Lack of dev log updates rarely means a lack of progress on Nixie and this summer was no exception. The project is alive and well with some exciting new updates, all of which were unveiled this past weekend at Long Island Retro Gaming expo!
New and improved intro cutscene
Before I went to Magfest in January, I scrambled to get *some* kind of introductory cutscene into the game. It was rather boring and overwhelmed with exposition, but it at least conveyed the message of “this game has a story.” I had planned to re-do this scene pretty much from the time it was finished and now it is much more fleshed out with more supporting artwork (which will probably be added to as the project continues). I’m much happier with this version of the intro:
Nixie now saves files!
That’s right, this long awaited super high tech feature is finally here. You can now actually save your game in Nixie and come back to it later.
A new (and hopefully final) dialogue system
I re-did the dialogue system in the game for the 3rd time. This time I am using a programming language and external app for dialogue called Inky. It’s a really great solution and I think this will be the final iteration of the game’s dialogue system.
A new tutorial area
In addition to the intro being re-done, I’ve added an entire introductory area with a very short tutorial. The intro area honestly is more for storyline/lore purposes, but having a short tutorial before the main intro cutscene allows the player to get control of the character almost immediately without having to watch/skip a cutscene.
A new demo is available!
The LI Retro Gaming Expo 2024 demo (V.03) is now available on the demo page! Grab it for free today!
What’s next?
I’m working on polishing up to the demo to launch a major update on Steam. Then I’ll be focusing on creating more worlds, new tile sets, and cutscenes. Eventually when there’s enough meat on the bone, I’d like to create a definitive cinematic trailer for the game and launch a kickstarter. ETA on this is entirely unknown, but I’m not quitting any time soon, so stay tuned!