Developer diary (Spoiler-ish!)

On 11/15/2013 at 08:35 PM by BrokenH

Developer afterthoughts

It’s been awhile since the first version of my game released. Since then I’ve gotten better criticism from people not coming after me like rabid werewolves! In retrospect, I realize I did do some things poorly. Being this is my first game I shouldn’t be surprised by that.

The art

Looking back at my concept art I still “like it” but I don’t think it embodies what my game ended up trying to be. Truthfully I do not believe “sexiness” diminishes female characters as potential people but I admit some of my early designs look more like they belong in a beat em up or a really messed up and bizarre fighting game! (Gutterdelve was supposed to originally be a beat em up/rpg hybrid but I did not have the skills required to pull it off)

Deidre’s arch

Deidre’s arch is perhaps the most controversial. Her past has a lot to do with sexual abuse and being brain washed. It was difficult writing her and I wonder if I was mature enough or skilled enough to tell her tale in the first place. Be that as it may, she ended up being one of the most lovable and interesting female protagonists for me personally. I became smitten with her no nonsense attitude and tom-boyish tough-girl responses to the other characters!

Amy interrupted

I feel as if Amy didn’t stick out enough. I realize she is the “voice of normalcy” in the group. She’s more emotionally stable than her brother and is known to take care of her family through taking on various responsibilities. Still, there’s a lot we don’t know about her. She mentioned “training in exotic places” during her acting career but it’s a shame my first game doesn’t go into that in more detail.

Villains who are too one dimensional

Admittedly my villains are flat and static. They don’t really change much throughout the game and we never get to know them as well as the protagonists. Partly this was due to time constraints and doing my project alone. However, I’d like to have “better villains” in the future.

Someone by the alias The_Honorable_Ryu mentioned Robert was a missed opportunity and that is entirely feasible. After all, we see a glimmer of a conscience in Robby at the police station in which he shows genuine regret for what he and his friends have done. However, the high-school chapter rips away any sympathy we might feel for him. I think Rob and Deidre “did” love each other in their own way. It might have been a bit perverse and twisted but affection is still affection.

Costumes (And the lack thereof)

Later in the game I decided to include an option where you could “dress up the characters” in alternate costumes. The “nude sets” I created were thrown in just because I had them. I mean if someone really wanted to see a 16 bit pixel representation of Kara or Deidre running around “naked” that’s their own business, right?

Oh, how wrong I was! I always seem to forget today’s generation is much more sensitive about these things. First of all, it would have been better if I had nude sprites for all the characters. From my perspective that would have meant even more tireless work so I simply did not do it. However, the opposing side will of course jump on the red hot issue of “gender equality” and how including naked sprites of only female characters is “unfair”. Don’t misunderstand me. I realize they have a valid argument if ever there was one. But on my end it wasn’t rooted in a patriarchal conspiracy, attempt at objectification, or some sort of deep rooted misogyny. I was simply “too lazy” to make more naked sprites of Ben, Dwayne, Liam, ANGI, and Amy! Which of course brings me to the point not every female character actually had a nude sprite.

Random encounters

In my day I didn’t mind random encounters. Final fantasy 6? Bring it on, buddy! Alas, times have changed and I have to accept this. Many of my friends playing my game admitted the “random battles” were annoying buggers. This actually lead me to creating a whole new version of the game in which enemies can be seen on screen.

The jab at RMN

One of the mini endings takes a jab at RMN as a collective group. It most certainly is unprofessional of me but I think the point I made is still a good one.

You would have to be there when I first signed on to get the full effect. Yeah, you can read the responses but that alone doesn’t do it justice.

I take issue with people throwing around terms like “objectification” and “misogynistic”. Mostly because the meanings of those words have been stretched in an attempt to make them reputation wreckers and debate enders. Just because I draw sexualized women does not mean I hate them. It does not even mean I objectify them. (How can one objectify a fictional entity that is merely pixels on the screen? I‘m not implying I don‘t love my characters but I accept the reality they exist only inside my mind.)

To go even further with this philosophy, stating my art and ideas support a conspiracy ridden “patriarchy” trying to keep women down is such an absurd and preposterous idea my mind cannot even process it. I’m not saying women do not get mistreated or abused but at least in the liberal laden “western world” things are a lot nicer. Some men are sexist mean spirited Neanderthals but I do not think they’re “organized” like the KKK used to be. (When I use the term “organized” I’m referring to physical militias that are a true threat as opposed to online dens of equity that are all talk but no action!)

