Official Soundtrack Pre-Orders Available Now

Rich Douglas is composing a hauntingly beautiful score to complement the strange and mysterious world of Lifeless Planet. Now you can pre-order the official soundtrack for just $7, or listen to free sample tracks: http://richdouglasmusic.bandcamp.com/album/lifeless-planet-ost

The Long and Difficult Path to Space

I’ve taken a bit of a turn with production over the last few weeks to concentrate on finishing a demo that I can share with beta-tester backers. I’m pulling together the first 6 levels at a pretty high quality (closer to beta than alpha)... After I finish this demo build I will turn back to finishing the remaining levels and thus complete the alpha. I think realistically it will be sometime in May. Full beta should follow pretty quickly since the first half of the game has become increasingly refined. I’m targeting a July release at this point. I can tell now that even that timeframe will be a challenge, but I believe this is realistic, and I will keep you posted with progress as we get closer.

Read more of this post on the Kickstarter project page...

Happy New Year from Lifeless Planet!

I can hardly believe it's been over a year since Lifeless Planet was funded. But then this project has been full of "hard to believe" moments—almost all of them very good. At the start of this new year and as I work towards finishing the game, now may be a good time to reflect on some of those surprising milestones:

200% Funded

Yeah, $17,000 isn't much to brag about on Kickstarter these days, but at the time Lifeless Planet was funded, it was in the top 25 of all game projects (and arguably the number one action-adventure)!

I sometimes wonder what would've happened if I had posted a few months later, during the Kickstarter "gold rush." It's possible the final total would've been much greater. Or...the game might have been totally lost in the shuffle. So I'm honestly very happy with my "bird in the hand." Besides, the Kickstarter money allowed me to secure even more money (much more) from investors and a publisher. And any way you cut it, I'm doing what I love and paying the bills. That. Is. Huge.

Signed a Publisher

Kickstarter says posting a project is about more than raising money. I didn't fully understand what they meant until my inbox started filling up. I even got a message from a major movie studio about film rights! Don't first-time indie developers usually have to go begging for attention from these folks? This is just one of the intangible benefits of a successful Kickstarter campaign. I never imagined we'd be flying to London (half-way around the world from Alaska!) to sign a worldwide publishing deal. I was/am overwhelmed to have received so much support--by the hundreds!--from you, my Kickstarter backers (Note: This update was originally posted as an update to my backers on Kickstarter.com). I never expected all the press interviews and inquiries. It's hard to keep up sometimes, but this is a good problem for an indie developer to have.

Missed The Release Goal

I tried very hard to be up-front about the soft nature of the estimated release date. Partly this was because I was new to such a big project and was/am mostly doing it alone. But also I knew the project had potential to grow. If I had met my funding goal, but barely, I could still make a game. But it wouldn't be the Lifeless Planet of today...more on this below.

Featured at Lunarcade and PAX Prime

What an honor for Lifeless Planet to be featured alongside so many great games this year! You wonder why I haven't finished the game yet? Imagine the pressure of being exhibited in the same room as Dear Esther...

And once again the Kickstarter people proved how supportive they are of indies by inviting us to PAX Prime. Man, is Kickstarter cool!

A 60+ Page GDD Comes to Life

Early in this project I worked in earnest to flesh out a detailed game design doc. While it took a lot more time than I expected, it was time well spent. And the GDD is the reason I know this game will get done. Knowing exactly how many levels, puzzles, models, mechanics, scripts, etc. will be in the game from the start has helped ensure scope did not run out of control. I've been more than a little stressed the last few months as the project has stretched into the 11th hour, but I would be out of my mind if not for the GDD. Most of the levels are fleshed out now, and I know what needs to be done on those that remain. Yes, there's been a lot of stress, but there's also been a lot of delight at watching this world come into (virtual) existence.

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

To tell where the project stands today, it's helpful to look back at where it started. For an example of what I mean, compare these scenes from my first test build (featured in the Kickstarter video) and a recent build of the game (from a level called "The Cliffs"):

I'm trying really hard to push Unity to the max in terms of graphical beauty. I remind myself that I'm only one guy, but at the same time the gamer doesn't care--they just want a spectacular world to explore. So I'm cutting corners and taking shortcuts where it doesn't hurt the overall experience, and putting as much time as I can into fleshing out a beautifully detailed world where it counts.

WHAT'S LEFT TO FINISH

Frankly, there's a lot left to do, so I still can't give a firm release date yet. Here are the major items that need to be done:

• Finish building the last 4 (of 20) levels. 
• Script 12-15 remaining cinematic scenes. 
• Integrate remaining music into the game and cinematics--much of which has yet to be written.
• Finish writing/placing remaining log files/docs.
• Build the core game menu system.
• Finish adding details to the PDA.
• Tweak, tweak, tweak the gameplay!
• Finish texturing a few of the models.
• Add more details/refinements to some of the levels.
• Code a save/restore game interface.
• Release Alpha. Refine the game...
• Release Beta. Fix the bugs...
• Release the game!

Of course, this is a broad list and there are many specific individual items--some bigger than others--that need to come together. Predicting a release date is tricky business, but I think Alpha should finally come next month, and that will be a huge step towards release. I will likely share a large portion of the Alpha build with my beta tester backers, and I'll release a new trailer around that time as well. Once we reach Beta I'll be able to start making truly educated predictions of final release.

THANK YOU!

