Programming Update (Patreon)

Been working on Size Queens and learning as much as I can to get the features I want. The thing I'm struggling with most is definitely how screens interact with each other. I've got the basics down, but making it function *well* is the other thing.

So essentially, I want Size Queens to play out as a classic dating sim. The nostalgic kind.

So I've been learning to program, and testing out in a pre-alpha mechanics test.

- A core gameplay loop that keeps track of how many weeks have passed. Each day its own contained thing that you can act upon until you complete an action.

- A navigation system, with locations being consistent and popping up a menu for you to interact with when going there to start scenes.

- A romance mechanic, of gaining or losing points.

- Unlockable scenes that only happen if certain conditions, usually romance mechanics, are met.

- A "cellphone" mechanic, an almost always present button that will open up a menu to call the gals you've met. And only the gals you've met. To have a little dialogue only scene.

- A time limit, there is an intended game over time limit, currently the thought is 12, representing 12 weeks of summer. But, we'll see. Once the game ticks over, it plays the "Have to go home" ending.

And now, stuff I'm still trying to figure out how to program. Things like screens and alternating buttons are something I'm struggling with.

- An Inventory System: I want the player to have a limited pack of six items. I've figured out how to make it so they can't pick up anymore items after getting to six, and they can have multiples of one item. As well as having them be removed when dropped or given away. But, I want there to be a backpack button on the gui, that will open up a screen with the inventory, that has buttons for each of the items you have. And that these buttons change depending on what items you've picked up without there being blank spots in the box.

- A shop and money system. This should be easy-ish from the tutorials I've read. Basically setting a variable stat for the amount of cash the player has. Setting up a screen window and a shop location, and deducting the cash from the money stat when buying. This naturally also implies the action of "working" where the player can spend their turn at a job to get some extra cash.

- A map screen. Another icon on the gui, that when clicked and not currently "in a scene" opens up a map screen that shows a map of Location Town, Canada. With clickable buttons of the places you can go.

- Exploration. Related to the map screen, I don't want all locations to be accessible at the start of the game. The player will have to go to certain locations, have certain dates, or collect certain items to be able to see all of the locations on the map. At time of brainstorming, unlocking these places wont' use up a day. But, we'll see.

So, so far I've been learning how to implement the mechanics I want to include in the final product. And putting together a Pre-Alpha. I'm intending to put up the Pre-Alpha for the purposes of testing, to see if people can understand the mechanics. And more importantly if the can intentionally break them.

Once the Pre-Alpha is done, I intend to try making a demo for the purposes of advertising.