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[RealScaniX]

Those cutscenes sound interesting. Looking forward to seeing them in action.
 
And as for spoilers: I think I will continue to post videos of stuff that will be a surprise in the game, because:
1) very few people will see them
2) even fewer of those people will actually play the game
3) and barely anyone will remember those when he gets to finally play it himself
 
I often have the same idea "don't show spoilers" or destroy the surprise of an ingame event etc.
I even didn't want to show a video of the unexpected ending scene of Spaß Taxi. But it really made no difference, I think. Much more important to me is to get anyone interested in it.
 
But, yeah... for the people that follow your dev log and playtesting the demos it will probably affect the experience.
 
PS: Page 23! Wow!

[Thaumaturge]

Those cutscenes sound interesting. Looking forward to seeing them in action.

Thank you! ^_^

This next cutscene should be fairly short, so hopefully I'll have it finished and a video posted fairly soon. ^_^

And as for spoilers: I think I will continue to post videos of stuff that will be a surprise in the game, because:
1) very few people will see them
2) even fewer of those people will actually play the game
3) and barely anyone will remember those when he gets to finally play it himself
 
I often have the same idea "don't show spoilers" or destroy the surprise of an ingame event etc.
I even didn't want to show a video of the unexpected ending scene of Spaß Taxi. But it really made no difference, I think. Much more important to me is to get anyone interested in it.
 
But, yeah... for the people that follow your dev log and playtesting the demos it will probably affect the experience.

Indeed, it sometimes feels like a bit of a balancing act:

On the one hand, I want to post things--fin part to draw attention to the game and hold it thereafter, and in part to gain feedback on what I've made.

On the other hand, I don't want people to feel like the whole thing has been spoiled for them long before the game comes to be released.

Some things are easily shown: a new enemy doesn't spoil much, in general, nor does a bit of level-geometry.

Conversely, some things are (relatively) easily held back: I probably won't show more than glimpses of the final level, let alone the final cutscene, or at least so I currently intend.

But between those two there are regions of uncertainty...

Although, that said, it does occur to me that people wanting to avoid spoilers can just... not watch the videos. And releasing a video in and of itself can draw a little bit of attention, perhaps.

Hmm... So perhaps I'll consider being a little more free with such things--we'll see.
 

PS: Page 23! Wow!

Hah, yeah! I don't think that I expected that it would take so long, through so many blog-postings, to get to this point. ^^;

[Thaumaturge]

Blog post (18th of May, 2020)
A Short Week of Cutscening

Summary: In which a scene backdrop is completed; figures are painted for use with that scene; a little bit of narration is written for the same; the cutscene in question begins to be constructed; and elements for another scene in the same cutscene are begun.

Greetings and salutations!

This week's screenshot shows a still from the second scene of the level-five cutscene:



Due to some personal issues, the week just past was a very short one for me, I fear. Still, some things did get done:

To start with, you may recall that last week I reported that I had begun work on level five's intro cutscene. Specifically, I believe that I had started in on the backdrop to its second scene. In the week just past, then, I completed that backdrop.

In addition, I painted a set of figures depicting our protagonist's action within the scene. I also wrote the single line of narration that appears with that action.

Moving away from painting, I set about creating the cutscene itself, and implementing its second scene. This is largely done, I believe: it lacks sound and music, and I may adjust the characters' positions if called for, but the scene plays out as intended.

Here then is a look at the result:


And finally, I made a start on producing elements for use in the first scene. This is very much a work-in-progress, I believe, with much to be done!

That then is all for this week--stay well, and thank you for reading! ^_^

[RealScaniX]

It has a very nice mood to it, I think.
 
Also... my weeks are short (and the days even shorter, duh!) for me as well. Good to see that you are able to stick with it nevertheless.

[Thaumaturge]

Thank you very much, on both counts. ^_^

[Thaumaturge]

Blog post (25th of May, 2020)
A Horrible, Horrible Week

Summary: In which the preceding week was... not pleasant, and due to which work was not done.

Just before the start of the week just past, certain issues of mine reached a crushing point.

I don't want to go into the details here; suffice it to say that amongst other things the week just past held anxiety, and fear, and pain, and exhaustion.

And so, feeling drained and tired, as well as desiring to focus on that trouble, to prioritise recovery, I alas ended up doing no work during the week just past.