In closing, I want to say thank you again for your support and your patience over the last year. I won't lie: it has been very hard and I've learned a lot along the way. I like to say my strategy has been to push as hard as I can, hit "the wall," and then take a step back. Sometimes I have to walk away for 15 minutes. Sometimes for half a day (usually sleeping-in after a night of working past midnight). I've tried hard to take at least Sunday's off because I think I work better when I have at least one day a week to relax a little bit. But in general, I figure I've put at least two thousand hours into this project. Two thousand tough, rewarding, educational, brutal, wonderful, exciting hours.

I guess I'm trying to say that I take my commitment to you very seriously. I wish I were further along, but I also want to deliver an experience that meets your expectations. I'm trying very hard to do that, and I can't say enough how much I appreciate your continuing support.

—Dave

Progress Update

Wow, hard to believe how much time has gone by since the last update. The time is moving fast because I'm working at full speed on the game and not stopping for much else! I'm getting closer to Alpha, but still have a good ways to go. I've finished several more levels since PAX. Here's a peek at some new screens:

A Very Huge Planet

I made a very surprising discovery the other day. On a whim I decided to compare the size of the Lifeless Planet world to Skyrim. Believe it or not (I had to check twice!), Lifeless Planet has more total land area than Skyrim. Now mind you, there is not nearly as much explorable area, and it's not an open world game, etc. But still--wow. Every now and then a little tidbit like this makes me realize what a huge undertaking I have...undertook! Thankfully, I'm closer to the end than the beginning. Maybe more thankfully, it's actually coming together nicely.

...And a Bunch of Code

On another whim recently I decided to share all my code with you. Sort of. I pulled together thumbnails from every script I've created (or in some cases, modified) for the game to-date. I'm not really bragging here--I'm primarily an artist/designer and I know that many games--indies included--have way more code than you see here. I just thought you might like to see a unique presentation of some of the content I've produced so far. Usually I just share video or screenshots, but of course the code behind the game is just as critical as the art, sound, and music.

More Updates Coming

So that's it for now, but I'm going to try to not let so much time go between posts. I keep thinking I'll get to Alpha and that will be a good time to update everybody. But really I need to pop by here a little more often and I hereby promise to do so. I've got all kinds of cool new stuff to share, and there's lots more right around the corner...thanks for checking out Lifeless Planet!

New Gameplay Trailer Released for PAX

I've just released a new gameplay trailer which highlights some of the game’s puzzle elements as well as the interaction between the player and “Aelita,” the mysterious female character encountered by the game’s astronaut protagonist. Aelita helps guide the player across the vast alien planet via the strange green tracks she leaves behind, and later in the game through direct interaction with the player.

The new trailer is online now—view it at the top of this page.

PAX Prime

I'm just about set for PAX this weekend. Tons of work prepping and getting things ready for the big show. For those of you who might not know, PAX Prime is a major gaming festival held annually in Seattle and sees attendance of over 70,000.

As mentioned before, we will be exhibiting Lifeless Planet in the Kickstarter Arcade room at PAX.


Exhibiting at PAX will mean huge exposure for Lifeless Planet. I’m delighted that Kickstarter chose to include us in their official exhibit space. PAX exhibit booths sold out almost overnight, and I wouldn’t have been able to exhibit without their generosity.

The Kickstarter people put together a video promoting their space and there's a couple quick Lifeless Planet scenes in the video too:

http://www.kickstarter.com/blog/kickstarter-heads-to-pax-prime-2012 

Oh, and I've posted some new screens to the screenshot gallery. Check 'em out on the left side of this page!

-Dave

August is Event Month for Lifeless Planet

Hello, fellow space travelers! Just wanted to give you a quick update about some upcoming appearances for Lifeless Planet. August is shaping up to be "Event Month" for Lifeless Planet. Early previews of the game will be shown in Australia, Germany and Seattle, Washington.

Lunarcade / Sydney, Australia / August 3-9
First up is Lunarcade, an indie game festival of sorts. It will be held at the Serial Space "gallery" (which I put in quotes because they actually call themselves a "collective...dedicated to providing a platform and space for time-based art forms"). I won't be at this event, but a revised version of the first Kickstarter test level will be on display.

gamescom / Cologne, Germany / August 16-19
Now this one is big, and while I won't be there in person either, my publisher will be (Lace Mamba Global) and they tell me Lifeless Planet will be their big feature hit. I'm working hard to get an early demo (the first few levels of the game) ready for press showings. I've made a lot of headway and really like how it's shaping up. Hopefully a few of my European backers can attend this event!

PAX Prime / Seattle, Washington, USA / August 31 - September 2
Another huge show, and I will be there in person! And so will Lifeless Planet. I hope to have nearly half the game in Alpha stage by then, with lots of new gameplay footage, screens, etc. Will also have some Lifeless Planet swag, so if you're one of the lucky ones to have tickets, come by the Kickstarter room and say "hi!"

In other news, I've been a little slow to post updates lately, but that's because I'm still putting in crazy-long hours on game production. However, it's finally starting to pay off with real-live-progress...which I plan to reveal in the weeks ahead. Thanks, as always, for your support!

Take care,
Dave

Composer Selected for Lifeless Planet Soundtrack

I'm happy to announce that independent composer and audio technician Rich Douglas will compose an original score for Lifeless Planet. Rich is an extremely talented musician and I couldn't be more excited to have him on board. I believe music needs to be a very powerful and integrated part of the Lifeless Planet experience, and Rich has already shown he's the guy to make it happen.

I hope we can release a teaser track soon, but in the meantime you can check out Rich's work at http://www.richdouglas.net/