The following is copied and pasted from my analysis of my progress on Last Legend Zero.
| ID | Notion |
|---|---|
1 | The epiphany I had for the Last Legend Comic, M1E20, is an excellent direction. |
2 | However there are several problems with Last Legend Zero. |
2.1 | Most notably, development is not proceeding at the predicted pace: |
2.1.1 | I cannot complete a game of which I am proud in the remaining 2 weeks of January. |
2.1.2 | I would want a couple of weeks per planned region (3 to 7 regions intended) plus time to market and polish besides. |
2.1.3 | I am also not satisfied that the gameplay is, by itself, satisfying, which demands more prototyping. |
2.1.4 | If I were to force myself to pinch off a technically complete, but hastily cut off game, with zero testing and polishing, I might just barely make the March 15th release date at this rate. |
2.1.5 | This I must not do. I must never again “produce” games in which I take no pride. |
2.1.5.1 | (I may, of course, make rapid prototypes, but that is another matter) |
2.1.6 | Therefore, to complete the game properly would take 14 weeks, not counting testing and polish. This would indicate a May or June release at best. |
2.1.7 | I have already put a solid 4 weeks of development into it. |
| | Moreover… |
2.2 | I do not have more than the broad strokes of the story in mind. |
2.2.1 | I lack important details like the antagonist, and importantly, the ending. |
2.2.2 | This is a big deal. Without a complete draft, a project must not go into production. |
2.2.3 | Last Legend Zero is still in the tinkering phase. It is improper to give it a release date. |
2.2.4 | This should have been recognized and acknowledged from the outset. |
3 | These combined issues have implications for the Legend Game Tower. |
3.1 | If I am going to make a 2-month game, then a 4 month game using the 2-month game as a foundation, &c, as planned, the points under 2.1 indicate that it cannot be Last Legend Zero, but must be a smaller game. |
3.1.1 | It has to be smaller than a point-and-click adventure game, yet move us towards my ultimate JRPG-centric goal. |
3.2 | Nor, per 2.2, can I justly say I have begun Production on any game if I yet lack mechanics and extensive knowledge of the minimum world of that game. |
3.2.1 | I may justly say I am tinkering or prototyping. And these are fine and necessary. |
3.3 | Thus, to make a “2-month” game, I need to choose a first brick in the tower that is small enough to make in two months, and sufficiently well-conceived that it may swiftly move from Tinkering to Production. |
4 | This does not mean my last month’s work was for naught. |
4.1 | All of it can be used eventually. |
4.2 | Most of it can be used immediately. Several components are genre agnostic: |
4.2.1 | The HD interface/pixel world |
4.2.2 | The palette shader |
4.2.3 | The options menu and boot system |
4.2.4 | The State Machinery |
4.3 | There are some caveats: |
4.3.1 | Dialogue is vestigial in many genres I like. |
4.3.1.1 | However, as much as I enjoy retro mime, if my game lacks in dialogue, it is not aiming well toward my goals. |
4.3.2 | The mouse/touch control scheme is low priority or nearly useless in every genre I’m aiming towards except point & click adventures and JRPGs |
| | This, then, frames the question: |
5 | What can I proudly build in a single month on the foundation I’ve laid for Last Legend Zero that moves me closer to the Legend Framework? |
6 | The answer will be small. Something on the scale of Pong, Breakout, or Space Invaders. My gut says it will have to be a Space Shooter. |
6.1 | I know I said I never wanted to make a Space Shooter again, but now, with the meds, I’m sure I can hack it, as long as it’s only the first step. |
7 | I have a handful of Space Shooter designs that will serve for a first brick. |
7.1 | Spaz Invaders is a good choice that admits almost instant work. |
7.1.1 | It has the advantage of allowing for an immediate platformer followup. |
7.1.1.1 | The world art thus generated would be well-suited to Last Legend material. |
7.1.2 | Spaz is sort of in Limbo because of his overlap with Jump the Shark |
7.1.2.1 | Perhaps echoes of the same Chrononic Resonance. |
7.2 | Candy Raid is almost as good as Spaz Invaders. |
7.2.1 | Obviously, with two published games starring Candy, this takes advantage of existing momentum the best. |
7.2.2 | But I’m really very done with Candy. |
7.3 | The space shooter starring Angel from Crossover Arcade. Meteoroid. |
7.3.1 | More story-driven. Plays into future ensembles. Utilizes dialogue. |
7.3.2 | Suffers from being more story-driven. This game, also has problem 2.2 to contend with. |
8 | At this moment, I am leaning so hard towards Spaz Invaders that unless something else occurs to me, I am just about guaranteed to choose it. |
Logic Monkey Media 