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[oldblood]

I can drive myself crazy imagining how people will respond to Sunset. Will they like it? Will they find a way to enjoy it? Did we manage to make something accessible or is it still way too "Tale of Tales"? Will it live up to the expectations generated by the initial concept (it's intimidating how much some people like the concept of Sunset)? Why did I think this was going to work in the first place? Et cetera.

So I'm looking for the slightest signs, indicators in what people say to try to deduce what the response of the public will be. Did we do well? Will they get it?

But it's all moot now. Whatever would be wrong with Sunset could not be fixed before the release date anyway. So what matters now, to me, what I need to focus on, is finishing Sunset as the game I want it to be. Make it work for me. Make it please me. So I can be proud of my baby. So that when everyone hates I can still say "I love it! You're all morons!" 

That's a lot of feelings...

As you're well aware, I think that's a pretty common reaction from most developers in the days before release. But I think you've already answered your own thoughts on the best way to handle all those feelings. Just keep doing what you're doing. As you said, make it work for you. I'm quite confident people are going to love what you've done here...

I'm fortunately in the position where I don't have to worry about invasive thoughts like these for a few more months...

Best of luck with the launch. Looking forward to playing.

[Michaël Samyn]

Thank you!

[and]

Good luck with the launch. It looks as though you've crafted something that will be a beautiful experience, I can't wait to slip into that world!

[Michaël Samyn]

Thank you. Hope you'll enjoy it!

[Michaël Samyn]

Does this happen to you too? A week before release, I have a long list of little tweaks I would like to see in the game. But none seem vital. So I'm torn between implementing some of these or testing the game one more time because there might be a serious bug in there that we haven't spotted yet.

I guess a real beta-phase would have removed some of this insecurity. We didn't really have time for that. Instead we just continuously did quality checks and corrections.

It's quite safe to say that Sunset has been a way more ambitious project than we could really afford. Been crunching too long too hard. But, compared to our other games, it's also an easy game to make. So the work, despite there being a lot of it, is usually quite light.

Anyway, less than a week to go. Let's cram in some more achievements! :-)

[slarti88]

All the best with the release! As regards last minute additions, I feel its better not to do it, Haven't released anything nearly as big as this so I can't say but it might be better to simply ensure whatever's already there works really well!

[Michaël Samyn]

Thanks!
But everything already works well! :-)
If I spend hours testing and I don't find any major issues, I have wasted valuable time that could have been used to improve the game. Too high a price to pay for security! Live dangerously!

[and]

Every game is broken on release - just fix it later and get extra publicity for being a responsible developer when you do get it working properly

Tweak away!

[Michaël Samyn]

Thanks!

Adding achievements like a maniac.

[Michaël Samyn]

The launch trailer has been revealed at the Two5Six festival and to our Kickstarter backers. The response we've seen in the pubic seems as overwhelming as our own. The trailer is really good. Kert Gartner did a splendid job.

I wouldn't be me if that wouldn't make me worry.
One of the reasons why the trailer works so well, I think, is the wonderful music that Austin Wintory made. And how and when it plays in the video. This is not, however, how things work in the game. There is no soundtrack as such in Sunset. All music, except for a tiny bit at the very end, comes from records and radios that you find in the apartment. And you decide if and when to play them. So basically, you decide if and when you want to be emotionally manipulated by the power of music.

Of course smart designers don't allow their players to make such decisions themselves. They wield the power of music themselves to achieve an emotional effect. As the trailer does. I hope that the agency and the verisimilitude of playing your own music compensates for this lack of manipulation. I personally find it very powerful to be able to make that decision myself. But I've seen many occasions where players of videogames are a lot more passive and they just sit back and wait to be entertained, which has never been our approach. We've always expected players to actively engage with our work. Hopefully we didn't take that attitude too far in Sunset.

[Michaël Samyn]

Even if nobody would enjoy Sunset and it would generally be considered a failure, it would still be a fantastic thing to exist. So much effort was put into this, so much thought, blood, sweat, tears. In a way, it would be all the more glorious if all of this energy would have produced something that interests no one. The futility of the energy wasted would be monumental. I find that to waste one's time on something utterly useless has a heroic quality. In a way, it's what I aspire to in life.  

[Joel Draper]

We've got 4 days till release and that excites me.

Good luck with it.

I presume I get my key on Thursday? Do you know what time?

[Michaël Samyn]

Thank you!

Sunset will be released on Thursday at 5 pm, Belgian time. Thats 8 am PDT.
That's when it launches on Steam.

Kickstarter backers and pre-orderers will get their download link and Steam key via Humble. I'm actually not sure at exactly what time. I will ask.

[Michaël Samyn]

The launch trailer for Sunset is now up at http://sunset-game.com!

[William Chyr]

The trailer looks great! I love the art direction, especially with the typography for the quotes.

[Michaël Samyn]

Thank you. The early seventies are such an inspiring period for graphics!

How's your own adventure in virtual space going? Relativity sure looks pretty!

[oldblood]

Killer trailer. Dare I say, cinematic?

[Michaël Samyn]

We call it "Sunset: The Movie" 

[ｂ∀ ｋｋｕｓａ]

This is really impressive.   will buy it 

[Michaël Samyn]

Thank you!!