_Update: Work for the style guide began on Pinterest today. One board, four sections, two dozen or so pins each. Bit of a snap decision but had to quit my job. Until something better paying rolls along, I'll be able to allot more time to the style guide and study sessions now with fewer constraints. There's no chance I'll set up a Patreon without more proofs of concept so getting hired asap is now a priority.

_Link to Pinterest: https://pin.it/40uVgCT6l

_Challenges: The obstacles are twofold: there's an attitude issue regarding the style guide and there's the ongoing problem of distractions. A strong part of mind realizes there are going to be moments where I must reset hard-won progress for any reason. Without the guidance of formal education (and I don't want it), trial and error is feasibly the only way to continue. Secondly, real-life drama combined with possible adult adhd means sitting still to grind out some productivity is difficult. To remedy this, I'm making adjustments in the workflow. Meditating, hydrating, and getting enough sleep and physical activity are essential additions to the routine. Because if my body suffers, then my mind suffers, and if my mind suffers, then my games suffer. So much suffering!

_Notes:

+The most I can do for the style guide right now is to employ all the resources I have available and they will be enough: Illustrator, Photoshop, Pinterest, Pencil & Paper, and any other media I scrounge up to name off the top of my head. It all just hangs on my current skill level

+Keeping a good attitude moving forward is how these projects will stay alive. The road ahead will have its challenges but it's better than doing nothing. What bothers me most is the uncertainty.

+The visions behind projects _00 and _01 are still lacking but I'm going to trust the process and follow my intuition to stay out of any creative rut.

+Realistically, the bulk of the style guide will consist of traditional drawings, but throughout this phase in the timeline I certainly look forward to experimenting with different media.

_Closing Thoughts: The heaviest thing on my mind right now is the loss of my job. I'm putting out applications but that still involves a lot of waiting and will need to follow up with any potential employer. I'm not at the point yet where budgeting for the projects is an issue (everything is still embryonic) but I'm still reaching for that goal of independence. Coffee shops are also where the real work starts-I'm telling you now, fuck Starbucks. Typically, you're going to pay $6 or $7 for watered down coffee and if you bought anything iced, congratulations, you've been scammed.

Tangent aside, my room is a fucking mess right now and that's going to hamper things. Clean your room, tidy up, organize. It does not matter what your goals are, just do yourself a favor and get that laundry off your bed, do your dishes, and keep bottled water ready in the fridge.

Lastly, it normally takes a couple days to finish a character drawing but now there's necessity of furthering the details both technical and artistic. That's my expectation for the rate at which I can produce visual progress. To keep the Dev Log updated for the remainder of the week, I'll share some inspirations of mine. Later, later though.

_Quote of the Week: "A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance."-Hunter S. Thompson

_Picking up where I left off, new ideas regarding direction have surfaced. There's a lot of time at work I can listen to podcasts and video essays which is how I learn more from experienced game designers, including industry legend Hideo Kojima. Today I thought more about my strategy on how to move forward with [proj._01] based on what I've listened to.

1. Take a full week to become more familiar with RPG Maker
2. Create a Style Guide for each game
3. Build a Test RPG using stock assets

_Timeline: All of next week will go towards studying RPG Maker MV in more complete detail. Work on the Style Guides can begin tomorrow morning. Building the Test RPG will start on the 22nd and continue until Halloween. Expect updates throughout.

_Challenge: Distraction. When trying to lock in, it's annoyingly easy to lollygag or outright lose the forest for the trees. A lot of time has been lost to web-browsing and music. Meditating prior to work and maybe some lo-fi will remedy the situation.

_Closing Thoughts: I'm not gonna say more on the technical side of the RPG titles until I'm done with studying. Tomorrow, work begins on art direction and I'll showcase what I come up with in the Dev Logs and Art Portal. Given the workload I decided to take on, this project is going to take a couple of years, at least. From what I've heard, it's more realistic to overshoot on your timeline than to undershoot it. If I have time tomorrow, I'll get back to work on the Travel Kit.

_Quote of the Week: “A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.”-Hunter S. Thompson

[END LOG]

*Trigger Warning: Some games in my line up will feature themes of SA.

_Opening Thoughts:

Had a nightmare about being stuck in a nest of brown widows so I'm up earlier than expected. Physically tired but mind is too active to sleep again so I'm using the extra time to get a jump start to the day. Much much to do.

Moving forward I'm going to start with trigger warnings given the nature of Lust & Lechery. Better safe than sorry.

Today's agenda starts with designing rough outlines for the 4 titles in development: Twilight of the Dead, Fyreflight, Obscura Files, and Lust & Lechery. If my favorite coffee shop will open on time, then that will be the perfect place to break in my new bullet journal. Will continue to update this log as the day goes on, wrapping up with some final thoughts and to showcase progress later tonight.

Right now I'm dwelling on any role I can think of that belongs to a proper game dev team. Music stands out the most. The art direction will suffer without it. New skills to learn. Pianos and strings will be necessary for Obscura Files and L&L-is a piano a string instrument or a percussion instrument? Here or there, will make time for practice each day once instruments are acquired. Adequate recording set-up is also on the to-do list.

