RZ2 January 2022 Update
Incoming Transmission…
Welcome to the official Robozarro 2 dev blog— an inside look at the development of Robozarro 2, a PC and console game being developed in the Unity Game Engine!
Today I’d like to update you on where Robozarro 2 is at as of January 2022.
The Big Update!
Robozarro 2: Operation Atlantic is live on Steam, where it can be Wishlisted and Followed! You can check out the Steam store page by clicking on the image below!
Playable Demo!
So Robozarro 2 is on Steam— yay! But when can you play it? Soon! A playable pre-alpha demo of the game is currently undergoing approval on Steam, and will hopefully become available in a few days!
When’s The Release Date?
You may have noticed that the game currently has a release date of “When it’s done” on Steam… and that’s because I have no idea when the game will be complete. The game’s demo represents a very small portion of the game— basically the tutorial and first mission. And to be perfectly transparent, that’s all that exists right now— that’s everything! However, the good news is that because all of the game’s systems are functioning in relative harmony, most of what’s left to do is create more content for the game, and plug it into the engine. And while I wouldn’t want to make it seem like production from here on out will be a cakewalk, in my eyes the hard part (building and debugging the game’s core systems and functionality) is over.
What’s Next?
It’s been a long and grueling journey getting the game to this point. I’ve spent the past few months making the game run on the most current version of Unity, adding sound effects and music, debugging its various systems, and taking a small break from the project as well. That’s right, I forgot to mention— I took about a month or so off from development back in November, due to burnout and other factors.
All of that said, my current plan, first and foremost, is to polish the demo to perfection. This includes refactoring code, addressing bugs, adding content, tweaking gameplay systems based on player feedback, and adding various “Quality of Life” improvements as well. Once the demo is in tip-top shape both on the surface and under the hood, I’ll then continue production on the rest of the game.
The Cost Of Production
One last thing I’d like to touch on in this blog post is the the hard truth that making video games is a massive investment of time and resources… like money.
Up until this point I’ve been fortunate enough to work on Robozarro 2 (and RZ1 for that matter) full time, 40-plus hours a week. And amazingly enough, investing that time into the project has gotten the game from concept to fully-playable! However, situations change, and there’s a chance that moving forward I’ll no longer be able to work on the game full-time. That said, I’m not giving up yet! In the coming weeks I’ll be looking into different revenue sources for the game, depending on reception to the demo. If the demo is generating positive feedback or any sort of buzz, I might look into Kickstarter, Early Access, Patreon, or publishing partners as a means to continue producing the game full-time. And hey, worst case scenario, Robozarro 2 becomes a “nights and weekends” gig— something I chip away at in my spare time. Something that’s done… when it’s done.
See you soon!
As always, thank you for stopping by and checking in on the game! I’ll be sure to keep you updated on Robozarro 2’s production in the months to come.
Be on the lookout for that Steam demo (and a new gameplay trailer) in the coming days!
Transmission Complete.
