stuff though, which leads to another big thank-you to the playtesters!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Game Build Details - (Roadmap) - Total pages completed - 1973
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Released to ProjectsVer 0.0.8 - Proof of Concept - Released to Projects. - No other planned release.
Ver 0.2.3 demo - Resubmission of the content from 0.0.8 with updates and achievements.
Completed, Playtesters only:Ver 0.0.9 - Bar scene, Day 1 (Wednesday) with new difficulty system and back end, plus recap re-enabled. (playtesters only.)
Ver 0.1.5 - Complete Bar and Strip Club Scenes. No recap. V0.1.5 playtester Initial release. (playtesters only.)
Ver 0.2.0 - Full day 1, including new Achievement rebuild, and the Intro, Wednesday Office, Bar, Club and Diner scenes. (Playtesters Only)
Ver 0.2.2 - Day 2 Morning coffee scene. A little bigger than the intro, and primarily sets us up for a more interesting Day 3 morning, which ends Act 1.
Ver 0.2.3 - Thursday (Day 2) 1/2 of Office, story elements.
Ver 0.2.4 - Thursday Day - At the office, minus one branch that I forgot
0.3.0 - Thursday afternoon transition. Home scene before going out, plus a branch in the office I forgot. (Medium/Moderate) - Wave 3 Playtest Onboarding
In Playtesting 0.3.5 - Thursday Evening Campus Scene. (Small/Simple)
In Progress: 0.4.0 - Thursday night at the bar. This will branch to Faith and Emily endings for Act 1 (Large/Complex) 57% complete (Playtest Group 4 Onboarding)
Roadmap: --- Original Schedule, subject to change after the current Voting.
Subject to change, not everything is listed. (Small <100 web pages. Medium 101 - 250 web pages, Large > 250 web pages)
Thursday Night Branch A
0.4.5 - Faith Alt, and Faith/Emily Main endings.(medium/moderate)
0.4.6 - Emily Main and Emily Perfect endings. (medium/simple)
0.4.7 - Emily Alt Ending. (large/simple)
0.5.0 - Branch group A complete. Day 2 Bar / other paths - Recap - (small/complex) - Final Wave Playtest Onboarding (Final Playtest group Onboarding)
Thursday Night Branch B
0.6.0 - Thursday night Strip Club: Faith Emily fail, Natalie day 2, Strip club dates with Faith and/or Emily (Medium/complex)
0.6.5 - Natalie Main ending (medium/moderate)
0.6.7 - Natalie Corruption ending and supporting transition scene that was supposed to be in 0.3.0 (medium/simple)
0.7.0 - Faith Main and Faith Perfect Endings (medium/simple)
0.7.5 - Faith/Emily Perfect ending.
0.8.0 - Branch group B complete: Day 2 Strip Club paths - Recap (Small/complex)
Friday Morning
0.9.0 - Friday Morning coffee / Act 1 Finale (Medium/moderate)
1.0.0 - Act 1 Release (Bugfix and playtest approval from 0.9.0
Act 2 (Friday Day - Sunday Day)
1.1.0 - Act 2 Scene 1 Friday Day. (Medium/Simple)
1.x.x - Act 2 Content Placeholder
2.0.0 - Act 2 Release
Act 3 (Sunday Night to Tuesday Night)
2.1.0 - Act 3 Scene 1 - Sunday Night
2.x.x - Act 3 Content Placeholder
3.0.0 - Game complete. Act 3 Release.
Expansions (if interest remains)
3.1.0 - Placeholder for expansions if there is demand.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support, input and feedback!
Wolfschadowe
Last updated:January 21st, 2015