Completed Bool v1.07 today, a few final tweaks and little things. There are a few tiny things missing, notable the particle effects but those take minutes to add. For the moment, the game play is as it was 10 years ago, but with new graphics and game engine.
So, in the past week I've updated three games. Martian Rover Patrol, for example, took nearly 2 weeks to update just that. That game, like Roton, was very old and buggy (Moon Buggy?!).
My games now are at the stage where a mere Steam release of their ancient versions would not be enough. These games need improving too. I've come up with some ideas to boost Bool a bit. It's hard to add 'character', a human factor in games with abstract entities like 'bats'. I've been reminded of my comedy script for 'Troff', a Tron parody which featured a breakout game.
Character aside, there are things that can be done. Gunstorm II had characters, and game worlds, and a plot. I can at least add those, as well as more obvious gameplay updates like new types of ball/target, and ball/weapon. I could add a selection of bats or characters, RPG elements. It would be nice to add an element of choice to the progression of things, but making that look and play elegantly isn't easy in an arena-based game like this. After a level, we don't really want to jump to another screen type or 'map'.
It can all wait.
I'm now tired, feeling exhausted after a busy week. I don't know what to do next or where to go artistically, creatively or in games. I could update other older titles; Firefly for example should only take 1 or 2 days to get working, as would Outliner. I can't really add much to Outliner, but I could release it as-is on Steam for a lower price-point, perhaps add bonus content, or make if free with bonus content as DLC.
I need to get back to work on my album too, and prepare for the Tuesday's open mic. At the moment I have nothing to perform, and I need to transcribe more sheet music. Again, a hard job of work for no obvious reward, in the short term, that is. I seem to work tirelessly to do nothing for nobody - but no. This can be an artists' feeling at any stage. The modern world is about making 'content', and this is an artist's job and life too, and I do this every day, and have for most of my life.
So where can I express my genius next? Can I do something in games akin to a Vermeer painting? Is such a thing even possible?
There was one other job today, burning the first batch of Limited Edition Cycles & Shadows CDs. Here's number 7:
I really didn't think they would take a month to dry! But all were tested and burned successfully, so the ink did no harm (as expected, these are good quality discs).
