Heya friendos! I’ve got some stuff to show you today, including a new video and updates on my historical Korean narrative game. We’ll also get into my view on museum experiences and how they influence what I want this game to be. Let’s go!

How Am I Doing?

I’ve been feeling really good the past week. I have a little more physical energy, probably on account of cutting back on alcohol and caffeine and sporting a minuscule amount more often. It seems like a daunting task to keep at it all winter, but I know it’s essential for not sinking into deep hibernation.

I’ve also published my final video for the year, which is a weight off my back. It has not done so well in terms of numbers, but in a way that’s a relief. Why exactly? Last week, I pondered about why exactly my videos would or would not be picked up by the algorithm, and one of my theories was about momentum. It seems like just posting two consecutive big videos does not necessarily equal big viewerships.

The reason why I’m relieved that it wasn’t a big hit, is that I would’ve felt pressure to keep the momentum going. I might’ve gone on to film a new script and spent the rest of winter editing away at it. I think that would’ve made me miserable, if I’m being honest. Luckily, now I get to work on a thing that I’m super excited about without being beholden to Pandora’s box of whatever Google’s standard of success is.

What is that thing you ask?

What Am I Doing?

Rumorweaver’s vertical slice, of course! Most of the things I’ve done in the past few months were relatively behind-the-scenes. But this week, I’ve been getting into the nitty gritty of game development once again. Throughout the year, I’ve half-forgotten that this is my passion, but now I’m reminded about it every day.

I had to re-invent my art workflow a bit, both for aesthetic consistency and because the free 3D models I use broke the game on startup whenever I made a build. That’s gamedev for yah! Now, I’ve only worked on the vertical slice in earnest for a couple of days, but progress is very palpable and it’s so rewarding. I’ve only added colliders, placeholder assets, fixed some graphical glitches, and implemented a small level layout, and it already feels like a game now.

You can walk around and talk to characters, even though they just repeat the same thing each time. One reason I wanted to have a build with some level design, is so that my friend can hop on and experiment with sound design. To be honest, I only planned world art way down the line, but I’m glad I got to nip it in the bud early. A game just feels more real if you can walk around a little world.

Bonus gif!

Why Am I Doing? (this)

I went to the museum with my partner this weekend. The exhibition I wanted to see was extremely busy. Bear with me, this is related, I promise. I cannot stand being in a crowded museum. It’s the antithesis of everything I like about going to the museum. I’m constantly aware of the people around me, where they gather, where they leave, if I’m in their line of sight, if I’m blocking someone’s view, etcetera. Because of that, I’m unable to immerse myself in the art.

For art to truly speak to me, I need peace of mind. Going to the museum is supposed to be a meditative experience for me. I want to be able to stand and look at a piece for 15 minutes and let its meaning wash over me. I don’t do that with every piece, of course, a lot of art doesn’t stir anything in me at all. I want to walk around with freedom of movement to see what piece pulls me in. Then, if I ruminated on it for a while, in isolation, I like to see what the plaque has to say about it.

So I rushed through the exhibition to the permanent collection. There, there weren’t that many people and a lot of space. I saw a bunch of cool art, had the space and time to wander and digest it and went home when I was satiated. That’s the ideal museum experience for me. It allows me to enjoy my experience and motivates me to go back again if I’m up for it. In a way, that’s what I want Rumorweaver to be. I want people to:

1. Enjoy wandering around.
2. See what interaction interests them.
3. Fully enjoy interacting with that thing.
4. Be curious to learn more about that thing as a result.
5. Have the space to digest it and wander some more.

I also want them to be able to put it away at any point and pick it up back without any friction. So, in a way, Rumorweaver will be an interactive museum experience. The exhibition itself will contain history, short stories, music, and art. It’s all tied together with gameplay that focuses on freedom and player agency.