This was an experimental game created during the last year of my education. The concept was based around the idea of "a visual novel with a top down stealth game attached to it". I consider this game a great experiment that cost me a lot-but in turn, I learned a lot from it too.
Back then, I believed visual novels tend to get flack from players for not being real games. I thought that, by developing a short one and combining more action gameplay elements, it could create something more engaging. Each side of the gameplay would compliment each other. I thought of it similar to how Metal Gear, for example, rewarded players with cutscenes to engross themselves in.
Unfortunately, the game didn't end up proving itself in the end due to a variety of issues that appeared from the start of development which did not get addressed.
So here's what went wrong.
A Flawed Concept
The concept of the game was combining visual novel with a top down stealth game. Basically, there would be a visual novel portion where you meet a character who is going through a problem. Then, you would play a top down stealth game to find items to advance through the visual novel section.
I was trying to combine 2 genres into 1. This showed some hypocrisy on my part- my idea was to prove that visual novel games are a real genre to be respected, but I didn't respect it enough to realize that I would be programming/designing a whole game. I only saw the visual novel component as complimentary to the "real" game.
I initially wanted the 2 gameplay elements to be jarringly different from each other, with no connection at all. It was part of a mystery that the game presents to the player. "Why am I switching between these two, and what's the connection?" was a common question asked by faculty. My classmates seemed to understand that I'm simply trying to blend two genres together to create something unique. I admit though, soon I found myself wondering if there was more to my answer that I could dive deep into.
I initially wanted the 2 gameplay elements to be jarringly different from each other, with no connection at all. It was part of a mystery that the game presents to the player. "Why am I switching between these two, and what's the connection?" was a common question asked by faculty. My classmates seemed to understand that I'm simply trying to blend two genres together to create something unique. I admit though, soon I found myself wondering if there was more to my answer that I could dive deep into.
A Flawed Development Timeline
The development of the game started simple enough. I would work in a 3D space to make a 2.5D game, while I figuring out how the visual novel side could be integrated. I even had a friend help out with the art as well.
A problem arose from working in 3D, however. Initially, for the stealth parts of the game, I wanted to make use of Unity's NavMesh feature, which would allow me to code in AI Pathfinding. It would have lead to more dynamic behavior, such as chasing after the player while avoiding obstacles along the way.
However, working in 3D had a set of problems beyond bugs. This mainly included things such as positioning objects in the game world on the same plane and having to troubleshoot 3D rotations. A month in, I decided to scrap the 3D aspect and work in 2D, which took me about a week to do.
I used what I learned with Heavenspot to work on the game, in particular with using Tilemaps. Since that game, there were many advancements with how tilemaps worked in Unity. I found a great program called LDTK that I could import into the game for quick and easy-level design.
On top of everything, I've also put too much focus on narrative design, which spanned the two genres of games I was trying to combine. At the very least I did make sure I didn't develop anything that was too large of a scale (and indeed in the final project, I was able to get all of the narrative beats I wanted down.
However, I should have caught on earlier that having a narrative that spans throughout the entire game didn't serve any other purpose for the gameplay.
A Flawed Sense of Mental Health Awareness
My biggest flaw was just that I was very stubborn. But I've always had other people I could talk to in person to help me out-until suddenly I didn't, with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.
My mental health was low- but so was a lot of people's. I can't beat myself up for that. Rather, the way I handled my mental health was the true problem.
Instead than seek support from peers and my teachers, I chose to self-isolate instead. It was easier to do so, since I was stuck at home.
Nowadays, I've learned how to better manage asking for help/connecting from others, even if I'm working from home.
Nowadays, I've learned how to better manage asking for help/connecting from others, even if I'm working from home.
Why not just make a normal Stealth Game?
Hindsight is very much 20/20. I had always wanted to make a stealth game ever since I started my game dev journey. I always knew that I would have to start off by making simple games first before starting on my dream project. However, at some point, I was more worried about making something unique and quirky rather than making a good game. I thought that if my stealth game didn't have a unique quirk to it, why make it at all?
This was my downfall, but I never did realize it at the time to much later. I think with everything going on with the world at the time, it was hard to find focus, and I never did find time to look deep into myself and realize that I needed more help, both mentally and artistically.
The Future
Despite all that, I still refused to give up, and I think I'm happy that I was able to look back on this project and realize its flaws. I'm glad, for one thing, that this was never commercially released, and I was in an environment where I was able to simulate that experience of being under public scrutiny.
Whenever I have free time, I try to work on a new version of this project, hoping to one day finally achieve a fun gameplay loop that this one was currently lacking.
Here's to Ghost Friends! My greatest failure yet!