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[eddietree]

Thanks Peevish, I am glad you enjoy my game. 

I hope to find time in the future to start implementing some enemies. I actually have about 14 enemies planned!

True, I did not analyze the implications of using the save the princess motif to such a deep level because, honestly, I do not really care much for its social implications. It's a light-hearted game which borrows from the motif in order to provide a backbone to drive the gameplay.

But if we are really trying to get into it...

The fact that in my game, it's a male who saves the girl does not necessarily imply that the male is exerting his dominance over his girl. He is just trying to save his partner who is in distress. I view it as a sign of respect that he cares enough to save the life of a significant other.

So what is misogynist about it? Is it the fact that a single female should be empowered enough to save herself from the grasp of a 200ft tentacled sea monster? Would it be more socially conscious if the male just hung out and assumed that the female is strong enough to save herself? Then where will the game be? Leave it to the feminist to over-analyze the situation.

Does it matter if it's a guy saving a girl? Or would it be better if it's a girl who saves the guy? Or even, we can take the more modern-progressive approach and say that it's one dude saving his boyfriend.  The "save the princess" motif is so ingrained in our culture that one game or even the entire game industry is not enough to eradicate the problem; that is, if it even is a problem..

[jotapeh]

Misogynist is sort of extreme. Male chauvinistic, perhaps, but misogynist? No sir.

[Peevish]

Ah, cool! I anticipate more enemies will make the game even more enjoyable. And I hope any commentary I make on any social implications of the game aren't seen as criticisms of the gameplay, or the aesthetic. I enjoy the game quite a lot!

And it is a conundrum trying to grapple with it. No one game can whip the old "save the princess" trope into a more modern and likable one, because no one game is to blame for it existing. It's been around for ages, stemming back from a less enlightened time. In reality, if games like this were made every once in a while, it wouldn't be a problem. A story about a man saving a woman he cares for is not inherently misogynistic. Many games have a character questing for an object of desire. If that object is a human (or other living thing), then it has been quite literally "objectified." And in the games industry, it doesn't balance out; women are objectified far far far more often than men.

I don't know where the game is going, but as it stands the woman's role is simply "the thing to be saved." It could just as easily be his dog, his father, his son, or the president. It would damage the tone of the game if the monster just stole his lunch pail, but functionally it'd be the same. You see what I mean? But the archetype is "woman being saved by a man." And since that's one of the only roles women tend to play in games, it relegates women as objects and men as subjects. At this point, it's not misogyny but tradition that keeps it in place. But it does have an effect on society in ways we don't notice.

I, of course, don't want to tell you how to make your game. I played pretty much all the content there was in the game and enjoyed it a lot. The gender thing, I noticed it, recognized it, and removed myself from it. But since it came up in the thread, I would feel remiss if I avoided discussing it. Simply drawing attention to it and pointing out that it's worth thinking about is how attitudes gradually adjust.

La la la! We can talk about gameplay some more too!

[eddietree]

It would damage the tone of the game if the monster just stole his lunch pail, but functionally it'd be the same.

Functionally, it would not be the same because if a monster were to steal his lunch pail, it would not be enough of a driving force for the character to want to embark on the journey and therefore would diminish the gameplay.

Anyhow, I can't believe my dev log has spiraled into a talk about feminism and misogyny. Let's stop it here and let's get back to gameplay!

[Sir Raptor]

If your girlfriend got kidnapped by a sea monster, you'd rescue her posthaste. I can't see any misogyny in this, just another use of a classic plot.


Now, what this game needs is sting rays.

[porousnapkin]

This is the best devlog I've ever read!

I'm just a random guy on the interweb and I want to say that your game looks absolutely awesome!! Very fun looking game. Everyone should try it out!

[McMutton]

 Will the difficulty of the enemies increase as you go farther and as you dive deeper? Or just farther?

[Miguelito]

Can I just say that I'm from Europe and the term "Interracial relationship" makes me want to throw up? It's one race: human.
(Not a personal attack against you, just voicing ma horrible rage here.)

That was my contribution to the whole thing. And if this debate flames up again like this, I'll change her into a black man or a robot made of bottlecaps.

(She's olive-skinned because that's what I'm into, and eddie gave me 100% liberty to come up with my own characters. How lame is that, designing a pixel character after your own idea of hotness? )

[sereneworx]

Not lame. Awesome.

This is coming along nicely, eddietree! I'd love to check out those parallax sunbeams in motion. Must make for great atmosphere.

[eddietree]

Will the difficulty of the enemies increase as you go farther and as you dive deeper? Or just farther?

The difficulty of the monsters will increase in both directions. That is, enemies will be more difficult the deeper you go and the farther out you are from town.

[goshki]

Wonderfully polished and coherent game. I've encountered one bug though - when I jumped into the water for the first time, there was a fish at the same location as my character and because information box appeared, I couldn't control the character. Thus the fish took all my energy and I returned to the boat.

[BomberTREE]

I spent an hour of my life playing this WIP,
so worth it 
Keep it up!

[sergiocornaga]

You still working on this? Just played the WIP and it seems awesome. I really hope it will see completion!

[andy wolff]

I demand progress

[eddietree]

Wow, I'm very happy to hear that people are still interested in my game.   

I started this game when I was still in graduate school. But since recently I've been hired as a game programmer, I've been quite busy.

I do hope to get back into it eventually, but I'm just not sure how soon. Will definitely keep yall up to date.
 

[andy wolff]

Ooh, q-games.

Congrats and good luck with the job!

[Nektonico]

Nice concept, i just wish the enemies were a bit... livelier. 


I just love the weird stuff going on in the background when you dive all the way down to the bottom of the sea (ghost ships, ducks, etc). Congratulations to the graphic artist as well.