The Next Step - Printable Version +- Verdict Forums (https://forum.verdict.dev) +-- Forum: Out of Character (https://forum.verdict.dev/forumdisplay.php?fid=1) +--- Forum: Announcements (https://forum.verdict.dev/forumdisplay.php?fid=4) +---- Forum: Development Direction (https://forum.verdict.dev/forumdisplay.php?fid=60) +---- Thread: The Next Step (/showthread.php?tid=4401)

The Next Step - Roomy - 06-08-2024 Hey everyone! Welcome to one last development direct. This one isn't really just for Verdict, though it'll help tidy things up a bit if you've been curious. I'd like to start by saying that all the bad stuff about not having money toward the end of the Descent has more or less been resolved. I have a house, a car, and can eat whatever I want, so making games is (thankfully) no longer a burden of any kind. Are you making a new Verdict? Some of you have expressed curiosity, both in my DMs as well as in the Verdict discord, about what this "update" I've been working on will be, where it'll be set, if it's still "Verdict", etc., so I'll address that first. No, what I've been working on isn't an update to Verdict, nor is it another version or even a sequel. In other words, it's not set in the same world as Verdict, and you shouldn't expect it to feel or look like Verdict either. While I'll of course be including easter eggs and references, that's all they'll be.  Ultimately, Verdict is a long-running project that I've looked after like a baby since early ~2019. It's been part of my life for 5 years and I've spent well over ten thousand hours coding for it. In total, I've spent ~$50,000 on Verdict (and made about ~$20,000, if you were curious). Not that I mind the loss- I think it was a great experience. But I also think it's time to let go a little. Verdict was built on an idea that wasn't mine, around a genre that I enjoyed 9 years ago, on top of an unprofessional 18 year old's best interpretation of a "working codebase" (author's note: it sucked). I love it dearly in spite of that, but I know I can do better. So what is it, then? I'll preface the next part by saying all of this is tentative and completely experimental. I might shift gears completely, or double down on what's said here- nothing is set in stone. For better or worse, without deadlines, we can afford to be a little wishy-washy. That being said, what I'm making now is called Astralith. Astralith is a fully 3D, online action RPG set inside an enormous, manifold tower called the Astralith. Comprised of uncountably many floors, each increasing in difficulty and danger as you ascend, the Astralith is a test from unknown forces to see if you can make it to the tower's mythologized peak. ... Which probably sounds disappointing. You're here for roleplay, and this doesn't sound like roleplay. And it isn't! But I do intend to include a separate server with roleplay mechanics very similar to the ones you're familiar with in Verdict. Ultimately, I like to roleplay- it's just hard to market a game that's nothing but writing. My hope is that a more polished and mechanically interesting game can attract new players to a roleplay setting, as opposed to trying to pry 30 forum roleplayers off to play for a week. What if I don't like this idea? That's OK. I understand why you might not. It's a huge shift from what you're probably used to from me and it's not going to be comparable to the Verdict you know. Hopefully that's for the better, but I realize people prefer what they're familiar with. Not to mention there's probably a lot of bad memories associated with some of our eras, as well as the fact that your characters aren't transferrable. I've come to terms with the fact that changing the kind of game I'm making is going to change the kind of fans that want to sit around and talk about it. As much as it can hurt, that's how things are and how they should be! I have more resources and can make a game that's entertaining to play not just for the stories you make with other players, but while you're engaging with mechanics as well. What if I do like this idea? I'm glad to hear it, but as I said above, we're still in a highly experimental phase and things aren't ready to be shown or tested just yet, let alone played. If you're interested even so, I'm aiming to try and do a closed alpha test sometime this summer that'll be kept up thereafter. It'll start available to higher tier patrons and gradually become available to the lower tiers as testing progresses. Alternatively, you can continue to check out my posts in the #showcase channel in our discord. I also post frequently on my twitter @ https://twitter.com/RoomsRoomy, and will be posting more on my youtube soon as well @ https://www.youtube.com/@codecrimes. Thanks for being with us all these years. I look forward to making more games with everyone.