Hello! recently I started my next big project: Paradox Space. It will be a runner rhythm game where your goal is to explore complex levels with a very experimental style. Levels have a design that allows for some easier or harder paths, multiple collectables, checkpoints and more!

It will follow some designs of two of my old games, Color dash and Nexus Space, finishing the trilogy with a final game that mixes everything they have to offer, but it will still have it's own ideas and design (if you played those games you may like this one)

There are already two beta builds of the game done, they work currently as prototypes and later may work for extra content (if you like to know how your games were when they were starting), but I want to upload the game only when it is 100% finished (OR I can upload it somewhere else).

Levels

The core idea of the game will be based on beating levels. There will be multiple levels split in different worlds (probably literal planets). Each world will have a specific theme, and around 4 to 8 levels (with exceptions).

Songs

This game will use the popular no copyright music channel NCS for it's soundtrack. Not only, as the name implies, they have no copyright sounds, but also they have lots of high quality songs. I've been using their songs for almost every game I make. Expect a lot of high-quality music in lots of different genres, from house to phonk (and some songs probably will be nostalgic, or at least I hope)

Fanmades

Now for the cool part. Along the game, I will also give the source code of the game (in an .unitypckage file), so that YOU can make your levels, your fanmade games, and your own content! I may also give good explanations on how the level design of this game works (though I don't think I can share the songs too)

Just keep in mind that bad usage of copyrighted material (songs, assets, etc) are on you. Be creative and smart :D

Stick with the development of the game to get updates on levels, release dates, community content and more!

Updates: the game technically have it's first playable demo (Paradox Space by Developer3244), but idk if other people can play games that are still drafts. If not, then here's a breakdown on what I did:

- the game now have 10 levels (though most of them aren't final and probably will be replaced)

- some bug fixing and polishing

I'm scared of making pretty much the entire game and finding only after the game is done that it never was actually fun. I do have one playtester (my brother), but the game is getting a pretty good review. Dude complained mostly about weird level design, me not using my songs, etc...   

As the core idea of this game is basically grinding levels, then I need to focus mostly on level design, and make lots of levels even if I need to put quantity over quality for a while. My idea is that more levels = more content. And even if not every level is perfect, if every level is at least playable, then I can use the amount of levels to make the game more fun

The only problem on making this game based on grinding levels is scope creep. I basically need to be able to do tons of levels quickly, but idk for how long I can be doing that. I'm not worried becaues in essence, paradox space is just a better version of my other games, so I just need to keep myself mking content ig

updates:

- added 6 new levels

- removed two beta levels

- updated the paradox space list (yeah I have one, this list rank levels based on how hard to beat with checkpoints the levels are, from easiest to hardest, and who am I was supposed to be the easiest level. I also list feedback from playtesters and started listing levels baed on how hard they are without checkpoints, which create lots of alignment issues)

As you can see, a couple levels might be replaced because they're not satisfying me. But I will see that later.

Idk if you can play the draft or not, but I'm starting to consider releasing the next update publicly (even though the game isn't done), as just seeing me talking about the game is getting boring, right? The package to make levels is still coming soon though

The plans for this game:

- add even more levels aaaaaaa

- I'm not liking the UI, as currently I feel like the UI of this game just feels a better version of color dash UI. Next update might add the planets mechanic

- You may have noticed that the levels of this game are resembling the levels from other games, that use the same song (if you can play the draft)

- make the .unitypackage for the fanmades (probably the most important part?) 

- fix the songs (currently the songs end abruptly in the end of the levels)

At one hand, developing this game is getting a bit annoying. Is hard for me to do too many stuff while making this game, I feel like I need to finish this game fast so that I can  do stuff that is more worth my time, is hard taking off my head that this game is a waste of time lol. But paradox space is technically my "dream game", the game I always wanted to do, with a big community, lots of NCS songs... Also, the more I think about it, the more I consider making paradox space to be my last game. Everything depends on how this game gets recieved tbh... why are you sleeping? LET ME TED TALK-  

BIG Updates: The game is "released"! this means that after 6 days of waiting, you can finally play it!

Paradox Space by Developer3244 <- play

But you may have noticed that I still tagged this devlog as 30% done. Reason: it's definitively not over lmao. There's still more stuff to do, such as:

- more levels (though now I will focus both on making easier levels for beginners, and harder levels that might be the new hardests)

- Upgrade the UIs (the planet mechanic is done, my original idea was to make a solar system where you would click the planets, but this idea was bad so I changed it)

- Start making videos of my game (that's high key important imo, my level showcases alone might not get lots of views but they're watchable content, that I can put on a social media where several potential players can get to know me)

- Promote this game as much as I can (well, the best way to get players for your game is to be a player too, I currently have no time to play  but after the development of this game, I might start playing more)

- Replace levels I'm not satisfied with (and make an archive for you to play the replaced levels)

- Make an official site for the game, specially a list that ranks all levels (probably including your fanmades as well!) based on difficulty, and organize them by tiers. Technically the list is done, but it is a txt file in my pc - the hardest level is infinite, only playable in the downloadable version)

After I finish all my plans with this game, I will check how much I succeded on it's development. The reason why I'm so worried with marketing is that I need this game to have at least one or two players that care with it enough so that they can even make their own content in the game. In any case, future plans:

- If my game succeds and creates a solid community (I'm not even thinking about money with this game lol), then I may still take a slight break from making games specifically, but I'm going to be as active as I can in the community of this game, expect updates, content, sites... Good ending :D

- however, world isn't all sunshine and rainbows... if this game becomes another failed small project that no one cares about, then I'm officially leaving game development. I will republish all my small games, update my portifolio site (I have one, baby), stating I'm no longer a game developer, and I will go to other areas, like design, music, content creation until I find something that works (I am kinda growing as a music producer btw)... or until I eventually give up and get a job. Depressed ending :c

Updates: I finished the "easy levels" update. As the name implies... easy levels. The feedback I got in the section "get feedback" was mostly complaining about weird physics behaviour (lots of unfixable and even intended stuff though), too much glow/darkness, and mostly about difficulty.

- Added 10 levels, all around the easiest difficulty (those levels might be usefull for beginners to just have easier content to start with, and for the players to get used to some physics behaviour of the game)

- Changed the paradox space list (which I'm going to start calling PSL for short from now on). Changes to a list that only exist for me are boring, but I'm going to make a site so that you can see the levels difficulty

- Bug fixes and polishing

- Replaced the level "on & on" for a better and hopefully more fun level. I will be replacing the bad levels of my game one by one, and I will make an archive for people to play the replaced levels

So... when I started making devlogs for this game, I was still developing the game. This devlog started before the game got released, and such I couldn't make a devlog in the project page (there was no project and no page still). Now that the game is released, I started a devlog in the project page but... now I kinda have two devlogs to manage at once. Managing devlogs is easy, even more considering that this devlog will lead people to my project page, where they will get the "main devlog". Also, more devlogs = more visibility. But idk at which point more visibility won't be seen as spamming lol. Hey no time to play, if I did something wrong, sorry :D

Hi! I just finished reading through your devlog, and I really like the direction you're taking with Paradox Space.

What stood out to me is that you're thinking beyond simply releasing a game—you've been iterating on level design, listening to playtester feedback, planning modding support with a .unitypackage, and building a community around the project. That kind of long-term vision is something I enjoy contributing to.

I'm a developer with experience in game and software development, and I'd be interested in collaborating if you're looking for help. 

My Gmail is roman.rebane102@gmail.com