The freelance gig ended earlier than originally planned. I won't get into the details, but suffice to say, it was a super weird outcome that I didn't expect. I believe I did good work, but apparently not good enough. Instead of going back to my old job full-time, I decided to focus 100% on Faith in Despair until end of March, then create a new demo and a new trailer and see what happens.
I got a few youtubers to play the game and their feedback was invaluable. I changed the game massively, reducing the number of nodes on the map, changed balance, decks, blessings, curses. I also added new music for the shop and for the end credits. Through meeting new friends in the gamedev and audio space, I even got to record a professional opera singer for the song after you win a run. It was an experience I'll likely never forget.
In the same week as my freelance gig ended prematurely, I also had an opportunity to talk to a publisher, who was interested in working with me. In general, I was told the game lacks marketability. I tried to remedy that with the latest update, but in another universe it's probably even more like Inscryption or Buckshot Roulette. Here you just fight Death to stay alive, just like in The Seventh Seal (or you know, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey).
So, the game now has more art, more music, more sounds, tighter balance, more choices, more events, more, more, more. But when is it enough? What will actually make a difference?
I want to add at least one more deck and more music. I'll likely experiment with adding additional effects for lacrima. Maybe more blessings, curses and bosses.
At this point, I'm definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I still have half a year left, but time's running fast.
I'm wondering if all of this will have been for nothing. I can't have another project cost me several years of my life and not result in anything. Well, Faith in Despair has already given me a lot, in terms of opportunities and experiences. It did win me a ticket to Gamescom last year. I was able to show it off to around 80 people at a gamedev meetup and people enjoyed the talk. And people still speak to me about it to this day. But if it won't be a financial success, I will have to reconsider why I'm even trying.
I already know the answer to that though. Because I can't not try. It's all I've been doing for the past 25 years, ever since making maps for Half-Life. I just have to keep going. I have to keep creating.
I guess this is the usual mid-point of any project, where there's this huge uncertainty of the thing you're making. You're never quite sure until the very end. I'm sure as the release gets closer I will also get more clarity. At least I hope so.