Play Ready Set Go!

TLDR: It’s hard to focus when you have more time than you’re used to, but everything worked out as planned.

Since me and a friend were making a Twine game – he was responsible for the art and me for the design of the narrative -, our reaction when the theme was revealed was not the best one. Each one of us made a quick brainstorm alone (about twenty minutes) and then another one, a more extensive one together via Skype. While we were discussing the theme, we both panicked a little, specially when you consider the idea for an interactive fiction to have all the game on one screen.

Given the limitation for our chosen technology (as well as personal skills), I took the liberty to be creative with the usage of the word “entire” on the theme. Not to give spoilers, but let’s just say you can get to the end of the game through the first screen.

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What went wrong:

• Time management

This was my fourth game jam, but my first Ludum Dare which I worked from home. Since those who were participating on the Jam had one more day (total of 72 hours), I found it hard sometimes to focus on the tasks I had to do. Also, having one more day than I had at previous jam entries contributed to my dispersion.

• Lack of “game” aspects on the final product

At the beginning of the Ludum Dare I tried to come up with gaming aspects that I would develop in Twine. Inventory (which I had already did at another jam), a simplified quest log and a combat mechanic. In the first day (saturday) I gave up on this functions because they would take too much time, and I wanted to focus on the narrative this time.

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What went right:

• Exercise a genre of writing I had not yet tried

After our initial brainstorm, we decided one of the main references for our game would be The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy from Douglas Adams. Needless to say I had a blast writing all the script, dialogues and coming up with crazy, nonsene puns. I enjoyed a lot writing comedy.

• Make updates about the game and even write a Postmortem

This Postmortem is my sixth post on the Ludum Dare’s site while the jam is still happening (to be fair, I started this post before the deadline ended). Anyway, this is my first Postmortem ever and I am super happy to be able to finish a game jam making one of this.

• Finish the jam with a more polished game

We had time to go over a few points of the game and the artist even got time to make a poster (check the image below). It feels good to set your scope right so you can finish everything on time.

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Lessons learned:

• Balance other areas of my life during the jam

Since I made the decision to spend almost 14 hours either with my girlfriend, my family or recording a podcast with friends, I had a glimpse on how my life will be when I turn this hobby into a full time job. Even though I love making games and am anxious to become better at it, this is still a job. I was happy that I managed to do all of this while was taking part on Ludum Dare.

• Trust someone you have worked with before

I must admit that on the first day of the jam I was a little skeptical to work with another person even one I’ve worked with before remotelly (not face to face) above it all.

Play and rate Ready Set Go!

Tags: interactive fiction, postmortem, Ready Set Go, RSG, Twine