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[jb]

Exciting! New areas look awesome, great to hear it is near release. If it feels like diminishing returns you should go with your instinct as to what 'complete' means. 700 rooms sounds like a lot already, even if many of them are part of the same location.

Is there any content you could add that wouldn't take much time to implement but would have significant returns? For example, collectible notes that open a special door when you get all 20 of them - this could supplement story and adds another game play element but doesn't involve the amount of work of creating a new world. I'd love to hear secret messages coming through my dial up modem

[swordofkings128]

You've captured this esthetic so well. Awesome.

Thank you I tried my best!

Can't wait! Where are you planning on releasing it? Is there a mailing list I can sign up to so I can be alerted?

Thank you too! I plan on being on Steam but I'd like to get on GOG too, not sure what's involved with that though... The best non-mail way to know when the game is done is probably just following me on twitter
https://twitter.com/swordofkings128

However, if you PM me an email address I can send you an email

Exciting! New areas look awesome, great to hear it is near release. If it feels like diminishing returns you should go with your instinct as to what 'complete' means. 700 rooms sounds like a lot already, even if many of them are part of the same location.

Is there any content you could add that wouldn't take much time to implement but would have significant returns? For example, collectible notes that open a special door when you get all 20 of them - this could supplement story and adds another game play element but doesn't involve the amount of work of creating a new world. I'd love to hear secret messages coming through my dial up modem

Thank you as well! I guess it's not so much diminishing returns as it is my creative goals have changed.... it's quite difficult to explain without just saying what it is but I'm waiting until a little after the game is released to talk more in depth about it. I said previously I want more modern visuals/work flow, which is half of it. It'll make more sense later, I promise!

I did have ideas similar to that, collecting notes. But I just ended up not doing them for one reason or another. And story has just kind of lost importance as development went on mainly because the more I worked on the game, the more I realized the game is more of a "get your favorite drink and relax" kind of experience. I really like the idea of "R'n'R" games, something you can play without a whole lot of involvement while unwinding after a hard day at work.

[TonyManfredonia]

Since the last post, I've gotten so much done. Good news is I'm 99% sure I'm on track for a June release. This month it's just been finishing up places, getting things rendered and final world graphics into the game. At the moment, I have 1 final place I need to make a few misc things for and then I'm calling world modeling "done"

Here's some screenshots:

I took out the screenshots as to not blow up this post...

But I have to say that I'm LOVING this. It's been a while since I've visited these forums due to being unbelievably busy, but I'm so happy to see that you're progressing (and coming to a close)! These worlds are like Myst-meets KidPix.

[swordofkings128]

Thank you amanfr01! That's a really good description, Myst meets KidPix :p

[Zzzzz]

So happy that the project finally come to a sense of closure!
Hopping that you will be satisfied with your final result, even though you planned on doing a bit more. The quantity of work you put into your game really is already inspiring to me, i won't frogget it! Thanks a lot for taking the time to update and answer, hope that life is good!!! :9

[swordofkings128]

So happy that the project finally come to a sense of closure!
Hopping that you will be satisfied with your final result, even though you planned on doing a bit more. The quantity of work you put into your game really is already inspiring to me, i won't frogget it! Thanks a lot for taking the time to update and answer, hope that life is good!!! :9

Sorry meant to reply sooner! Thanks :D Amphibeing done with this game will make me quite a happy hopper. Actually here's the final check list at the moment...
-Record voice/animate 2(possibly 3) fmv cutscenes of someone talking
-Improve save/load system(originally planned it being a single save slot game where you start right back where you left off but I think people would prefer having multiple ones)
-Redo my options menu
-Do the business side of things(setting up llc...)

By the way did I ever put this here? Lip sync test... (not my voice, just do a little research on "Leo Luster")




One more thing... I added probably the worst and very secret easter egg imaginable on a whim. Though I wonder how many games have really super difficult and obscure easter eggs that no one will ever figure out(without performing a software autopsy) because they're that well hidden away.

Also I worked a bit on something related to my next thing... Dino Days(not really :p)

[tobru]

Randomly came to think about how amazing this game seems, and how much I want to play it. Eight months of silence in the thread has me a little worried though. Is this still a thing that is inching closer to release, or is it on hiatus?

[jb]

I too check every couple of months with the hope of an update. I am happy to wait for the eventual release but if it doesn't come out I hope swordofkings will set the game free in its current state. An unfinished vaporware or shareware version missing features could actually add to the theme and mystique of FlamingOS! Hope all is well!

[swordofkings128]

Hey it's me, I'm sorry but I haven't done anything with Frog Days. The problem is... well, as everyone knows that when you're making a game, your motivation to do so pretty much comes from yourself. The passion of making something cool that maybe some other people will like is what keeps you going.

