Finishing my Dream Game After 4 Years

After four years of development, the indie game 'do drop Dynasty' is nearing completion. The creator discusses the evolution of the game's mechanics, including the addition of a Zelda-like item system that allows players to equip two weapons or abilities at a time. They also implemented an inventory system and introduced a ticket machine feature, where players can redeem tickets for prizes. The game now boasts nearly 14,000 wishlists, and the developer aims to reach 20,000 before the game's release. With a focus on finishing the game, the developer has updated the Steam page and commissioned new cover art. Despite having many ideas for additional content, the decision has been made to finalize the game, which, while not a AAA title, represents thousands of hours of work and passion.

Takeaways

• 🕹️ The developer has spent 4 years working on an indie metroidvania game called 'do drop Dynasty', which is set to release this year.
• 🔍 Initially, the game's mechanics were incomplete, but the developer has now finalized them, including a new item system similar to 'The Legend of Zelda'.
• 🎮 Players can equip two weapons or abilities at a time, which were pre-created for the game, adding strategic depth without overpowering the player.
• 📦 An inventory system was implemented to allow players to easily swap out their equipped items.
• 🎟️ The game features a unique ticket machine where players can redeem collected tickets to obtain prizes from capsules, adding a 'gacha' element to the gameplay.
• 🎨 The game's Steam page has been updated with new screenshots and cover art, redesigned by illustrator jockamo.
• 🧊 The game includes an ice wand ability for freezing enemies, enhancing the gameplay with new tactical options.
• 📚 The developer has also worked on puzzles involving pushing boxes and has prototyped new bosses, adding variety to the challenges.
• 📈 The game currently has almost 14,000 wishlists on Steam, and the developer aims to reach 20,000 before the game's release.
• 🎉 The developer is transparent about the game's wishlist numbers and encourages the community to wishlist the game to support its development.
• 🚀 Despite having many more ideas, the developer has decided to complete the game and move into the home stretch, preparing for the game's launch.
• 🌟 The developer acknowledges that 'do drop Dynasty' is their first commercial game and, while not a AAA title, it represents thousands of hours of passion and hard work.

Q & A

How long has the developer been working on the indie game 'Do Drop Dynasty'?

The developer has been working on 'Do Drop Dynasty' for 4 years.

What was the developer's realization about the game mechanics?

The developer realized that the game mechanics were not finished, which prompted them to focus on completing them.

What types of mechanic ideas were explored during the development of 'Do Drop Dynasty'?

The developer explored various mechanic ideas such as partner characters that change weapons and abilities, Zelda-like dungeons, puzzles, and even monster taming.

What was the solution the developer came up with to enhance the game's mechanics?

The developer created a Zelda-like item system where players can equip new weapons or abilities, with a limit of two at a time to prevent overpowering.

How long did it take the developer to implement the item mechanic?

It took the developer 2 weeks to implement the item mechanic.

What is the purpose of the ticket machine in 'Do Drop Dynasty'?

The ticket machine allows players to redeem tickets collected in the game to obtain prizes by breaking open capsules, similar to a gacha machine.

How did the developer make the gacha machine feel more engaging?

The developer made the gacha machine react to different weapons and the direction of hits, and added a casino-like atmosphere with props, tiles, and a glass pipe for the capsules.

What is the current number of wishlists for 'Do Drop Dynasty'?

As of the recording, 'Do Drop Dynasty' has almost 14,000 wishlists.

What is the developer's goal regarding the game's wishlists?

The developer's goal is to reach 20,000 wishlists before the game's release.

What is the developer's perspective on the finalization of the game's mechanics?

The developer is happy that the mechanics are finally finished, but also acknowledges the challenge of not wanting to keep adding things indefinitely, recognizing the need to complete and release the game.

Outlines

00:00

🕹️ Game Development Journey of 'Do Drop Dynasty'

The developer has been working on 'Do Drop Dynasty', an Indie metroidvania game, for four years. They've reached a point where the game is set to release this year, but realized that the mechanics were not yet complete. The developer experimented with various ideas, such as partner characters, Zelda-like dungeons, puzzles, and even monster taming. However, they have decided to focus on a simple solution: a Zelda-like item system where players can equip two weapons or abilities at a time to maintain balance. The developer has also created item drops for all items in the game and an inventory system for swapping them out. Additionally, they've implemented a ticket machine feature, allowing players to redeem tickets for prizes in a gacha-like machine. The developer has also updated the Steam page for the game and redesigned the cover art with the help of an illustrator named Jockamo. They are transparent about the game's progress, revealing that it has almost 14,000 wishlists and aiming for 20,000 before the game's release. The developer acknowledges the game as their first commercial project and expresses their excitement and apprehension about its release.

