CSIDE is like a sophisticated Microsoft Word. You can have multiple tabs, and then have your plan and outline in one tab, while you write the story in other tabs.
Backing up your work is very important. I use github so that I can have a version controlled backup that doesn’t require much effort to use.
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I don’t personally think a warning is necessary for profanity, especially in that context but feel free to warn if you want to! (Profanity that includes slurs or I guess is directed in a bigoted way rather than generally being insulting is different and I’d warn for misogyny/homophobia etc if that was in the game rather than profanity.)
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A thing to consider with content warnings is that they often set expectations. If you give me a content warning for ‘sexual content’ just before a scene and then there’s just some PG-13 stuff before it fades to black, I’m probably going to be disappointed in that scene. It might be a perfectly fine scene that I’d be perfectly happy with in most circumstances, but the content warning for it sets certain expectations and if the scene doesn’t live up to those expectations it’s going to get dinged for it.
A “occasional profanity” warning at the start? That’s fine, no expectations set. It’s pretty much boilerplate. Special warnings before the scene? Different story.
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I kind of want to put a “multilingual cursing” warning on mine.
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Hey all!
I am currently pushing hard on development for The Frontier, but am considering releasing a small technical test build specifically for gambling gameplay for testing purposes.
This build would include the following three games, specifically tied to small betting amounts.
- Blackjack.
- Ride the Tide (High or Low).
- Texas Hold’Em Poker.
Out of the three, I would love feedback/testing the most on Texas Hold’Em, as this is going to have my first run on a true dynamic AI which is also going to allow me to test AI code in the backend for combat in the future. These three games will be the only thing present in the build of the Frontier that you would play on CogDemos.
I’d need to figure out how best to get the feedback, as I do not want to cram up any threads and am not comfortable launching my WiP thread on that build as my goal is to gain momentum from the get-go.
The question becomes, would this be something you’d be open to play/test? The sole purpose of this release is truly to garner feedback as these will be in-depth systems.
I have not made any attempt to simplify poker or alter its rulesets, it will be the actual game of poker that you know. I will also have a guide available from the menu that specifically links to the Glossary pages for it. 
- I’d love to!
- I’d think about it.
- I wouldn’t play it.
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Since the build contains only the three games, what if you posted a thread in the Hobby Projects section and titled it Technical Test: Blackjack, Ride the Tide, Hold 'em (or something to that effect)?
You wouldn’t be the first person to put a tech demo or smaller part of a larger game in that category. If you don’t call it The Frontier, I don’t think it will have any effect on your WIP thread momentum.
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Thank you so much for the advice! I think that’s a great idea, and I definitely plan to use it.
My hope with the WiP when it hits is to make a big splash with a 150-250k word opening build. We’re getting there, but I merely want AI testing with the casino games and balancing, so that’s why I’m keeping this so locked down/blocked off.
Bright side is I started with Poker and have… 687 lines of code built in the last 24 hours. Hmm… should get some sleep, lol.
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Today’s the eve of the Philippine Game Dev Expo, and even though it’s rainy here in Manila, the show must go on, so to speak.
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That depends on what you mean by “controversial topics”.
There are certain things I already filter for public consumption. For others?
Well, let’s just say that part of the reason I’m still here is because I’m confident this company has core values that mostly align with my own - something which the recent Aura Clash stuff has only confirmed for me. If those core values shifted to the degree that one of us is actively endangering the professional brand of the other, then something has gone horribly wrong.
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I’ve been falling behind in my writing this week. I think I’m like 4k words behind and I’m struggling to get myself to start writing. Normally, I’ll just put on music and do it, but for some reason this week, I’ve had other things on my mind and I haven’t felt like doing anything more than being a potato.
I’m sure I’ll write something today, since I wrote this, but I doubt I’ll get my hour in. I should probably do a workout to get that blood moving, but my knee is bothering me and I don’t do just upper body workouts.
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My previous statements about “generative” AI have ranged from dismissive to broadly contemptuous. I don’t think I’ll have a problem there.
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Banned use? Perhaps, retroactively? Very much possibly not; why would expressing support be banned though? There’s a literal topic about talking about AI and there are ppl that express it so.
Weird statement to make, when CoG has openly shown they just don’t allow AI in published games, since they could have legal problems if they did, and aren’t forcing anyone to actually disclose it.
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Uhm. Unless you’re going onto a public forum/discord/social media and saying you’re using genAI to write for you but then refuse to disclose it on the forums in hopes to publish, I think you’ll be alright. Most people don’t care if you’re using AI to make grocery lists for you or to explain a math theorem. It’s when it starts bleeding into creative/art spaces that deal with IP, theft, and plagiarism where things start to get messy.
While some people have the stance that all AI is bad, CoG is not going to ban you for thinking AI is cool. You’d really only get in any kind of trouble if you tried to sell them an IF written with genAI.
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Cross-posting here for visibility, but here’s a BlueSky thread about what’s going on with itch, Visa, and Mastercard. The tl;dr is Visa & Mastercard threatened to pull payment processing services, itch HQ panicked, and itch de-listed/de-indexed NSFW games, some queer games, and some books. If you want to do something about this, you complain to Mastercard & Visa and, if you’re a US citizen, sign an ACLU petition.
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I apologize for my rash and inappropriate post yesterday. I have deleted it and will try to post more responsibly in the future. Sorry about that.
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Don’t sweat it. I’ve also made plenty of mistakes on this forum.
Anyway, I did make some simple cover art for your game last time. Between writing and gaming, I need a fun diversion over the weekend. If you’re still working on your game, you can give me a couple of ideas (please keep it simple!) you’d like for cover art. I’ll see if I can make the full set by blending stock assets like last time, and you’re free to use it.
I will also need to do AI checks, since people are happily churning out AI images on pixabay without labelling it.
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Sorry for quoting a post from over a month ago — I’m still catching up on last month’s thread because university has eaten all of my free time.
Spoilers for Highlands, Deep Waters below:
You’ve described Highlands, Deep Waters with surgical precision. The game starts with you playing as a detective hired by the victim’s relative to investigate a fresh murder in 2006. A good chunk of the early game is spent digging into the case (At one point, you’re literally digging up a dead dog’s bones while your sanity slowly unravels) and exploring the town. But no matter what you do, your character ends up dying, and then the game jumps 10 years into the future, where a new detective picks up the same case. I don’t know how it was received overall, but I was mind blown when the character I was just getting attached to suddenly died and it turned out that was just the prologue.
It’s an interesting concept.
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Yes, I am still working on it! I decided the cover art you made is going to be the final art for the game, so I don’t need new cover art. The existing cover art is great, conveys exactly the right combination of grittiness and unpretentiousness.
I also decided to remove all the start of chapter images of the characters. Instead, at the start of each fight, I added in a paragraph of description of their appearance. The reader can fill in the details! I think the prose can stand on its own.
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I love this game, it’s absolutely amazing. So unique and so good.
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I’ve put together a progress tracker for the game I’m working on. I love having a to-do list, it really makes a project feel more achievable. The game is currently in the early planning stages, but having a breakdown of what I need to complete before fully moving into the writing and coding process should make things go smoother.
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