New Device Resolution Strategy

     I admit to being a complete dunderhead when it comes to making a game fit all resolutions. I found it hard to wrap my head around making a game that fits all the resolution combinations out there. I tried making TriGrid fit everything by upscaling the smallest resolution. With Fish Feaster I did the same but stretched the background to compensate for iPhone 5's longer screen. When I made Candy Shop Catch I had HD and SD resolutions programmed in, which doubled the amount of assets in the game (a colossal waste of space).

     With my newest creation, I'm trying a new method that will hopefully be kind to memory and easy to code. I thought of it when I finished up Candy Shop Catch and face-palmed at how obvious the solution really is...

Learning Animations

     One of the things I'm planning to learn from making DragCore is Unity Animations. I'm using 2D Toolkit animated sprites to make animations. Mastering this is key to my future games where smooth animations will make all the difference graphically. I also need to figure out how to make animations efficiently so I can make large games that load quickly and don't lag when multiple objects or moving on screen.

     I also found another indie game development documentary yesterday. Inspirational stuff, but it's also a bit vulgar. I'd swear a lot too if I had to work two min-wage jobs and live alone for 5 years while trying to get a game off the ground. It shows just how stressful life can be when you're just starting out as an indie. Lot's of people really do have it worse than me and I'm very lucky that my parents are giving me a head start.

   Check it out if you're interested in that stuff. I'd also recommend seeing the extended interviews on his channel to hear from the other members of the indie team. Now that all my assets are ready, I'm going to finish my design document and start putting my own game together.

Status Report #14

     Thanksgiving turned out well. I saw Times Square at night, demonstrated my work to my family, fixed bugs in my Android titles, nearly completed all the sprites for DragCore, confirmed my summer plans with my parents, and watched BBC's Sherlock for the first time. Take a look at all the stuff that got done this week. Because a lot got done this week.

What's Next? (Road to RPG)

     I've tweaked this list a few times but now I'm settled. I'm going to make DragCore, next I'm going to make a digital board game based on a class project from last year, then I'm going to pull out all the stops and make the best 2D platformer I possibly can. After all that dust settles and I'm making a comfortable income, I'll finally begin my action RPG.

     I should be done with DragCore and the board game before the college semester ends in May. I'll spend all summer working on my platformer while spending the first half of this summer taking online classes to hopefully skip out the upcoming fall semester. If I don't go to school next fall I can save up some tuition money for the following spring and have dedicated time for making my games profitable and focusing on prototyping my RPG.

     This whole plan is a work in progress and we'll see what happens. Everything else has fallen into place so far, but things are getting shaky as the stakes are being increased. Tuition is going up and my family's money isn't. I admit I'm feeling pretty alone on this. It feels like every force known to man wants to keep me from reaching my dream and I am truly the only one who sees my potential and recognizes my evolving ability.
   
     I need some proof that my plan is working and I need proof that I can make great games. DragCore needs to come out ASAP so I can just get a glimpse of success in the world's most crowded gaming market. Not just to prove to others but also to myself. I need to step up the quality of my works and start making a name for myself in the app store.