It's difficult to explain but I don't have much fun making this kind of content anymore. Indie game dev kind of sucks when you're not able to motivate yourself to work on a project(especially something big in scope)

You toil away at something for years, just doing it for yourself, like I said your passion for making something cool driving you, and in the end the chance of anything actually coming from all the work is so slim. Idk I feel like I would have finished/released the game and maybe 100 people would have bought it.

That's not to say it was ever about money or attention or anything. But when you don't have anything besides "I'm so driven to make something cool!" and that starts to go away... then there's not much of a point.

I'm not done making things, I just don't make stuff like this anymore. Please understand that this type of stuff isn't my calling- I thought it was but it's something else. And I would have been a lot happier if I would have tried it and realized what I know now years ago.

I don't know, maybe I'll just release what I have... but eh. Idk if I ever shared this but this was a small tour of some places I put up awhile ago to show people




Thank you and sorry

[Superb Joe]

Hey it's me, I'm sorry but I haven't done anything with Frog Days. The problem is... well, as everyone knows that when you're making a game, your motivation to do so pretty much comes from yourself. The passion of making something cool that maybe some other people will like is what keeps you going.

It's difficult to explain but I don't have much fun making this kind of content anymore. Indie game dev kind of sucks when you're not able to motivate yourself to work on a project(especially something big in scope)

You toil away at something for years, just doing it for yourself, like I said your passion for making something cool driving you, and in the end the chance of anything actually coming from all the work is so slim. Idk I feel like I would have finished/released the game and maybe 100 people would have bought it.

That's not to say it was ever about money or attention or anything. But when you don't have anything besides "I'm so driven to make something cool!" and that starts to go away... then there's not much of a point.

I'm not done making things, I just don't make stuff like this anymore. Please understand that this type of stuff isn't my calling- I thought it was but it's something else. And I would have been a lot happier if I would have tried it and realized what I know now years ago.

I don't know, maybe I'll just release what I have... but eh. Idk if I ever shared this but this was a small tour of some places I put up awhile ago to show people




Thank you and sorry

if you were doing this to be creatively fulfilled, and you got that sense of fulfillment, then that's really cool and thank you for sharing it with the world, it was very interesting

[ActualDog]

I'm sorry to hear that but I completely understand your decision. Super glad to hear you're moving onto stuff that makes you happier!

[jb]

Thanks for the update, I'm sure whatever you put your mind to will be great given how prolific this project has been. In watching the video through it is astounding to me the amount of artwork and small details in here. I think creating games and art has to be for your own passion above all else if you are doing it as a personal project - clicks, downloads etc can be validating but I see it as my own entertainment above those. It may be interesting for you to know that a bunch of my friends use this game as the foremost example of desktop 3D 90s throwback games. Frog Days has been the subject of many philosophical conversations about nostalgia, taste and media consumption. I find the Nintendo-centric 8-bit revivals in the indie scene curious. There will continue to be devs growing up who have different inspirations from their childhoods - how will this manifest? If 3D tools became even more accessible, will we see more PS1 and PS2 era works thriving and desktop publishing blooming as an aesthetic? We already are in some ways. Anyway, I am going on tangents but good luck with your projects. Just remember: failure is closer to success than never trying at all. And it's only temporary; keep going and you can overcome any obstacle

[Pitxardo]

Sorry to hear that, but it sad because I think this game was having some traction.

As far as I see, this devlog was always getting replies and feedback by other users in every update.
That's far more that what other people (including me) is getting in their devlogs.

Your game was quite unique and risky for nowadays indie games style standards. No matter what, if I was you I would be proud for the work done

[swordofkings128]

Thank you everyone for understanding. Who knows, I might return to making normal games some day. But for now I can't see myself doing that.

I'm sorry to hear that but I completely understand your decision. Super glad to hear you're moving onto stuff that makes you happier!

Me too, thank you

Thanks for the update, I'm sure whatever you put your mind to will be great given how prolific this project has been. In watching the video through it is astounding to me the amount of artwork and small details in here. I think creating games and art has to be for your own passion above all else if you are doing it as a personal project - clicks, downloads etc can be validating but I see it as my own entertainment above those. It may be interesting for you to know that a bunch of my friends use this game as the foremost example of desktop 3D 90s throwback games. Frog Days has been the subject of many philosophical conversations about nostalgia, taste and media consumption. I find the Nintendo-centric 8-bit revivals in the indie scene curious. There will continue to be devs growing up who have different inspirations from their childhoods - how will this manifest? If 3D tools became even more accessible, will we see more PS1 and PS2 era works thriving and desktop publishing blooming as an aesthetic? We already are in some ways. Anyway, I am going on tangents but good luck with your projects. Just remember: failure is closer to success than never trying at all. And it's only temporary; keep going and you can overcome any obstacle

I'm glad you and your friends like it Idk maybe I'll share the latest build... but I still am on the fence if I want to do that or not since I'd ideally want to port the game into a more modern game engine(like Game maker studio) but that'd be a loooot of work and something that doesn't interest me enough now to do so.