05:02

🎓 Promoting Game Development Skills with Brilliant

The script transitions to a sponsorship message for Brilliant, an online learning platform that offers thousands of lessons on a wide range of subjects, from foundational math to advanced programming and AI. The developer highlights the effectiveness of Brilliant's interactive lessons, which are said to be six times more effective than passive learning methods. They recommend a specific course, 'Computer Science Fundamentals', for budding programmers to improve their decision-making, programming, and algorithm development skills. The developer encourages the audience to take advantage of a 30-day free trial available through a link provided in the video description. The sponsorship message concludes with a thank you note to Brilliant for their support of the channel and the developer's game development journey. The developer also invites viewers to check out their website, 'gus.fun', for additional content, Q&A interviews, and secret features.

Keywords

Indie Game

An indie game is a video game typically created by individuals or smaller development teams without the financial support of a large publisher. In the context of the video, the creator has been working on an indie game called 'do drop Dynasty,' which is a metroidvania-style game that they have been developing independently over the past four years.

Metroidvania

Metroidvania is a subgenre of action-adventure video games, characterized by exploration in a large, interconnected world, and a progression system that involves acquiring various abilities and items to access new areas. The term is a portmanteau of the names of the two video games that popularized the genre: Metroid and Castlevania. In the script, 'do drop Dynasty' is described as an indie metroidvania game.

Mechanics

In video game development, mechanics refer to the core gameplay elements and systems that dictate how the game is played. The script mentions that the creator realized the game's mechanics were not finished and needed to be completed before the game could be released. This includes the implementation of an item system and other gameplay features.

Item System

An item system in a video game is a set of rules and interfaces that allows players to manage, use, and interact with items they find or earn during gameplay. The creator of 'do drop Dynasty' developed a Zelda-like item system where players can equip new weapons or abilities, with a limit of two at a time to maintain balance.

Inventory System

An inventory system is a feature in video games that allows players to store, manage, and access items they acquire. The script describes the creation of an inventory system for 'do drop Dynasty' that enables players to change their equipped weapons or abilities at any time.

Gacha Machine

A gacha machine, derived from the Japanese word for 'small toy capsule,' is a type of in-game mechanism where players can spend in-game currency or tickets to obtain random virtual items, often with varying rarity. In the video, the creator implemented a gacha machine in 'do drop Dynasty' where players can redeem tickets for a chance to win prizes.

Wish List

In the context of video game distribution platforms like Steam, a wish list is a feature that allows users to add games they are interested in but do not wish to purchase immediately. The creator mentions that 'do drop Dynasty' has almost 14,000 games on wish lists, indicating a significant level of interest from potential players.

Steam Page

A Steam page refers to the individual web page on the Steam platform dedicated to a specific game, where users can find information, screenshots, and the option to add the game to their wish list or purchase it. The script mentions updating the Steam page for 'do drop Dynasty' with new screenshots and cover art.

Illustrator

An illustrator is a professional artist who provides visual designs and images for various media, including video games. The script mentions hiring an illustrator named Jockamo to redesign the cover art for 'do drop Dynasty,' which is a significant aspect of the game's presentation on the Steam page.

Game Development

Game development is the process of creating a video game, which involves designing, programming, and testing various aspects of the game. The video's transcript discusses the game development journey of 'do drop Dynasty,' including the challenges and accomplishments of the creator.

Devlog

A devlog, short for development log, is a record or journal that developers keep to document their progress, challenges, and insights during the development process. The video is described as a 'Devlog' for 'do drop Dynasty,' which suggests it is a video update on the game's development status.

Highlights

The game 'Do Drop Dynasty' is an indie metroidvania that has been in development for 4 years.

The game is set to release this year, marking the completion of a long development process.

Mechanics were not fully fleshed out until recently, with the developer realizing the need to finalize them.

The developer experimented with various mechanics, including partner characters, weapon abilities, dungeons, puzzles, and monster taming.

The final mechanic implemented is a Zelda-like item system, allowing players to equip two weapons or abilities at a time.

An inventory system was created to manage the newly implemented item mechanic.

The game includes a ticket machine, a gacha machine-like feature where players can redeem tickets for prizes.

The ticket machine has a unique physics-based interaction, reacting differently to various weapons and hits.

The game's Steam page was updated with new screenshots and redesigned cover art by illustrator Jockamo.

Do Drop Dynasty currently has almost 14,000 wishlists, and the developer aims to reach 20,000 before release.

The developer is transparent about the game's wishlist numbers, a practice inspired by 'Watt Design' and his Devlogs for 'Goblin'.

Despite having many ideas, the developer recognizes the importance of finishing the game and not endlessly adding features.

The game, while not the next big AAA title, is a labor of love that the developer hopes players will enjoy.

The developer encourages viewers to wishlist the game on Steam to support its release.

This might be the final Devlog for 'Do Drop Dynasty', indicating the game is in its final stages of development.

The developer's website, 'gus.fun', contains a variety of content including Q&A interviews and secret features.

Brilliant.org, a learning platform, is sponsoring the channel and supporting the developer's game development journey.