Issue #9 - v0.3 Coming Soon!

Sebastian Asaro

Sebastian Asaro

— 3 min read
Issue #9 - v0.3 Coming Soon!
The glowup that the game deserved.

I can't believe it's true, but we're one week away from another build release. For those of you who may be new around here, I've been releasing early builds of Barty's Adventure for anyone who wishes to see the progress so far. And while I thought v0.2 brought the game forward, v0.3 does almost as much as well. You will be able to play v0.3 in one week - July 1st!

In the last update, I went as wide as possible, making dialogue and quests in later biomes and trying to connect the entirety of the world. And while that is a great head start in those areas, I needed to refocus and delve deep into the game instead of wide. You can read all about that decision here! So v0.3 is all about systems, quality of life, and the first area: Stuffies Town.

Some things, like translation incorporation, aren't fully visible but key for a successful game!

Feedback Loop

Incorporating feedback has been a lesson in planning and pride. I needed to put aside my assumptions for the trajectory of the development process, and listen to what people were saying about the v0.2 build. I really think I captured a lot of it in v0.3. You can find the build at the following link: Barty's Adventure v0.2. If you are interested in providing feedback or reporting any bugs, feel free to join the Discord community and let me know! Any and all feedback is definitely welcome, as I need to know what's working and what needs more work. We're still early enough into development that your comments could really have an impact in what the final game looks like.

So what's new in this version of the game? Here's a full list of patch notes for those interested. Obviously spoilers throughout all of this!

  • An opening cutscene and tutorial, including a full onboarding process.
  • The ability to save progress in the game by finding Jack, an NPC located throughout the world.
  • A new loopback system with a storyline starring a new character, the Bubble Fairy.
  • New menus in Activity Book theme for the loopback process and inventory screens.
  • A reconfigured camera to make it more flexible to use in future cutscenses.
  • Arrow icons above Barty when he can interact with NPCs, doors, and shops.
  • New title menu and splash page.
  • New UI for the time and important health, rings, and bubbles.
  • Time increment reset to 1 second per frame instead of 3 seconds per frame.
  • Overhauled artwork in every room of Stuffies Town, including Princess Dolly's Castle, The Old Toys Bin, and the town itself.
  • Completely changed the layout of the Old Toys Bin to include reactionary portrait and specific NPC-assigned rooms.
  • A day/night cycle that changes the lighting depending on what time of day it is.
  • BIRDS
  • Reworked intro signage when you enter a new area.
  • Sound effects added for many of the core actions taken.

If nothing else, the feedback provided in response to v0.2 has proven that this build-schedule is a worthwhile endeavor. Getting eyes on the game early on is huge for the direction and quality of the eventual end product, and I appreciate everyone for taking the time to provide those comments.

I hope you check out this new build, and I'm excited for everyone to experience the world once again. Thanks so much for reading this and following along on this adventure.

Talk to you soon! 😄

This newsletter is an update series for the development of the game Barty's Adventure. If you are interested in continuing the conversation, please join the community Discord server: https://discord.gg/M7p2Mtgkyx. Your input in these early stages of the game are invaluable and much appreciated. Thanks!

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