I’ve finally taken the plunge and added a test version online. You can find it here: http://www.mrsneeze.com/witch/
Once I’d got the saved game sorted there wasn’t much more that I had to do other than upload it. Obviously it’s very rough around the edges and really there’s not much to do yet, but the longer I hold back the more difficult it is to start!
As soon as I posted it requirements came to mind, for example
- A link to the blog from the game (as at the moment that’s my only monetisation of this!)
- A way to erase the save game
- A way to force a save (it autosaves every 10 seconds or so)
- A way to export and import save games
But this is a good thing, as it provides direction.
That being said, I do need to have a serious think about making more actual gameplay rather than just nice to have UI features! Some plans for the future I have considered are:
- Experience points for player actions. This gives additional value to the choice made, so while foraging might be the best way to get general resources, it is left by the wayside in comparison if you spend time learning to be an expert herb gatherer.
- Exploration. At the moment you can always find herbs, flowers, mushrooms and pumpkins, but perhaps the game would have a better story to it if you had to spend time searching for new resources. So initially you would only be able to forage or explore, but once you have explored and found a reliable source of herbs you can gather herbs.
- More resources. For example, earth, spider silk, wood, rocks, bones.
- Familiars, demons, golems, fetches or similar. This would be an additional worker who acts in the same way as the player – they have an action and they do it repeatedly. They may well also gain experience etc. Advanced versions of the game reset would allow you to keep some of these helpers.
- Fetishes. These would be an advanced resource that is crafted from existing resources, such as a woodland fetish from wood, spider silk, herbs and flowers. These could be used for part of the reset ritual.
- Land. At the moment you can build as many buildings as you like, but thematically this would be limited by the fact you’re in the middle of a forest. Clearing out land for gardens might be a useful way to limit growth and provide a story.
Anyway. That’s all (possibly) for the future!