PHI - ARTWORK

"THE ADVENTURE AHEAD"

Daniel looking at his destiny...

(Sorry for the mediocre coloring and some missing details but I really don't want spend much more time on this one drawing, there are too many more impressions that I want to get to paper as well.)

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PHI - CONCEPTION

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

So, what is my game and how will it be designed?

"Phi" (as you know, working title) is primarily a game about exploration. That is very important for me! As you might know, I am one of those gamers who grew up with games like The Legend of Zelda (NES). Fortunately that means I still have a great deal of imagination left compared to nowadays kids who in my opinion are getting a bit too pampered with explaining and showing everything, while they are kept addicted and interested by providing them with rather easy tasks leading to a purposely fast and deeply psychological sense of (false) accomplishment.


I can immerse in an environment even if it is not in ultra-high resolution. I don't care if I play a game with 30 FPS or 120. I am annoyed and actually almost disgusted by games that promise unlimited freedom, which then turns out to be an unlimited struggle of completing the same boring quests/tasks over and over again for maybe even up to 300 hours of my life. I enjoy a good story - better yet - a story that is not fed to me in the cheapest way possible, like for example by constantly finding new extensive emails in the game. I prefer a really basic setup that allows for my imagination to kick in and construct the wildest theories far beyond what any progressive storyline could tell. Furthermore I like challenges, using my brain and I like games that will not take up the next three months of my free time but instead can be completed in several hours while providing an intensive replay value. Here is the quick summation of my basic design philosophy for Phi or rather any good modern game in general:

• Make a simple game based on classic and proven principles (if you haven't the absolute new and innovative idea that was never there before)
• Keep the presentation at least contemporary, better: special, unique and interesting
• Make a truly challenging game that requires both skill and thinking
• Make a game with a beginning and a manageable end but high replay value due to proven principles like multiple endings and a lot of secrets and unlockables
• Make an atmospheric game that puts the player in a fantastic place, outline only the basics of a seemingly amazing story so that in truth most of it will be written inadvertently by the individual player's own imagination along the way

GENRE AND CATEGORIZATION

Let's get on step further and talk about genres: As I said Phi will be a game deeply focused on exploration. However that alone doesn't help since that would describe Zelda as well as Minecraft and they are rather different games after all. So, in order to make you understand Phi here is a genre description that I think fits best: 2½D Fusion-Adventure!

I know “Fusion” is not a common categorization but ultimately hitting the nail on the head because Phi will inherit and or fit/make use of and combine the following mechanics, genres and descriptions:

2½D - Platformer, Jump&Run, Shooter, Adventure, Survival, Point&Click, ...

I know, for you as gamer, that still doesn’t help too much because in order to get a response it is necessary to create in image in your head. - And since I can’t show you something yet, I would like to do that by description one last time:

Imagine a game like Super Metroid in "almost"-3D. You control the hero and have to find your way through an ancient labyrinth, structured in several connected but distinct areas, which are constantly expanding by revealing new paths depending on your skill and equipment. All you start with is your backpack, a flashlight, a lighter, your phone (which is not working inside the massive stonewalls), the diary of Dr. Connelly and your prototype scanning device (details to follow). Your journey is naturally linear but still provides limited freedom of choice in terms of what you would have to do next and what you can leave out completely. Ideally you will find many useful items such as a pistol and powerful ancient artifacts that will help you, because on your journey into the darkness you will of course encounter several obstacles to overcome. Obstacles can range from simple, closed doors, partially mathematical puzzles, frequent and deadly traps to fierce enemies in form of animals or mysterious and frightening creatures. How you will overcome these obstacles should be up to you and the game will provide you with a variety of options (Multiple Solution Approach). Your initial goal of simply finding a way out of the Khufu's pyramid will become more and more blurry as you progress further. Down the rabbit hole you will uncover ancient mysteries, wake something better left sleeping and ultimately be the hero to save the world!