It will be interesting to see how the landscape of indie aesthetic changes over time, I'm sure eventually this kind of pre-rendered 3d look will be in style, probably within the next couple of years. And as much as I enjoy this look(Hypnospace being the best example so far of "old computer look") I'm also pushing my art in more... unique direction. I'm not sharing that here but PM if you're interested I guess.

Sorry to hear that, but it sad because I think this game was having some traction.

As far as I see, this devlog was always getting replies and feedback by other users in every update.
That's far more that what other people (including me) is getting in their devlogs.

Your game was quite unique and risky for nowadays indie games style standards. No matter what, if I was you I would be proud for the work done

Just because no one is posting in your topic doesn't mean people aren't looking

If it was gaining traction I didn't see it. I remember putting up what I thought was some sweet pics but half the time no replies(but once again, I wasn't doing it for that since I kept updating!)

Idk, if there's just some secret demand for this game I'm not aware of, like I said I might just release what I have. But we'll see.

And thank you, but I don't think Frog Days is terribly risky or unique. It's just a bunch of weird places to visit, silly desktop stuff, etc... I'm proud of what I've taught myself but still kicking myself in the pants for not listening to my gut for the past decade.

And finally, here's a secret bit of music for what I'm currently working.

[nova++]

If it was gaining traction I didn't see it. I remember putting up what I thought was some sweet pics but half the time no replies(but once again, I wasn't doing it for that since I kept updating!)

Idk, if there's just some secret demand for this game I'm not aware of, like I said I might just release what I have. But we'll see.

And thank you, but I don't think Frog Days is terribly risky or unique. It's just a bunch of weird places to visit, silly desktop stuff, etc... I'm proud of what I've taught myself but still kicking myself in the pants for not listening to my gut for the past decade.

I think it's important to consider that TIGSource definitely isn't as active as it was a few years back. A lot of threads I see take quite some time to get replies, a lot end up drifting downward without any and get buried. I can't say I've followed the thread (I only just discovered it at this stage, and love how it look[s/ed]), so I dunno if you have said before, but where else did you ever post about frog days?

I think if something's put in enough places, it will manage to build up at least some audience. If only 0.5% of people who view it will be interested (although honestly, I think with how popular weird games and 90s nostalgia have become, it would be WAY more than 0.5% IMO), then the wider a net that gets cast, the larger a number of actual people that 0.5% translates into.

I confess though, I say this partly out of observation of others, but also partly out of hope, as someone also making a super niche game.

I'm not trying to force you back to working on this, either. Burnout is real and it is pain incarnate, and forcing it would do more harm than good. Whatever you choose to do, I hope things go well for you. You have a creative head on your shoulders.

[swordofkings128]

I mainly just posted here, an ancient forum I used to go to and twitter. I'd agree that, put it in enough places, it could gain a following. But are there a lot of places where people who love to play indie games frequent? When I was on twitter, most of the people that followed me I'd say where people more on the developer side of things. Which is cool but ideally you'd want your following to consist of people who are more into playing games(we all know as indies there's not much time to spare to actually play games when you're trying to make games)

I understand what you're saying, I know you're not trying to force me back to working on it. There's just a lot of problems with the the game industry(this sums up a couple of my feelings) which is also one of the reasons I stopped(er, kind of sort of) and I'd rather not get into that here but if you want to discuss feel free to PM me.

[Superb Joe]

ideally you'd want your following to consist of people who are more into playing games(we all know as indies there's not much time to spare to actually play games when you're trying to make games)

i would say actually the default adult experience is not having time to play games and the challenge realistically is how to filter through the layers of volcanic internet rock and get your thing to one of those aberrant oases where lots of people see it but without you directly shilling it. like that goose game. and the answer to that as far as i can tell sadly is get really lucky.

[lunchbreak]

Oh man, sorry to hear that! I've been following this thread from the beginning, because it somehow struck a chord with me. I was actually looking forward to play the game, because everything you've posted is so damn cool!

I understand the feeling though, so I hope you get to do stuff that you find awesome!

[applygenerously]

Ah man, this is sad to hear! I came across your devlog ~1 year ago, and have checked on this thread periodically hoping to find an update. Admittedly this isn't the update I was hoping for, but I felt the need to create an account to thank you for sharing what you have here, it is very inspiring.

[swordofkings128]

Thank you everyone but please don't be sorry/sad. I'm much happier now with life and myself than when I was making this game(I don't really want to talk about it) Once again, I'm really sorry to disappoint but there's lots of really promising games being worked on right now, in this forum and other places so there's a lot to look forward to and I'm sure something else will come along that you'll like just as much or more.