The challenge:
Can I create a game within a 64x64 pixel space that allows players to make choices, take risks and earn rewards, without presenting any text to the player at any time (with one exception being the title of the game appearing on the title screen)?
Say hello to 'STATS!', a game about making choices, taking risks and earning rewards that contains no text (other than the name of the game appearing on the title screen).

I'll update this as I go, but first, a quick Q&A:
Q: What is STATS! about?
A: Fishing.

Q: Really?
A: No.

Q: What is it about then?
A: Stats.

Q: Will the game be fun to play?
A: I simulated the game via an extended conversation with a family member. He enjoyed the conversation, so I can only assume that means the game will be great.

Q: Any more information?
A: I'm not an artist and I only started learning to code anything a few weeks ago in my spare time. I'm working on this alone, but if I can get the game done I genuinely think people might have some fun playing it. I'm literally learning as I go so it might not turn out exactly how I'd like it to, but if everything goes to plan, there will be choices, there will be risks, there will be rewards, and there will absolutely not be any text.

A few days to go, and the player can definitely make choices.

I've learned a lot in the last 24 hours, and my brain aches a little. I can confirm the following three facts:

1. The player can choose things, and those things make other things happen. Sometimes this is good, and sometimes it really isn't.
2. I learned how to generate random numbers and now the player can expect the unexpected. - exciting!
3. It's up to the player to learn the meaning behind the options they have, and work out how to succeed through their failures.

I'm also mixing things up a bit with ghost romance. It's beautiful.

Oh - and so far, there still isn't any text.

So where did I get to?

This last week I've learned a hell of a lot. I really jumped in at the deep end, and while my game is very unpolished, buggy and missing content, I'm actually quite proud with what I managed to do in the time I had available.

STATS! was going to be a game with three stages, where you make decisions based on your interpretations of the images you're presented in. Challenges are resolved by comparing your ststs to the stats of your obstacle, and to add some chance into the mix you can also equip items and roll dice to increase your score.

What I planned (and actually had partially created before having to strip it out for the deadline):

• random loot chests
• strange minigames of chance
• More variations in card types
• Three stages, each with an end-stage boss that does something unique, such as steal one of your dice to roll for itself
• A different ending scene based on the third card you choose in the character setup stage!

I wish I had managed to start the project sooner, as I only started with 10 days to go and with more time I genuinely think I could have had most of the above done, if not all. If you play the game and enjoy what's there (well, what works of it) then please let me know. If people enjoy it and think it has potential I may well finish working on it!

So if you've got some time, why not check it out?