Right. Script.
It’s not that I don’t know that games need written scripts— it’s just that when I was first conceptualizing on this game, I didn’t think it would be completely necessary. Now I have a full notes document to jot down ideas and make sure I’m capturing them instead of doing that thing where you think you’ll remember for later and absolutely don’t.
I’ve always wanted to write something like this. That’s what I’m realizing every time I open my document. Something personal and intimate but short. (Short enough at least. Every time I go into this document, I get worried about length.) It’s fulfilling. Having a plan and being able to think of what the scene around it is going to look like and thinking about the limitations is invigorating.
Bitsy has so many hacks
It seems pretty clear that the Bitsy community loves their hacks. And why wouldn’t they? It’s exciting to be able to make things have functionality they normally aren’t able to, especially functionality that enables further artistic expression.
Admittedly, there’s this part of me that was really resistant to the idea of using hacks. Part of me thinks it’s “cheating” in some way and that the point of Bitsy is to stick to its limitations and work with what you have.
Another part of me thinks that’s an unfair assessment. Game development is all about finding new ways to make the technology do the thing you specifically want it to do. And if the Creator of The Software uses the hacks, how is that cheating?
All this to say, with the scope of what I want to do: hacks are almost unavoidable and easy enough to use that I don’t think I should be resistant to them. I’m specifically thinking about using the Bitsy museum hack, the transparent sprite and avatar hacks, possibly the follower hack, and the one that makes the page the same color as the palette’s background color.
Discord rocks
I joined the Bitsy discord and it feels really good and encouraging to be in a community despite not having participated much so far. It made me realize I could ask for help and get assistance if I needed it.
I don’t have any visuals to share in this update. All I’m doing is massaging a few details in the previously shared first room and trying to make sure items can comfortably live on top of surfaces. Establishing certain tiles as places where items can be placed later. That kind of thing.
Alright, thanks for reading. Be well.