dev diary: pdf making and other release stuff! (Patreon)

i released lucky number moxie today, but i still wanted to take some time to write a dev diary. so here's my process for putting art collections together!

first i paste all the assets into one file in clip studio. i have the pages set up in animation folders so i can swap between them quickly, but i used to just turn the layers on and off (it all functions the same, i just find using the timeline to be faster!)

i usually do similar layouts for the assets, like showing 2 backgrounds/illustrations per page, having the titles for each section on the side or at the top depending on what fits better, etc. my design sense for these are really just whatever works and whatever's quickest to put together while still looking nice... the treat pdfs are REALLY simple, so this one only actually took a day to put together!! (for the final release i want to make a much nicer pdf...)

once everything is laid out, i try to fill any empty spaces with commentary. i usually put more in the concept/sketches section since there's always the most to talk about there (as opposed to the ingame assets which really you already know the context of because you've seen them ingame haha)

for actually putting the pdf together, i use photoshop! i save and export each page from the clip file as a single layer psd, open them all up in PS, and hit automate pdf.

there's probably a better way of assembling pdfs, but this is what i'm used to, so that's how i do it. (i've done it this way since 2015... maybe it's about time i ask other devs how they make theirs lol)

that's all there is to it! the most time consuming part is arranging all the assets. i like doing the commentary though... i just write whatever comes to mind/whatever fits into the space. a little chance to get creative in between the mundane work of moving layers around haha.

THAT'S IT! really glad i could finish the art collection in time for public release this time. i forgot that not all of my games have as much art as starry flowers did..... (that one took forever!!!!!)

thanks for reading <3