Still working on dull but important things

So yeah, I’m still slogging through the implementation of the Split Screen Audio system I detailed last post. It’s boring, it’s a total bitch to get right, and once done it will merely enable functionality that you would consider standard in any other context; but it’s important and like me many developers have use for it.

Unity has been a right pain all the way through, too. (What happened Unity, I thought we were friends?)

“Did you know I actually wasn’t serializing your Dictionary.”
“Err, no you can’t extend GameObject. Why would you want to?”
“I’ve secretly overridden the Equals operator so your null-checks are bogus.”
“No, you can’t control order of instantiation, and no, I will not tell you when it happens.”
“This field value only exists in unmanaged code, good luck if you want to manipulate it!”

It’s not so much extending Unity’s functionality, it’s fighting against its functionality.

I chose Unity so I wouldn’t have to develop my own game engine and could immediately start building my game. It turns out that for anything other than a mini-game or a tech-demo you still need to do lots of non-trivial ground work. This seems logical to me now, but I didn’t realize this when I started.

Anyway, I keep telling myself that Volo will need a strong foundation, and that these features need to be in place before I can start creating the game properly. Whether that’s correct I don’t know, but it’s a way to get there, I suppose. Actually, you could argue that I should work these big frameworks into the game gradually, and you would be right. But at the same time I want to finish up these frameworks, start selling them to other developers, and actually earn some money off the work I put in the game.

I know you are anxious to play new, better Volo. Heck, you might be someone who pre-ordered (thanks!), in which case you’re definitely expecting more bang for your buck. I’m committed to making Volo Airsport into all that it can be. To you I say: I’m not going anywhere! I’ve refused jobs in the triple-A industry and stuck to freelancing specifically so I can do this, and while I may dabble with other game concepts from time to time (game jams) I never intend to work on those for more than just study. That said, Volo Airsport is a multi-year project and there’s no way around that. πŸ™‚

You’ll have noticed: I suffer from a character flaw: I hate to disappoint other people, so when I inevitable get myself in a situation where that can’t be avoided, I tend to stop communicating. When I asked you to demand frequent updates at the start of this year it was precisely with regards to that. Thank you for demanding!

Ok, any more of this and this website will be more LiveJournal than development blog. I’ll finish these damn input and audio frameworks and get to the real meat of the game. Then we can have fun times!

  • a_fan

    Good to see an update! I hope I didn’t come off as pushy or impatient. I just like to know you haven’t given up, and that’s really cool you haven’t. It’s really inspiring to an aspiring artist.

  • Max

    Hi Tinus,

    Great to hear you are still at it & I really hope that these foundations pay off for you when you sell them on as assets to other Unity users! If it’s any consolation I think Volo is the only Alpha I have ever played so much and for so long! πŸ˜€ all the best, Max

  • Hey Tinus,
    I’m so glad to hear that you’re still on developing this amazing game.
    Btw. i hope there’ll be they other preoder payment options soon.

    Skyfreak, Germany

  • Great to hear you’re still at it, not that I ever doubted it πŸ˜› Still playing and loving the alpha. I’d rather this came out later and better than soon and not live up to its potential. Good luck on the frame works.

  • aguywhohasaname

    Thanks for keeping us updated!

  • nice update- good luck – will keep checking in

  • Volchara

    Volo great game. good luck! From Russia with love

  • irratio

    yaaaay youΒ΄re not dead !!! i hope you solve your problems soon. must be a bummer for you too.

  • Tome

    Keep on truckin’

  • Nic

    Keep us updated man! πŸ˜€ I check almost everyday!

  • Mike

    Just dropping in to say that I picked up and tried Volo today, and it’s brilliant. Such a simple concept, but so much fun. It’s going to be great. Oh, and for anyone trying to find a good soundtrack to play it to, I recommend Wagner, for obvious reasons, but also Holst’s “Mars” and “Jupiter” compositions. They make you feel even more awesome as you glide down the side of a mountain.