Recalibration
Added 2024-02-20 19:25:23 +0000 UTCFor those of you who don't use Discord, I'm reposting the message I sent there:
Hi, everyone
First off, I need to apologize for going silent for so long. A few months ago, I made some catastrophic mistakes with Siren's version control (project backup system) and ended up losing a significant amount of work. I handled the setback very poorly. Went into some kind of mental paralysis, stopped communicating with the team, and started avoiding the community entirely, mostly out of shame. I've been trying to get the project back to its former state, but progress has been slow and disheartening, and my mental health hasn't been in a great place.
I absolutely understand those who have canceled or are planning to cancel their Patreon support.
That being said, the project is not being abandoned. I still believe in the concept of the game, and that we have the start of what could be one of the most unique RPGs ever made. I just need to pull my head out of my ass, recalibrate, and continue to push forward through the setbacks. I'm once again committing to weekly progress updates, even if they're just bullet-point changelog notes.
I'm humbled by the concern this community has shown during the communication blackout. You are appreciated.
It's time to start swimming again. π
Weekly progress:
- Re-implemented the health and attribute system. Had to migrate the system from an older save in a previous engine version.
- Upgraded to the newly released version of the Oceanology plugin (water system). This meant rewriting all of our custom modifications to plugin, which allow it to work together with the weather and lighting system. It was a highly time-consuming upgrade, but it was definitely worth the effort because the new version is more performant and looks even better than before.
- Simplified the layout of the demo level and designed an "edge of the playable area" system which slowly turns the water darker and murkier as you approach the edge of the explorable area. This idea will be expanded on in the full game to include changes in sound design and music as you approach the edge.
Comments
I genuinely thought this project was abandoned and was really sad about it. Patreon, however, emailed me today that there was new activity here, so I came to have a look. Can't express how happy I am that the project is still on! I also appreciate the honesty in this post, as I think most people do. Only people who actually work can make mistakes though, as my late grandfather used to say, so don't feel ashamed even if the consequences seemed great. Be proud instead that you were able to overcome it.
Llinwey
2024-04-06 20:01:11 +0000 UTCBeing a creator there will always be setbacks minor and major. Some we can handle and others just make us want to throw in the towel. So essentially going into meltdown mode is totally understandable. But you picked yourself up and plowed forward again. And glad to hear work continues. We are your supporters and are here for you. The game concept is one of a kind and there isn't any game out there like this. Looking forward to seeing updates and eventually a finished game! We are so excited about this project!
Mindy and Justin (Mad Ferret Studios)
2024-02-28 14:29:50 +0000 UTC
