Game
MORSE

5 years ago

5 years on, MORSE is back in development!


Hey Folks! Hope you're all well.

A lot has changed in the last 5 years, here's what's new with me:

+ I've released 5 games (Narcissus, Corporate Salmon, SHUMP, BREAK N TAKE and Puff)

+ I've got three other games in development, two of which I'll be wrapping up soon!

+ Built a bunch of cool controllers and exhibited them internationally!

+ Started lecturing again, taught 3D modelling, Unreal and Unity

+ App Store has become an unsustainable hellscape where new developers are buried so far down in the features it barely makes a dent in development costs and I’ve started transitioning away from it

CHECK OUT GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE OF THE GAME HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoB6NtKLwuM

What's new with Morse’s development?

+ Tried to pitch it to publishers back in 2016, pulled the plug on that because I decided I needed a couple more games under my belt before making that commitment (was way in over my head, hadn’t even published a commercial title)

+ Left the project to rest for 4 years

+ After messing with some monochrome mockups, I remastered the original game

+ Picked up the game last autumn ahead of the UK Games Fund bidding process opening up

+ Started the process of getting a custom suitcase fabricated to host the game within

+ Made it successfully through to the interview stage of UKGF

+ Completed construction of a new demo of MORSE for mobile

+ Assembled a team of freelancers to work on the project if said funding goes ahead

+ Started prototyping a Unity version of MORSE

So what’s new with MORSE itself?

+ Simplified: I’ve stripped out a lot of the original systems that made it overwhelming (26 letters to memorise, 3 battlefields to juggle). Gameplay for now focuses around a handful of letters and one map at a time.

+ Revamped: Not only have the graphics been overhauled, I’ve updated the UI with tactile components that read much more clearly, particluarly on mobile.

+ Loaded: The artillery strikes now have some meaty impacts and have an ammunition loader with 4 variants to mix up which targets to prioritise.

+ Narrated: It’s still early on, but the groundwork for dialogue sections for missions has been implemented and in the current demo, linear narrative elements are interspersed.

+ Zoomed: The original game had super tiny units on the screen, MORSE now has a significantly closer viewport (still with the ability to zoom in and out on later levels)

+ RTS/Turn Based? Been a lot of experimentation over the last few weeks where I've been experimenting with a turn based version of Morse. I've for now decided after the first round of feedback that I'm not so hot on the idea anymore, but the infrastructure is in place if I decide to change my mind!

What's Next?

+ UKGF pitch happens in a week or so

+ Commercially ship the other two titles I'm working on

+ If I'm successful, start full time over the summer and bring in freelancers (Writer, illustrator and musician)

+ Exhibit the game in September and pitch for the remaining UKGF money

+ Approach publishers with the Stencyl vertical slice, get funding and reconstruct it in Unity.

I'll be posting development updates on here, I'm not expecting everything to go smoothly, particularly with this COVID-19 upending society! (Already had several of the events I was planning to exhibit the game at cancelled) Keep an eye on the blog for updates!

All the best,

Alex

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