• Add Review
  • Subscribe
  • Nominate
  • Submit Media
  • RSS

Development will not continue. But...

  • Sgt M
  • 08/24/2019 11:42 PM
  • 2293 views
I think the title of this blog is all that needs to be said.

So yes, unfortunately it's looking like I'm not going to be continuing development on the rest of Crescent Prism. A lot of the reasons for this has been touched upon in my last big update post and the reasons have not changed all that much since then, so this update will be a bit on the shorter side.

A game on the scale of this size has become literally impossible for me, now that my life has shifted more towards my work life and other obligations that make large-scale projects like these too much to manage.

But I suppose the other big reason is that I'm looking at the project, the story, and the type of game I was trying to make and finding that I wasn't enjoying any of it. Though I have an immense attachment to the characters and scenarios I wanted to write, Crescent Prism has always felt like something of an "off-brand" anomaly for me, lacking any real hook to it like Brave Hero Yuusha and Soma Spirits had before them. Crescent Prism was always meant to be my "big one", but playing it more straightforward compared to my previous projects ended up making me feel like I was taking a step back and wasn't really growing as a developer through it.

At the risk of exhibiting hubris, it just doesn't feel like it's in me to make a more straightforward RPG after developing a parody game and then a subversive/heavily choice-driven game. And because of that, I simply lost interest: I have not touched the game for 3 months, and it pains me to say that I do not see that changing.

I bet off way more than I could chew with this project. But if I wasn't for my friends and all the great people who were following Crescent Prism's development, I would never have gotten as far as I did. Back in March, the Chapter 1 standalone was released as a Thank You for all those who believed in me and it will remain available for download for archival purposes and anyone who would like to give it a try.

Now, with all that said, I'm not about to end this whole game development thing on a bad note. I've had several ideas of smaller, more manageable games that are a better fit for my current development schedule. I hope I can carry over much of what I learned during CP's development to make a fundamentally stronger game right out of the gate. And while I don't have much more to say about that at the moment, I hope to be able to share some news about this in the coming months.

Thank you all once again for your support! Hope to see you all on the next big thing.

Posts

Pages: 1
Cap_H
DIGITAL IDENTITY CRISIS
6625
It happens. It might feel like time wasted now, but you spent the time learning something about you. That's the best thing any activity can give you.
Looking forward your smaller projects.
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
Sometimes things just don't work out. The future throws too much weight on your shoulders, ideas in your head don't translate well in working products, or initial passion for an idea fades out. As much as we'd like to believe that it'll all be fine in the end, the reality is that there are plenty of times where that just doesn't happen. And that's okay.

Sure, Crescent Prism may not continue, but that doesn't mean nothing came from it. You've learned lessons to take into future endeavors and gained a clearer understanding of your voice as a developer. A total failure would mean that you gained nothing from working on Crescent Prism, and you know that isn't the case here.

I know you must be feeling pretty miserable right now, but please keep this in the back of your mind: Whatever you do going forward will be that much better because of the time you spent on Crescent Prism.
Thanks, folks. This was a tough call that I was ready to make months ago and just didnt have the courage to admit it until now. If I prided myself on one thing as a developer, it's the ability to follow through with what I started. And to not be able to do that for the first time in years felt like the one thing I could do well was now a moot point and I had nothing going for me.

But I'm realizing more and more that Crescent Prism has been a wonderful experience for exactly the reasons you noted, Nova. I wish I had known the things going into Soma Spirits or Yuusha that I had learned through CP's development and I think what I'm bringing away from it will make the next project all the more cohesive. I finally, for example, feel confident enough in my visual style that I can make a more consistent-looking game from start to finish. CP definitely had some Art Evolution going on, and early assets were experimental at best.

Now I feel like I have better methods of doing things, for both pixel art and for everything on the backend and I'm truly aiming to have a more organized approach for the next project. Crescent Prism taught me a lot, and so many things about it will hopefully make the next game stronger.
As I said on twitter, I'll say it here but expanded: I love your work. It's been a source of joy because it heralds back to a simpler time in RPGs, and I appreciate the work you've put out.

But I've never been under any illusions - you're human and I worry about the unseen stresses and problems you go through. We don't talk at all but that doesn't mean I don't worry.

It's bittersweet hearing that you're pulling away from the project but I'd rather you be happy and satisfied with what you're doing than to force yourself through more misery. And whatever you do, I'll be checking out because I really value your work as a creator.

Much love from the Punk, and hope you're doing well. <3
You’ve got to do what’s best for you, man.

Your games have given me a lot of inspiration to keep this insane hobby going, and if that’s the case for me I’m sure it is for others as well.

It’s brave to put this out there, and I wish you the best going forward. Thank you for the work you have shared so far!
I wouldnt have made Flatwoods which got me started in RPGM if it wasnt for Soma Spirits so do what ya gotta do man!
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
Like everyone else said, it's 100% okay for Crescent Prism to end here since it helped you understand what you can do and what you want to do!

Crescent Prism is one of my favorite games on the site, and I'm so glad that we'll always have this first chapter preserved here! It's an inspiration and I wouldn't be surprised if future developers are inspired by it and we see its footprints in other projects!

Thanks so much for giving us a glimpse into this world, and I can't wait to see what you make next ^_^
Geez you guys are making me blush, lol. I didn't realize I had been such an influence to you all and it means so much that it left such an impact on people. I probably wouldn't keep doing this whole game development if I couldn't do that.

Thank you so much, everyone. Gotta keep going!
Pages: 1