[Click the title of these Dev Logs to see the full version with images] The new region discussed last time was completed and tested. Since then I have done another layer of testing from game start through to chapter 2, fixing bugs, adding content and cutscenes, and improving the gameplay. A lot of this is art and sound studio work, but there are still things that pop up which need coding or adjustments, such as smoother handling of followers, saving and loading with different conditions, and different actors, tweaks to AI, combat, and dialog. One of these items was engaging entry points as a group: I don’t recall playing a game where followers could smoothly get in or out of an elevator with me, and it not just be a cutscene. I made a way to this in realtime, and it feels better. When a game is overly-reliant on cutscenes, I start to wonder if they actually wanted to make a movie instead of a game, or perhaps just didn’t want to write the necessary code. At any rate, I want Exalted Seracthon to feel as immersive as possible at release, and that requires some extra work to get it as close as I can. There is only so much one person can do, but it is sometimes the details that matter.

[Click the title of these Dev Logs to see the full version with images]Work continues continuously on Exalted Seracthon. Currently, I’m focused on plotline details, story, and mental challenges the player will face. The goal is to have these fleshed out and fully tested so that a play through of both initial chapters of the game can happen seamlessly. Technical issues remain minor – things are developed as needed, but the majority of work continues to be content – art and sound, models, textures, level design, and testing. All the things a programmer doesn’t have to do, unless they are the only person working on the game LOL. I had the good fortune to speak with a AAA industry veteran recently, and developers with skills in multiple areas are now highly desired, as their ability to cover multiple project threads and general value across the board has proven to be greater than the specialization of prior decades. So I guess one shouldn’t complain about a heavy and diverse workload. I would announce another video, but I have refrained from publishing any this month, and have generally not shown a lot of what is in this game so that I don’t give away its unique aspects. Suffice to say, there is a lot to show, but it will have to wait until that kind of public exposure will benefit the game’s release process.