I don't know what sort of week lies ahead for me. As I write this today I'm not yet recovered, I fear. Will I become well enough this week to return to work? We'll see, I suppose.

That, then, is all for this week--stay well, and thank you for reading. ^_^

[RealScaniX]

Oh, boy! That is bad.
Take your time! Recovering is more important now than posting progress.
Get some rest, play some games, watch "Brother Bear" or whatever works for you.
 
I wish you the best of weeks! May you feel better soon.

[Thaumaturge]

Thank you very much--I really appreciate that. ^_^

And aside from "Brother Bear" specifically (although I've been watching other things), that has been pretty much what I have been doing: trying to relax, playing games on itch.io, trying to rest, getting a bit more exercise, that sort of thing.

[Ishi]

Take a good break and don't force yourself to get back into work before you're ready. Hope you feel better!

[Thaumaturge]

Thank you very much indeed! ^_^

And indeed, I'm trying to do just as you suggest: trying to relax, to play some games--to self-care, in short. Here's hoping that it helps. ^_^

[Thaumaturge]

Blog post (1st of June, 2020)
Improvement, I Think

Summary: In which I'm feeling better, if not fully so; time off seems to help; once again no work is done; and gratitude is expressed.

Greetings and salutations!

The week just past was... better, I think, than the one before. I won't say that I'm fully recovered, but I think that I'm in a better place than I was on this day last week.

A part of this, I believe, has come from taking care of myself in the week just past: I allowed myself to rest, to relax, to take some leisure time. (For one thing, I've been re-playing one of my favourite point-and-click adventure games, Gabriel Knight 3.)

Let me note however that said time off has been only one intervention of several; there have been a number of other things that have brought me here, I do believe.

Having taken that time off does mean that once again no work was done in the week just past. I'm hoping to return to it in this new week--although I may well ease into doing so.

And finally, let me say "thank you" to those who have reached out to me to express well-wishes or support; know, please, that it's appreciated. ^_^

That then is all for this week--stay well, and thank you for reading! ^_^

[RealScaniX]

Good to hear that you are getting better! I have not worked on the game for a week and doing something today felt really good. I hope that you are soon back to your creative self, too.

[Thaumaturge]

Thank you! It really can feel good to get back to things--even if you start slowly--not so? ^_^

And I'm glad that you got to return to your own project, and so happily it seems! ^_^

[Thaumaturge]

Blog post (8th of June, 2020)
A Long Walk

Summary: In which difficulties persist but work is done; art for a scene in a cutscene is completed; and that art is used to build the cutscene itself.

Greetings and salutations!

This week's screenshot shows the (possibly work-in-progress) first scene to the level five cutscene:



My previously-mentioned difficulties persisted into the week just past, I'm sorry to say. However, and as shown above, a bit of work did nevertheless get done--and perhaps a little bit more than in the week before:

To start with, I completed the art for the first scene of the level-five cutscene. There was only a little remaining to be done, and so the work went fairly swiftly, as I recall.

With that complete, I set about building the scene itself in the cutscene editor.

This was a trickier piece of work: there were questions in my mind as to how best to depict the action of the scene.

In the end I somewhat settled on having it be as shown: only somewhat representational, with no depiction of floor or ceiling and flatter lighting than would strictly be accurate. The effect, I hope, is that the scene feels like the character is almost drifting through it, passing by but not greatly heeding much of the scenery.

I'm not quite confident in it, I'll confess--for one, my continuing difficulties have me perhaps not at my best. Still, I think that I like it.

As it stands, there's a little more work yet to be done: music and sound have yet to be added.

That then is all for this week--stay well, and thank you for reading! ^_^

[RealScaniX]

Good to see you being productive again.
 
I really like the combination of drawing and 3d-ness of the cutscene.
The scene looks a bit surreal to me with the large book in the foreground.
And I'm tempted to go and get those two blinking coins.

[Thaumaturge]

Good to see you being productive again.

Thank you! ^_^

Don't get me wrong: I'm not quite "there" yet; but one step at a time, I suppose!
 

I really like the combination of drawing and 3d-ness of the cutscene.
The scene looks a bit surreal to me with the large book in the foreground.

