Hey there,

While creating Disconnected episode 2, as an indie developer, I have to wear a lot of 'Developer Hats'. For anyone not knowing what that is, let's just say that every hat is a role I had to play, because I did most of the things alone. So let's start with the thing I'm actually in games about:

Game Programming Hat:

So, I had to tackle a lot of issues going into the game. I knew how to create a first person controller. I did it the first day. I had a flashlight, but I had to create a script for on/off. I had a flare gun, but I had to create a script for ammo and shooting, and so on, so on. I could talk about things I used and tweaked to make them work. But let's talk about the ones I did 'myself'. It's in quotes because come on, the tutorials taught us. I would not be here if it weren't for Brackeys showing how to shoot with raycasts. I created the shoot script from there. Then I created a script to pickup things, this was easy, just shoot a raycast, outline the selected object based on tag and if you press enter destroy it and add it to the inventory. To conclude about the programming, because believe me I could talk for hours based on the crunch that I did, I had to create AIScript for a bear, target script for enemies, tweak boat and car scripts and a loooooot of other stuff. Let's go to another hat.

Game Designer Hat:

Inspired by Firewatch and the Longdark, the game wasn't supposed to have shooting, cars, boats etc. But I wanted the player to feel a whole experience of a man getting away. If you have read 'The Art Of Game Design (A book of lenses)' -great book btw-, it talks about interest curves. These essentially show that you start dynamically a game/play/whatever and then you give the player some time to relax. Then again and again, until the climax where you are at the peak of the fun. I wasn't able to do exactly that in my game, but I start with a bear chase, then let the player relax by walking and talking, taking a boat and then boom boom shooting, and then relaxing and leaving, ending on a high note for the next episode. In 11 days I knew what I could cover and I accomplished all I could. The only thing I would do more is test it with more people. Next hat pleaaaase.

Writer Hat:

While finishing the last episode I knew that I wanted this to start inside the cave. I was like, "I have to use Sebastian Lague's Cave Generator" and I did. Worked like a charm and fit the narrative. I won't spoil the first episode, but at this one you talk with a guy that eventually will hunt you down. There's not much to say from the writer's point. I wrote the script for all the episodes (just finished the third's) gave it to two very good voice actors and they did their work perfectly. Glad to write for them. Let's get to the hat I got the more help.

Sound Designer Hat:

Most SFX where either from the free assets or on freesound. However the music was all by Iestyn Haberfield. He is credited in the game and you can find him easily. The guy wrote some exceptional music for the game and I suggest that you just listen the whole song at the menu. Just wow. We had a great collaboration and I would love it if he wanted to help me with the third episode. We'll see. Anyway, I tried to have the sounds enhance the immersion of the player as much as possible and at some point I think they did. You tell me! Neeeext!

3d/2d Artist Hat: 

Look I don't really like creating that stuff. They were all asset store except for the bear which was from sketchfab (https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/bearmotions-12890cbf869746a9bb41f76979cd9c9f). I tried to create a terrain, a sea and a lot of other stuff. I just hope that someday I'll find someone who wants to do all that stuff and I can only code. However, I think I did a good job connecting all the stuff together, the sky, the trees, the snowy terrain, the boat, the car, even the lowpoly enemies, the piers and the guns. I hope they weren't too gamey. Did my best.

There are a few more hats I wore but it's been a big devlog as it is. I didn't cover a lot of the things I wanted in the programming hat but it's ok. If someone wants to chat or ask how I did something you are more than welcome. Hope you liked the devlog. Hit me up if you have a suggestion for the game or if you liked it or whatever. (Discord: geqwe#1062)

Yours,

Giorgos