Well, what a year!

Well, what a year! In the beginning, this was just some small project I was working on… And now it’s big. It’s become very big and I must thank you guys for that. So, let’s review 2017 for An Aspie Life.
Before we get into it I have a big announcement to make… UPDATE Version: 0.27.0 for An Aspie Life is out! https://gamejolt.com/games/an-aspie-life/209217
In terms of the game itself, a great deal of progress has occurred. The game in now about 83% done with all the story and gameplay almost finished being coded and implemented. This has taken longer than expected because of the new animation aim (to have every action in the game have its own unique animation, to add polish to the game and make it flow better). That being said, from where it was at the start of the year to where it is now is mind-boggling!

Systems

With all the systems that try to recreate autism that are now in the game, here’s a bit of what they do!
• All character in An Aspie Life are black outlines. By doing this, players can’t read body language. Just like with someone with autism.
• Some characters that the main character knows are not black outlines and have some detail. But they are still darkened. This represents how some with autism can learn someone’s body language.
• In the game, every environmental sound gets represented on the sound sensitivity meter. The player must keep this under control, so the main character does not become overwhelmed. This represents Sound sensitivity in autism.
• In conversations, the player again can’t read body language, as they are all black outlines. But they must try and figure out how to respond with limited vocabulary. This represents the difficulty Aspies have in putting thoughts into sentences that people can understand.
• Also in conversations, the player’s feeling meters of stress, happiness, courage and uneasiness will affect how a conversation plays out. For example, not much courage means you can’t look at the other person.
• In order to regenerate the feeling meter, players must go into quiet places or do things that the main character enjoys. That being playing video games.
• The game’s art style of blue and purple, represent not just the 80/90s feel of the game but also social isolation. Some items in the game that hold great importance to the main character are not in blue/purple but are in full colour, because of how important they are.
• When the player’s feeling meter is in the red, the main character will begin to do self-harm (banging his head against a wall). If not managed, he will eventually faint.

Awards

In terms of awards… there’s has been no end to that! Winning the Queensland iAwards was only the start! In the end An Aspie Life pulled in over 5 awards from 3 competitions. Winner of the National senior students iAward, National Senior Screen it game award and now the National 11-12 Young ICT explores that it just won on the weekend!
In total 2017 has been big over the top blast of fun and excitement for this project. Now the fun begins… to get it done for its release on the …
30th of March 2018!!