Is is just me, or do months seem to get shorter and shorter? Well one way or another, it's time for the June 2019 8-Bit Adventures 2 Update! Steam wasn't letting me upload pictures, otherwise this would have come out days ago haha. It's a bit of a small one again (we're in the calm before the promotional storm right now), but it should give you guys a sense of where I am right now (and show off a little more). We've also got to cover Steam Summer Sale deals, so let's get into it!
Progress Update!
First off, I’m on track to meet the prediction I made in the last update, where I said I hoped to “start playing/combing through the game at the start of July”. It’s always a good sign when my predictions turn out to be accurate haha - and this should definitely be the case, as I’m working on the final cutscene at the moment (it’s a little more than just a cutscene, but that gives you the gist!).
Jerram is still hard at work finishing up the graphical assets, and it's been fantastic seeing so many final touches be added to the game. For example, as you can see below, every playable character now has a unique sprinting animation! Not only does this look great, but it also makes movement in the game *feel* significantly smoother - especially when playing with a controller.
Thanks to Sufyan (the programmer), we’ve also continued making several tweaks to the presentation and battle system. For example, anyone that played the demo may recall that 8-Bit Adventures 2 features a Limit Break-style mechanic. However, when the ‘Limit’ bar finished filling up, it could easily go unnoticed by the player that their special attack was ready to go. So we’ve added both animation and a sound effect to communicate more clearly that the bar is filled. This is the sort of minutiae that we’re working through, while I simultaneously finish up the big stuff.
On a similar note, I wanted to mention that enemy portraits on the turn list are no longer generic (like they were in the demo, and some screenshots). Every foe that you fight in 8-Bit Adventures 2 now has their own unique graphic to represent them in the turn order list. Again, it’s a small addition, but this is the sort of polish that I believe really enhances a game.
Unfortunately, because of the type of content I’ve been working on (spoiler-y and mechanical), I don’t really have much to show this month. I hope to be in a different position by the end of July, but for now please bear with me! More than anything, I just wanted to avoid another missed month and keep you up-to-date on the game's progress.
Summer Sale Discounts
For the next we (until 10:00 AM on March 11th Pacific Time), you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that's only $6.60 USD)!
Visit the 8-Bit Adventures Steam page here.
Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! You can now get it 20% off - that's just $2.39 USD!!
Visit the Tales Across Time Steam page here.
As I've said before, these discounts won't get any lower in the future, so now's the time to buy!
As has always been the case, every purchase goes towards 8-Bit Adventures 2's development. Most things are now fully paid for, but we've still got a few things to cover, so any and all support is greatly appreciated!
Steam Wishlist Confusion
Some of you may have heard that Steam’s newest Summer Sale competition has caused a lot of trouble for some indie developers. Essentially, there was some confusion about the phrasing, and it caused many players to delete smaller or cheaper games from their wishlist (while all people actually needed to do was reorder their lists).
I’m extremely grateful that my games have been unaffected by this, however for some developers it has been a big issue. Wishlists play a very large role in Steam’s algorithms, which in turn affect how many people see your game on the storefront. If you’d like to learn more about the situation, I recommend reading this article: Gamasutra.com
Anyway, I just wanted to include a quick PSA, on behalf of my fellow devs, that deleting games off your wishlist is *not* necessary for the Summer Sale promotion =)
That's All Folks!
I apologise that this was such a lean update; I really ran out of time to prepare it this month, but I still wanted to post *something*. As I mentioned above, the best thing I can say is that so far we’re on track with my predictions – and that’s a very good thing.
To make sure you don't miss any news, I recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that's the best way I've found to keep up-to-date on news!
You can also check out the 8-Bit Adventures 2 Website for more info and screenshots, or check Facebook at: Facebook.com
And don't forget the newest addition - the Critical Games Creator Page on Steam: Store.steampowered.com
Follow that page or wishlist the game to be notified when 8-Bit Adventures 2 is finally released!
On a slightly unusual note, I wrote a short article about Final Fantasy VII Remake and RPG Design in my off time this month, which made it as a Featured Post on the front page of Gamasutra! Using Remake as a framework for discussion, I examine some of the ways developers can add value to their RPGs *beyond* the core narrative.
I don’t know how interesting it would be to most people, but I bring up 8-Bit Adventures 2 a handful of times, so I just wanted to mention it in case anyone was curious: Gamasutra.com
Thanks for sticking with me everyone - even when I don't have much to say!
~Josh
