Two full days of work on Gunstorm 1 & 2, both technical upgrades and adding features. Lots of new features added to Gunstorm in particular, adding features that were present in Gunstorm II, like follow-the-cursor mode, and the ability for fixed or random level layout. A new icon and logo for both games:
This itself was a challenge to create. It was rendered in the game itself because the texturing is complex to match, and this meant creating a hi-res version of the texture and lights. Then, re-creating in high resolution all of the backgrounds, the stars and nebulae, and the backdrops for Gunstorm II. Here is old vs. new for Gunstorm:
All created using Genetica 3 (which is apparently obsolete today, but this old dog likes this old trick). Star-fields can be tricky things in games. They can 'glitter' if too high resolution, as can other textures. Like anything aesthetic, these changes all involve a lot of testing, trying, tweaking, and this takes time.
Today, more work, and changes to the Marrowmore Minerunner game in Gunstorm II. I also created the pdf manual. Once the look is finalised (it needs a little more work), I can take screenshots, a video, and work on the Steam graphics. I've been working on this for one week; quick, but I can't be quick enough. I think these are great games, some of the best I've made, but I always think that, and I'm not liable to sell many of these, not a week's wages worth. Each day spent on them feels good, addictive, and these, my work, need to be 'out there' for the world to see and discover, but I know that the thrill of working on a game can be a poisoned chalice, and that I can spend weeks of my life on these things, this introspective activity. I'm starting to feel the need to move on, so I must work faster and harder to complete these, and then the other games.
Onwards we must charge.
