I also don’t care about word count. I’m aware that The Frontier is going to be massive and a multi-million word project by the end, but I planned for that simply because I want to make what I want to make.
It’s funny, Estheria has always been my magnum opus and I want to bring it to life, but I’ve ended up down a winding road where I’ve been working on Estheria books but leaving the game part out until I get it just right.
As a bit of a retrospective, multiple stumbles ended up directly to my benefit:
- Estheria: A Realm Divided taught me how to build basic ChoiceScript. It also gave me the ability to begin learning proper development logic and better math skills. Separately, it taught me about announcing a project far too early, and of how I shouldn’t put deadlines on myself publically until I’m ready.
- In turn, I began development of Once in a Lifetime. Once in a Lifetime taught me so, so many things. I learned how to properly split project structure. I developed dynamic generation capabilities within ChoiceScript and optimized it so that way slower devices shouldn’t chug, which was critical as I learned proper refactoring. I learned how to create a self-repeating game-loop where the game can simultaneously move forward while returning to an updated main-screen, which became critical knowledge. I polished my ChoiceScript understandings, and I’ve learned how to better manipulate ChoiceScript in unorthodox ways.
This brings me to a project I honestly never envisioned, especially if you asked me three years ago, and that’s The Frontier.
I just… love space titles, especially simulation. However, they take ages to develop, require massive budgets, and until recently technical limitations prevented them from properly firing off. I got the idea in my head while playing Star Citizen of making my own text-based version, and next thing I knew I was down a rabbithole of lore development.
I directly applied prior knowledge of code polishing and deep technical understanding from Once in a Lifetime to prebuild a foundational file structure. From the get-go, I worked to develop inventory that was as optimized as possible. Using modular code I stripped out of Once in a Lifetime, I was able to produce dynamic event generation, and the self-functional AI code that I built for family members within OiaL directly influenced my construction of poker’s dynamic AI.
Estheria’s failed attempt at turn-based combat has led to all of my early foundations for turn-based combat in The Frontier, because I’ve cut out the biggest pain in my ass, which was having multiple party members that the player could directly control. Instead, I’m developing custom AI and personality types for AI controlled party members while allowing their equipment to organically adjust and grow alongside the player’s development without direct control. This circumvents multiple limitations that were encountered when working on the systems within Estheria.
Apologies for the rambling, but it’s funny how projects that I thought were my everything ended up being stepping stones to the most complete project I’ve ever built, and I’m really just getting started.
Above all though?
I’ve learned that it’s ready when it’s ready.
In fact, once the gameplay mechanics and stats are tidied up, that’s it! I’m really happy with the story now. Particularly, the new chapter written since February feels like what it was missing and building towards all along. I had a bad heartbreak then, so this…isn’t a consolation, but it’s something.