[proj_00]: "RPG Travel Kit:

Before getting work, I wanted to touch base with the status of the Travel Kit. It's been a long time in development, a little over a year, and hasn't seen much progress since I rolled out the first zines. I'm using a new printer since HP is dead to me but did not take into account the recommended print settings while looking for a replacement. Oh well, this new canon is a gift and I'm not intent on looking it in the mouth.

There was a time I considered going digital but Adobe Acrobat is slow to report and won't function well juggling multiple PDFs. Physical media is preferable.

The Necrotrauma homebrew is designed to be a simulationist overhaul of Stockholm Kartell's Death in Space with a key focus on survival mechanics, something similar to Fallout: New Vegas' Hardcore Mode. Expanding on the core rulebook's collection of Tables is also in development.

_Nectrotrauma: Plans and Visions

This homebrew will feature a variety of elements, both original and custom, and will have their own modules contributing to the bulk of the RPG Travel Kit. For now, I'm going to be working solely with Death in Space throughout the development of this project.

+Character Dossiers: Using a stab binding method, character dossiers will consist of four letter-sized sheets totaling eight pages. Cover not included. Using cardstock, the overall t h i c c n e s s will measure at 1/16". Custom mechanics include: basic survival needs, overhauled inventory system, destructible armor and equipment, and enough area for any narrative-relevant information.

+Topographic Maps and Floorplans: In the same way RPG Maker stratifies its map layouts (Overworld>World>Local), Necrotrauma will feature a technical approach to map design. I'm inspired by the maps as seen in games from the Aliens franchise, referring to Isolation and Dark Descent. Here, the maps function more like working drawings and I'm all for it. I will also be using a stratified map layout: Solar System>Planet>Locale.

+Referential Material: Cheat sheets, core rules, and the like, condensed into portable formats.

+Encounter Tables: NPC interactions will be based on dice throws, particularly for combat

Going to leave off for now. Will be back later with any progress.

*Trigger Warning: some of my games will feature themes of violence and SA

_Quote of the Week: “A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.”-Hunter S. Thompson

_Opening Thoughts:

Despite my current work schedule, I’ll do my best to keep this log updated daily. I'll try find time each morning to study and work on either and/or both projects before the day picks up in the afternoon, though that routine is liable to change. Daily progress still remains my main goal. Today’s focus has been on getting more familiar with RPG Maker’s tilesets and considering the possible creative directions for the RPG and Travel Kit.

Current Challenge: Indecision

My takeaway from this morning's study session is that tilesets come in different varieties ordered from A to C. There are five varieties of animated tilesets, designated by 'A', and sit at the bottom of the hierarchy. Furthest downstage are tiles categorized into 'C': Objects. Tilesets for each category have certain file specifications, such as resolution. However, file type and pixels per inch (72) remain constant.

My understanding is that Tilesets are a sheet of assets laid out in accordance with the specified resolution. Once exported to the correct file (RPG Maker MV>Games>'Game Title'>img>Tilesets), the engine will lay a grid over the sheet which also varies between category. From there you sample the squares using a tool similar to an eye-dropper to construct your map. If anyone more experienced in RPG Maker can explain it better, I encourage you to do so. I'm happy to learn as much as possible and think we could all benefit from your input.

References:

https://robotsweater.medium.com/bots-guide-to-custom-art-in-rpgmaker-mv-understanding-tilesets-9178fe09e475

https://robotsweater.medium.com/bots-guide-to-custom-art-in-rpgmaker-mv-making-tilesets-5e61d77b1f07

_Addressing the Problem: Creative Indecision

Before continuing, I'm putting my foot down on a theme for the RPG. In the last entry I listed four possible themes I wanted to work with: Zombies, Fantasy, Survival Horror, and Slice of Life UF. As with anything, there are strengths and weaknesses to measure, but I'm going to look more closely at what is feasible with my current skill level and what I can accomplish artistically. I have titles already lined up along with basic visions for their development.

+Twilight of the Dead (Zombies): A narrative driven game focusing on original characters as they struggle to organize at the beginning of a zombie outbreak. I've seen zombies used as effective antagonists in RPG Maker games before, Overgrown: Genesis and Memoirs of a Battle Brothel to name a couple. The former plays like a top-down shooter with minor stealth mechanics while the latter is squad-based and tactical.

Even without using multiple plug-ins, Zombies can still be an effective enemy in a manner of combat similar to traditional rogue-likes. Fear and Hunger uses what the engine calls 'Troops' to form single entities. What this allows for is strategic dismemberment a la Dead Space. Additionally, the feeling of being overwhelmed by a horde can be replicated by filling a whole Troop with various numbers of zombies then each turn they get closer, and if quick wit is not used to destroy or delay the horde, then after a given number of turns, the horde overwhelms the player character resulting in a game-over. Just some food for thought. Still needs tweaking.

+Fyreflight (Traditional Fantasy): An adult, turn-based RPG that borrows the plot from the first three LoTR movies but with a twist. Without divulging more narrative details, it's based on a couple of rough drafts I've written. Artistically, Fyreflight would be more adventurous and hopeful, taking inspiration from the setting of Monster Hunter: World. A traditional fantasy setting should be right at home in RPG Maker and so this option would produce the least friction, creatively at least.

