Week 32 Update

TL;DR too much, can't summarize. Just read the thing, it's mostly bullet points. Hell, I probably missed something.

Build & Deployment:

• Added (then removed) dependency for gdx-basis-universal to try when I read about reducing GPU memory overhead of textures. Did a little more research prior to testing, realized my requirements are well below what is needed to see a real benefit.
• Created documentation for dependencies used by Rogue Souls.
• With the addition of gamepad support, I'm looking at another pre-alpha release within the next few weeks.

Development:

• Implemented an input buffer, like the kind you find in fighting games. It's probably overkill for a single-player game but I eventually want to branch into networked multiplayer and other game modes. Also, I really wanted to work on something else after bashing my head on gamepad support for the last so-many weeks.
  • Input buffer parses 9 directions (including "neutral") and 4 basic commands (ABXY), plus 4 2-button combinations (AB, XY, AX, BY).
  • Created a rudimentary "gamepad state object" to represent input snapshot from the player on a per-frame basis. The sort of thing that could either be saved for bug reports, or passed over a network connection... I don't know yet. Not optimized. I figure if I work from a "Node" mentality, it can be used to traversals & simulations.

Design:

• Updated documentation for gamepad mapping & action commands.
• Put in some more work on Cultures, Languages, & Religions in documentation.

Influence:

• Wife and I watched Conan the Barbarian (1982). I've seen most of the sequel, Conan the Destroyer (1984) a half-dozen times or more, but not the original until now. It was lovely to see Mako as the wizard. The movie was fine. Shrug.
• We also started Chainsaw Man (2022). Holy shit this anime is nuts. No doubt a live-action movie starring a random, middle-of-the-road white guy, complete with terrible acting and bad VFX is in the works over at Netflix right now.
• We bought Across the Spiderverse (2023) and have already watched it twice~. Honestly I could watch just the first 15 minutes and be good. It brings me to tears. Almost. Every. Time.

Marketing:

• Created an account on Mastodon.Social and was greeted by the wonderful queer tech community! Really, it was overwhelming. Immediately migrated instead to Tech.LGBT. So I'm there now. Going to start winding down Dead Bird App.
• Volunteered at Pride event over the weekend, met a potential partner for running the Kickstarter campaign. November is looking the most likely, at which point I will have been developing Rogue Souls for 12 months.
• Elevator pitch:

"Rogue Souls is an open-world interstellar trading simulation game. The story features faeries, vampires, wizards, spaceships, politics, gods, religions, mega-churches, mega-corporations, and the afterlife. Thematically, it's our modern world in space: a cyberpunk dystopia. The game is about finding meaning, connection, and purpose in an uncaring universe."