Toward the end some people from RMN even accused me of dismissing the fact rape happens to men too just because I did not have a male character who got sexually assaulted in the same manner as Deidre did. In truth I merely wanted each character to face something unique from each other. I definitely was not trying to dismiss the fact sexual abuse is also a possibility for men. To insinuate that just because "man rape" is not present in this one particular story comes off as being over reactionary and immature to me.

Conclusion

I hope to improve in future projects. I admit right now I’m kind of exhausted so a sequel or spin off will not be forthcoming for awhile. I appreciate all the helpful criticism and I’m happy that my present here has not been met with as much “piss & vinegar” as it was when I put up a page at RMN!

Matt Snee Staff Writer

11/16/2013 at 09:11 AM

hmmm can't read this yet. :(

BrokenH

11/16/2013 at 10:51 AM

It's okay,Matt. You can always come back to it.

Cary Woodham

11/16/2013 at 05:27 PM

I feel kinda bad for not playing your game, but I have enough games to play and review as it is!

11/16/2013 at 06:29 PM

The game is kind of "dark",Cary. In other words,probably not what appeals to you anyway. Don't feel bad for not playing it!

Blake Turner Staff Writer

11/18/2013 at 02:40 AM

My criticisms: Yep. Those damn Random Encounters. They were helped by the fact that disturbed played everytime and I got my head bang on, but they were a tad excessive. That's the way of RPG Maker though I suppose.

Other than that, I'd space the dialogue out a little bit. We do get some pretty huge exposition dumps, and thought the writing is decent, sometimes less is more. What I mean is that rather than the characters saying everything at once, maybe space that dialogue out a bit more, so they say half of what they need to say at the one point, then you can walk a bit, triggering another event where they talk a bit more. Just a thought anyway, now that I've finally finished your game.

11/18/2013 at 04:01 PM

The text dumps were a bit much. (And by a "bit much" I mean an intmidating wall of text!) I think in my next game I'll leave more implied or do as you suggest and space out exposition over more events.

As for random encounters? Screw em! They were "okay" back in the day but they really have overstayed their welcome. I much prefer it when enemies can be seen on the screen.

11/19/2013 at 01:08 AM

Yeah. I mean I know it's a lot of work, but maybe plan out your encounters?

11/19/2013 at 10:56 PM

The "new enemy encounter system" wasn't too difficult to adjust. I still wonder if it's "perfect" though. So far the biggest bug is enemies that respawn stand still as opposed to resuming their movement pattern.

NSonic79

11/19/2013 at 01:31 PM

Now this makes sense. Who knows if people read this after you released your game they'd understand more the reasons why you chose teh direction you did with the game.

It makes me wonder if this is why anyone that creates something "professional" has to have those PR crisis control people to help explain things whne people just don't get it.

11/19/2013 at 10:48 PM

It would have been nice to have some smooth tongued PR guys in my corner,Nsonic. lol. Sadly, I'm a small fish. Don't have that kind of cash,brotha!

I will say I didn't expect my game to be for the mainstream in the first place. But the vitriol it received was a bit much in my opinion. We certainly live in turbulent times.

In my defense, I explained quite a bit of these things to the RMN crowd but they were still rather agitated and unreasonable. I didn't add the mini ending satirizing RMN until it was already out of control and really bad.

There are a few nice people there too so the jab was only directed at the mob hellbent on being jerks. lol.

jcal94

11/21/2013 at 03:17 AM

Hey Ben, I will just throw this out there... If you don't feel content with the development of characters, especially villians, say it was "on purpose" and expand on them in a sequel I see you're considering! It's a decent "out" in this case, and then you can make them more "mysterious" in the first game. I know that's what I'm intending to do with my games someday. Have the first one introduce all the characters, and delve into the protagonists stories. In the second game, delve into what made the villians who they are, and flesh them out. And then, if you would make a third game, you'd have the major characterization out of the way and can just focus on an epic story, possibly conclusion!

I'll give a quick example. In what I want to make, there's these mysterious powerful enemies that are dressed in fancy tux-like outfits with trench coats and hats and all. That, and their evil personalities and powers are most of what is explained in the first installment. In the second installment, which takes place around 10 years later, it still continues the main character's story, but delves into how the evil people were made in that time and then sent back the 10 years to the first story, and how they think and how they act are almost two seperate personalities altogether.

Take advantage of anything you feel was a mistake or a slip-up, and turn it into a strength for future games. It of course wouldn't be in the same way, but you could do flashbacks, or you could do something like Kingdom Hearts does where the player can collect reports or diary pages that give backstory on certain characters and events. Any mistakes should be embraced, and any criticism should be used to make the next game even more powerful and possibly offensive if you just want to give the bird to soap-boxers!

PixlBit