This does give me the idea to use the assets that come pre-installed with MV and any relevant DLC, making Fyreflight potentially the easiest option to work with. But I'm still intent on using custom assets for the sake of challenging myself and incorporating adult elements into the game.

+Obscura Files (Survival Horror): I asked myself, 'what better way to start with than a game for April?'. She is written to be a survival horror protagonist after all. Like Twilight of the Dead, Obscura Files would lean more on its narrative and horror atmosphere but the combat shouldn't be understated. With this option, there's plenty of room to grow from the 'Troops as one enemy' stratagem that I've first seen used in Miro's Fear and Hunger-Dead Space notwithstanding but we're talking about rogue-likes.

Puzzles, mystery solving, branching narratives, the RPG Maker engine is an excellent plot from which to grow these elements into a game. All the staples of classic survival horror can be developed to satisfaction if this option is chosen. My biggest concern, though, is ensuring the art direction is up to the task.

+Lust and Lechery (Slice of Life UF): Inspired by Vrelnir's Degrees of Lewdity, LaL is an erotic sandbox for the player to get lost in. The main difference being that there's going to be more narrative that drives the gameplay. This isn't to disparage DoL, however. It's a fantastic game with lots of thought and effort behind it. Personally, I would just like to work on something where elements are more fixed than interpreted.

LaL would build off of themes of SA, decadence, eldritch horror, and carnal desires. The narrative would be held up by an overarching mystery within the setting along with an art direction inspired by American and European gothicism.

_So what's my final consensus? Fuck it, let's do them all. Another lesson from Rich Dad, Poor Dad is that if you're going to go for it, then fucking go for it. Don't go bankrupt on a duplex, let everyone know you tried to finance the world's first hover-brothel complete with nuclear powered XBOXs and cloned-dinosaur butlers. Decisiveness isn't my strong suit and playing it safe is not how I'm going to start. I'm going to bed.

[END LOG]

_Abstract:

Welcome to my first developer log! I'm excited to share my journey of transforming tabletop role-playing games into a mobile format. Since beginning to use RPGs for story generation, I've employed Adobe Illustrator to adapt these games for a more compact platform. However, this project is about more than just downsizing; it’s about crafting a set of portable gaming elements designed to track and manage private campaigns, especially for solo runs.

This entry is the first in a series where I’ll document the progress of my RPG Travel Kit and other games in my lineup. Expect insights into my design process, exploration of both conceptual and realized ideas, and my experiences as an amateur game developer.

_Project Index:

[proj_00]: "RPG Travel Kit"

The RPG Travel Kit is designed more for storytelling purposes than for hosting impromptu game sessions, though it can easily serve both functions. Each RPG in my library will be condensed to fit within a 6" x 9" pouch from 5.11 Tactical. This collection of condensed RPG elements will be completed after thorough revision.

Titles include: Death in Space, Mork Borg, CY_Borg, and Cyberpunk: RED

Challenges: Production and homebrew design have been the main hurdles. Initially, I struggled with zine formats for character sheets due to printer margin issues, resulting in page cutoffs. Additionally, I’m polishing the mechanics for custom homebrews. My Death in Space expansion, titled Necrotrauma, is currently in development hell. We can refer to this as [proj_00.01].

[proj_01]: "First RPG Maker Title"

I purchased RPG Maker MV during a Steam sale with the intent of breaking out as an indie game developer. The engine is intuitive, and I’m focused on creating custom assets. I’m considering several game themes to develop concurrently.

Potential Themes: .01 Zombie Apocalypse, .02 Traditional Fantasy, .03 Survival Horror, .04 Slice of Life Urban Fantasy

The challenge with [proj_01] is mastering the engine to produce something significant and establishing a library of custom assets. While graphics are just one part of game design, the art direction can make a substantial difference.

_Addendum 1:

For now, I will focus on these two projects and use the additional time for necessary skill development in areas such as RPG Maker MV, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, traditional illustration, and creative writing. If my printer continues to cause issues, I'll transition to digital drawing.

_Closing Thoughts:

Although I want to allocate as much time to my projects as possible, prioritizing gainful employment and my living situation is crucial as I aim to start my own home and family. It’s a work/life balance that many game developers face, independent or otherwise.

Inspired by a discussion with dad, who advised, "If there is no time, then make time," I am committed to progressing my projects and skills. I’m excited to see how these entries evolve. Despite my efforts to maintain control over development, some level of progress will invariably grow organically and surprise us all.

_Quote of the Week:

"A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance."

- Hunter S. Thompson

My printer just went brain dead so I've been unable to scan any work. I'll get back to uploading as soon as i have enough for a new all-in-one laserjet-because HP is now on my shit list

So I said I was going to reupload the deleted works after I scanned them. This is true but looking back on them, it seems more appropriate to include the old pieces along with an updated redraw for quality's sake. This'll take more time but until then, I have some pieces I was already working on ready for publishing. Standby

For the sake of quality control, I'll be removing any art captured with my phone's camera and reuploading it after I've properly scanned it.