Thank you! ^_^

I suppose that a little surreality isn't entirely inappropriate; it's a slightly surreal mood being conveyed, perhaps.

And I'm tempted to go and get those two blinking coins.

That's more or less what those elements are there to convey: pointing out that our protagonist, in this moment, isn't going after those shiny things.

[Thaumaturge]

Blog post (15th of June, 2020)
The Start of a New Level

Summary: In which cutscene music is chosen; a cutscene sound-effect is added; the cutscene in question is completed; and work is begun on a new level.

Greetings and salutations!

This week's screenshot shows some nascent work on a new level:



The week just past went better, I think, than the one before:

To start with, I worked on the scoring for the level five cutscene. I'm not entirely sure that I've chosen my music well, but we'll see!

Furthermore, I added some footstep sounds to the first scene, suggesting the protagonist's  journey through the depicted section of Tenereth-below.

The completion of those tasks means that, barring perhaps the possibility of a reworking, the cutscene in question should be done. ^_^

And with that cutscene done, I started in on the building of the next level, level five itself.

Like level four, this is a small level, taking place in only one room. The room in question, however, is rather larger than that of level four: it's an archive, a great library of books from Tenereth of old, now buried in the under-city.

It's also home to some research-based puzzle-solving, as well as a small bit of traversal.

Most of this has yet to be implemented, in all fairness: the level is still very much in the process of being structured, and remains pretty much in the "grey-box" stage of things at time of writing.



That said, in addition to modelling the basics of the level itself, I did modify an extant asset to make the stools (whole and broken) that are found in the central part of the level.

Still, it's nice to have finally made a start on this level! (Especially as I currently intend it to be the last to be added before I release the next demo... )



That then is all for this week--stay well, and thank you for reading! ^_^

[RealScaniX]

That looks and sounds very nice. And it's great to see you back to being productive.

[Thaumaturge]

Thank you very much indeed, on all counts! :D

And indeed, it feels good to be productive again! I won't say that I'm yet working as much as I used to, but I think that I'm slowly moving in that direction, overall. ^_^

[Thaumaturge]

Blog post (22nd of June, 2020)
Many, Many Books

Summary: In which work on level five continues; shelves are placed; a semi-automatic means of book-placement is devised and employed; and books suitable to such heavy repetition are made.

Greetings and salutations!

This week's screenshot shows further work on level five; the place is starting now to look somewhat like a library...



The week just past was another week of level-building:

With--I think!--the basics of the level-layout set, I've started working on some of the specifics. In particular, I've begun working on the shelving and books to be found in this level.

The shelving was fairly quick and easy: two rows of shelves (one on the ground floor and one on the floor above), slightly modified from an extant model.

As to the books, however... well, that's an awful lot of books to place. Doing so by hand would be tedious, I fear. Very, very, tedious.

So, rather than do that, in the week just past I developed a simple script to semi-automatically place books on my shelves: I specify which book-templates I want, where I want the resulting volumes to appear, and a few parameters that affect their resultant sizes and colour. I then run the script and books are produced!

Would it have taken a similar amount of time to manually place my books? Perhaps. But this way, at least, was a considerably more engaging and interesting means of doing it.

That said, it's still a work-in-progress: For one, I have yet to attend to the upper of the two rings of shelves. For another, I want to rework some of the sections that I have in place. And finally, I have it in mind to go over the resulting shelvings and manully add some touches here and there.



Of course, as noted, all of this involves an awful lot of books; enough that I wasn't happy with the polygon-count of my extant book models.

Furthermore, with so many so closely packed, drawing them from a small set of templates results in repetitions being more obvious than they might otherwise be.

To solve the first problem, I created a lower-poly book-model. It won't stand up as well to close scrutiny as might my previous book-model, I daresay, but it should work well enough when packed on the shelves. That said, should I have any loose books lying around, those might use the old model.

To solve the second problem, I created a fairly simple edit of my extant book-textures. Gone are the titles and much of the distressing, which seemed all too obvious in repetition. And in place of the varied colours of the previous books are simple variations on three earthy colours, allowing for a little less uniformity when similar books are placed side-by-side.

The result, I think, is a shelf of books in which the use of a small set of template-models is less obvious than it might have been.

That then is all for this week--stay well, and thank you for reading! ^_^