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PHI - STORY

SETTING THE MOOD

"What a fascinating place. A strange sensation always crawls up my spine when I enter this magnificent relic from the past. The air is electric and the scent of ancient mysteries keeps my eyes open and my senses focused...

What was really going on here?
What is the purpose of all this?"



Deprecatingly shaking his head, Daniel puts down his father's journal and takes a deep breath. He turns his head and looks out of the window of the airplane taking him from London to Cairo. Although the past decade he barely had contact with his father, he can't help but feel remorse. He asks himself if the arguments were really necessary, if they shouldn't have forgotten all their difficulties and at least tried to get along. Now he is carrying his father's ashes in his backpack and any chance of indemnification is lost. All gone in the mists of time and seemingly insignificant stubbornness. The only thing that might grant at least some sort of redemption was his current task - the last wish of the famous and praised Dr. Phillip Connelly: To spread his cremated remains in the one place he always put before everything else - the Chamber of the King, in the great pyramid of Khufu.

Daniel sighs but after a few seconds his eyes grow big. While the plane is already in descent and excitement spreads across the cabin like a wildfire, passengers are anxiously trying to get a glimpse out the windows. Shortly after noticing that also the guy in the seat to his right is moving his head closer and closer to the small window next to Daniel, he freezes. His hands tighten their grip and his eyes become focused, locked on probably the most impressive buildings he has ever seen: The Great Pyramids of Giza! - His target, his way of saying goodbye, his destiny...

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PHI - INTRODUCTION

BUILDING A FOUNDATION

Naturally many people ask me what my game will be. When it comes to unique selling points and basic marketing endeavors, that question is actually most important and it shouldn't be too hard to answer. But trust me, it is. Most of us indie people are very deep into our ideas and we occasionally tend to make and explain things too complicated. Of course I want to avoid this situation and will therefore not only try to categorize and separate my posts but more importantly first build a stage for this whole endeavor. This post's purpose is to do precisely that; to build a foundation, to serve as an overall introduction which will not get too much into the game yet and display overwhelming information without context. I know I am testing your patience, but we are almost there, the next posts, which are really directly dealing with the game are already prepared and will go public sooner than you think! As you might have noticed, at least the working title is out already; the name of my game will be "Phi", a subtitle is still pending.

I see all of what is happening here during the next rather long phase of carving out my idea of the digital stones as a learning process. I am certain, that although I try to sort the information, some things may remain unclear for some time, while others might even get boring. You must understand that I don't get into this with a completed project management schedule, milestones, deadlines or even a 100% finished game design document. I know things like that are not only a nice-to-have but rather a necessity! Still, I don't fully have these things yet. I have the basic concept, a rudimentary schedule and a ton of ideas, but creating such procedural basics is one of my top concerns at the moment and for that, the stage that has been built with these words will also help me a lot. I come into this with the idea of creating the game as transparent und public as possible, but since I also don't want to spoil the fun and surprises I will be trying to keep most spoilers and secrets generally out of my posts. If it is however unavoidable to leave out the information completely, certain passages will be edited unreadable (darkened) and it will be up to you to read or skip it.

Don't get me wrong, I am not starting with nothing here... I put massive hours of planning into this project already. I just want to make you aware, that I see this blog or rather my development logs more as an open diary which should meet two basic goals:

• HELP ME TO WRITE DOWN AND ORGANIZE MY MIND

• GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO FOLLOW ME AND SUPPORT ME WITH YOUR INPUT

Yes, all your ideas, criticism, advice and opinion is cherished here! A famous game designer I met on my travels to Japan once told me that it is always easy to watch something finished from the distance and find lots of holes and flaws. It doesn't require any skill at all standing there, pointing with the finger and stating "I would have done that better". True skill means to be here, to be on the spot; creating and finishing something by yourself, just to realize with a smile that there will always be someone standing somewhere else talking about having done it better.

In light of those words, that many of us bloggers and videogame critics should probably think twice about, I know that I might also do something some of you won't like, but...

• PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY CREATE THIS GAME FOR YOU, BUT FOR ME. Sounds hard, but I think that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Most of you already know my taste regarding videogames and the contemporary industry behind it. I am sure most of you will agree with my philosophies, goals and the final picture.

• Being an active and supportive part in the development of this game could never harm and may eventually lead to something that really has a profound impact because there aren't too many holes and flaws left when it's done.

At some point during the final phase of developing the prototype representing the game mechanics the goal has been stretched out to set up an independent website just for the game, which will be updated and maintained parallel to this blog. It is my hope that from that point on information about the game will be a lot more accessible, organized, short and understandable. Until that time I trust you will stay with me and not get confused about the partially long blog posts, which regarding the pre-preproduction of my game can be found here under the label Development for now.

Play more! Wait (a bit) more!
 

NEW HORIZONS

 AND THE CITY SMOG

Hello everyone! Thanks for sticking with me during the last couple of weeks... finally, it is done - objective "moving" accomplished! I don't know why but it was an awful lot more work than the last times. Anyway, it's done, boxes are empty, the bed is made, the desk shines from unprecedented tidiness, ice tea is cooling down to drinking temperature in the fridge and (al)most importantly the internet connection has been established and my PCs are set up!

Why did I leave a modern 150 m² loft on the countryside and move to a mediocre 42 m² suburban apartment? Well, sometimes I still question that myself and I somehow feel like a sardine in a can to be honest. But actually I know why... because I had to. It was one of those rational decisions of life - economical, if you want. Given extreme uncertainty but also great responsibility I had to find a place that is easier to afford. Furthermore the new place also had to be closer to work for me as well as for my fiancé. I am happy that regarding those two points the new apartment is perfect and I am sure after a while I will also get used to this tiny space. Thinking about my foreign exchange year in Tokyo, where I lived on approximately 12 m², that shouldn't be too hard. A more negative catch however is that I can't smoke here so much anymore... but yeah... is that really all that negative, you tell me.

A lot of things developed recently and actually the hills in front of me seem to flatten out. One of the more positive factors is that I am again a few more kilometers away from my family, which - as harsh as it may sound - makes me sleep a lot easier, secondly I will start to work in Vienna at a great place already this week and lastly it seems I have a good chance to get out of the shit company I have to call myself boss of. -Which really is the last corpse in my basement... I would be so happy to finally get out of this crap but unfortunately negotiations and discussions about selling or consolidating the company take a lot of time and energy, while - of course as always when it comes to business - no positive outcome is guaranteed.


Personally I am looking forward to my new job, by the way as clerk in a second hand videogame store (yeah!), much more than being head of a company. Don't get me wrong, if it was a company about videogames, I wouldn't have a problem with it, but unfortunately the company I have now, was founded out of necessity and basically does nothing I can even the slightest bit relate to. My new job pays almost nothing, but still enough to cover my rent, I work with videogames and only between two and three days a week, which is awesome because it gives me a lot of free time that I can put into the development of my own idea. Even during work I can use the internet, work on my private endeavors or just relax because I will mostly be alone in the store and allegedly there are a lot of days when just a handful of people show up!

So... how is the plan? Well, as announced before, from now on development of my own game and of course my blog will have a high priority in my life. So far things have played out well for me and after moving, finding a great part-time job and getting some more distance from negative influences, I would love to fully start public development of my game as soon as possible. Unfortunately there is still that company factor... and well... that I can't control. So while (for now) there will still remain a constant dark cloud above my head, that could every second drown me in a rain of problems - and therefore take me away and keep me from concentrating on my real task for an undefined time span - I think, I still need to get started. After all this company issue could still take several weeks until it will be resolved... one way or the other.

During the following week I want prepare some information about my game and after that get it out to you. - I know you have been waiting too long already. Please stay tuned and continue to stick with me. I can't do that alone.. that much I am certain of. Thanks again to all you friends and interested followers out there on the web. Special shoutouts to +Emberheart Games, +Blake Price and of course +Fangirl Review for the constant support and doing great inspiring stuff of their own!

Play more! Smoke more!