Going Home Remake!
WHAT’S HAPPENING?!
Everyone’s comments and feedbacks can be summarized as the following:
This is game is very hard!
Rage quit!
I can’t finish it!
Yes, the game is intended to be very hard since its genre is survival. Most complained, and asked for checkpoints and save/load system, but I kindly refused to implement such as would change the theme and intentions I had when I first started developing the game.
So that is it, bye!
Or so I thought…
Help, I get stuck in the basement
I am stuck in the basement
I spent many attempts and hours of my life just to get stuck?!
These comments and reactions changed my perspective about my previous firm decision. I mean, I firsthand know that the game is very hard (even for me) and making it near the ending just to get stuck is literally enough to make players quit so hard in rage and disappointment.
I do not honestly want such bugs take away the experience, story, and mood I desire every player to feel.
So I’ve decided to REMAKE the game!
THE CATCH
Cool! So why not just fix said bugs? You’re the developer, that should be easy, right?
Yes, it should be easy. But, the problem is, Going Home is my first big game that is not made from using Game Maker or any IDE. It is my first project when I am learning the löve framework and lua scripting language. So it is seriously a mess. Global variables everywhere, unorganized files, and all sorts of bad habit mature programmers will disapprove of.
I will admit that I can’t fix it anymore. What do I mean by that absurdity? Well, compare the code of Going Home to a beautiful mansion.
Sparkling and radiant walls with beautiful sceneries as the flowers in the garden greet you a warm welcome under the sunny weather. You feel home, you feel safe, you feel comfortable. “I am home” you muttered to yourself. And as you clutched and twisted the smooth silver doorknob you hear a clunk as the hinge opened…
The breeze became colder and shivers down in your skin, the sun gloomed to darkness, the thunder grumbled, and all the happiness you previously felt rushed out from your stomach into your mouth as you vomit at the sight of horror in front of you.
Yes, that’s the code of Going Home ladies and gentlemen, and that is what I feel everytime I browse over the source code.
So using the figurative mansion, let us destroy that Frankenstein-like mansion and build it again from the ground up (but we are still going to use the same assets).
COOL, NOW WHAT?
You’ve said the sequel is currently in development!
Yes, it is, do not worry.
Is it worth it to rewrite the game from scratch (almost?)
Yes, it is, since it is not technically the same code from the original Going Home, consider it as practice and experience in preparation for the much awaited sequel. I am still going to use data from the original source code like object position, size, etc etc.
So what about checkpoints and save/load system?
Yes, I hear you, I will implement and add that. NOTE: It does not mean that I am going to make the game easier, expect difficulty even with checkpoints and save/load system. insert EVIL LAUGH
How about mobile experience?
Ofcourse, I will support android and ios. I also plan to allow light movement for mobile instead of the static player-position in mobile platforms.
IS IT GOING TO BE FREE?!
I am not sure yet, my plan for now is that cough paid cough version will have the checkpoint, save/load system, as well as a revamped and better music gallery + secret gallery + unlockables!
ANYTHING ELSE?
Yes! Since I am very ashamed of the original source code and now that I am rewriting it, I am going to open-source it for everyone after it is finished.
For the meantime, I am also recording the development in youtube. You may watch me here. If you are a developer/programmer and see the original source code, I am terribly sorry!