Play Change Over Thyme
(Game Gallery Submission in Progress. Check Back Later!)
Start With The Script
This project was a narrative-focused game, so the script was by far the most important element. As such, it was the first thing on the docket.
I used a tool called Chat Mapper to assist me in this process. This allowed me to separate the dialogue out between the various scenes, focusing on the narrative in a given moment while having quick access to the rest. This also served as an invaluable asset in my workflow, allowing me to develop the narrative as the game was being built. With this, technical implementation never got in the way of the story being written.
Learning the Tools
The next hurdle the project reached was in its mechanical implementation. Creating a functional dialogue system for it, let alone a robust one was going to be quite the challenge.
Rather than reinventing the wheel. I opted to find a tool. Fungus proved to be a very versatile and thorough tool, with enough customizability to shape its presentation to the design of my game. It was a very enlightening experience, delving into the ways addons interface with Unity. With the coding complexity of the game, I could focus more on the game's core - the narrative.
Polishing & Public Release
While I am quite happy with how the game turned out, it is not the end for Change Over Thyme. This project will be moving forward with me into GAT316, a semester-long class focused entirely on Polish.
With this additional time, I plan to further enhance the game's narrative, deepening the interactions of the characters with the experience I have gained since then. On top of all the dialogue getting revisions, an unlockable conversation will be added for each character.
I also plan on giving the art some polish in some necessary places. The end of this semester promises the opportunity to release the game on Steam, providing the wonderful opportunity of having a released game under my belt.
