Hey everyone!
Posting this developer update a couple of days early as I won’t be able to post on-time, plus it’s a relatively short one. I mostly want to do a recap of our convention season and how showcasing the prototype for Management In Space went.
It went amazingly~! ☆
So let’s quickly do a catch-up. As I mentioned previously, our old game idea Management In Space secured start-up funding from Screen Australia back in mid-July. Since then, I’ve had a very singular goal; get a prototype made to show to people as soon as possible. I dedicated almost all my time to building a demo that could be showcased. As we got closer to convention season, we were fortunate enough to not only get into one event, but three! GCAP Melbourne, PlayNow Melbourne, and SXSW Sydney.
When October finally rolled around, I found myself exhausted and nervous. I had presented a game to SXSW the year before, but I had never properly attended MIGW nor had so many meetings booked in at these events! But when the time came, at every showcase, at every meeting, and even just talking to people in passing; everyone loved the game! Sure it’s a bit scuffed, kinda unbalanced, and still a bit buggy, but they were blown away by how much was achieved in such a short time, as well as just genuinely enjoyed playing! People would play a short run, get a taste, and say “Wait, I get it now! Let me try again!” before sitting through a full playthrough! At one point we even had a small queue of people waiting to play, and I was told on multiple occasions that the game was so hypnotically beautiful that it could even just be a screensaver.
Now the reality is is that MIS is only going to get made properly if we are able to secure additional funding by the start of the new year. However, as far as how well the prototype performed at these conferences, I would say everything was overwhelmingly positive. I could not have asked for a better experience, and could not have dreamt of a better reception. Even beyond the showcasing, the new friends I have made and everything I have learnt from conversations and panels feels like it has lifted my capacity and passion as a developer.
I truly hope I am able to keep working on this game, because not only do I genuinely love this game (and want to play it!) but I feel it could be the next major step in my career. Regardless though, we still have funding to work on the prototype, and because of the positive response, as well as high-demand, I will be updating the prototype build and making a super-early-demo build to be released sometime in the next month! Dozens of people asked me for a copy of the game, so I’ll be doing just that~
That’s it from me for now! I’ve nearly fully recovered from all the exhaustion and I am keen to get back into it, so till next time all the best~!
^,,^