Working on fishy facts on stream:

• Copied TODOs from 20260703190823 and 20260704001835
• Today, we're going to try building out a production plan for fishy facts.
• Referencing the Monterey Bay Aquarium website a lot to figure out what animals to use for each exhibit: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals-the-ocean/ecosystems

Ideas

• Potential mechanics to add:
  • Have bounds that wrap and you can connect paths through, like a torus shape
  • Light connections
  • Color mixing
  • Light mixing
  • Tile areas
  • Exact jumps

Asset List

• Campaign (34 illustrations, 153 puzzles, 48 dialogs, 8 backgrounds, 18 stamp sprites, 3 ambiance, 9 music)
  • Touchpool (4 illustrations, 21 puzzles, 6 dialogs, 1 background, 3 stamp sprites, 1 ambiance, 1 music)
    • Intro dialog
    • Stingray exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches basic mechanics.
    • Hermit Crab exhibit (1 illustration, 5 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches pinned tiles
    • Starfish exhibit (1 illustration, 5 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches colors
    • Sea Urchin exhibit (1 illustration, 5 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches pins
    • Stamp Rally stand (3 stamp sprites)
    • Crowd ambiance with kids
    • Outro dialog
  • Open Sea (6 illustrations, 24 puzzles, 8 dialogs, 1 background, 3 stamp sprites, 1 music)
    • Intro dialog
    • Tuna exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches the light emitting mechanic
    • Sardine exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches mirrors
    • Sea nettle exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches additive light mixing mechanic
    • Sunfish exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Combines all mechanics from the open sea
    • Plankton exhibit (1 illustration, 1 dialog)
    • Diatom exhibit (1 illustration, 1 dialog)
    • Stamp Rally stand (3 stamp sprites)
    • Outro dialog
  • Kelp Forest (5 illustrations, 24 puzzles, 7 dialogs, 1 background, 3 stamp sprites, 1 music)
    • Intro dialog
    • Sea Otter exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches wrapped puzzle bounds
    • Kelp Bass exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Unsure
    • Sheephead exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Unsure
    • Octopus exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Combines all mechanics from the kelp forest
    • Giant Kelp exhibit (1 illustration, 1 dialog)
    • Stamp Rally stand (3 stamp sprites)
    • Outro dialog
  • Coral Reef (5 illustrations, 24 puzzles, 7 dialogs, 1 background, 3 stamp sprites, 1 music)
    • Intro dialog
    • Cuttlefish exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches subtractive color mixing
    • Clownfish exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Unsure
    • Moray exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Unsure
    • Mantis Shrimp (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Combines all mechanics from the coral reef
    • Sea Anemone exhibit (1 illustration, 1 dialog)
    • Stamp Rally stand (3 stamp sprites)
    • Outro dialog
  • Tide Pool (5 illustrations, 24 puzzles, 7 dialogs, 1 background, 3 stamp sprites, 1 music)
    • Intro dialog
    • Abalone exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Teaches tile areas
    • Sea Lion exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Unsure
    • Porcelain Crab exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Unsure
    • Decorator Crab (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
      • Unsure
    • Black Oystercatcher exhibit (1 illustration, 1 dialog)
    • Stamp Rally stand (3 stamp sprites)
    • Outro dialog
  • Deep Sea (6 illustrations, 36 puzzles, 8 dialog, 1 background, 3 stamp sprites, 1 ambiance, 1 music)
    • Intro dialog
    • Sea Angel exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
    • Flapjack Octopus exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
    • Comb Jelly exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
    • Anglerfish exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
    • King Crab exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
    • Cat shark exhibit (1 illustration, 6 puzzles, 1 dialog)
    • Stamp Rally stand (3 stamp sprites)
    • Hushed crowd ambiance
    • Outro dialog
  • Cafe (1 dialog, 1 music)
    • Marine Biologist and Succubus share a meal together.
  • Gift Store (1 dialog, 1 music)
    • Succubus buys the stamp rally book.
  • Elevator (1 illustration, 1 stock music)
    • Picture of Marine biologist and Succubus in the elevator together with sound
  • Restroom (1 dialog, 1 background)
    • Succubus has internal monologue
  • Viewing Platform (1 illustration, 1 dialog, 1 background, 1 ambiance)
    • Marine Biologist and Succubus see something in the nearby sea.
    • Outdoor wind/sea ambiance
  • Game finish art (1 illustration, 1 dialog, 1 music)
    • Marine Biologist and Succubus at home with all the sea creature plushies.
• Common assets (36 character sprites, 7 models, 3 booklet sprites, 1 ambiance)
  • Character Art (36 character sprites)
    • For both the Marine Biologist and the Succubus...
      • Talking and not talking versions of...
        • Normal
        • Happy
        • Sad
        • Smug
        • Excited/Fascinated
        • Afraid
        • Embarrassed/Blushing
        • Panic
        • Confused/Skeptical
  • Puzzle Models (5 models)
    • Color mixing model
    • Light mixing model
    • Light emitter model
    • Portal model
    • Mirror model
  • Document layout sprites for stamp rally booklet pages (3 booklet sprites?)
  • Generic crowd ambiance
  • Aquarium layout with two floors (2 models)
• User-created puzzles (optional, 3 months)
  • Puzzle Editor
  • Puzzle Browser
    • Integration with Steam Workshop
    • Integration with exodrifter Workshop??? because fuck being dependent on Steam
• Procedurally generated puzzles (optional, 3 month)
  • Daily puzzle
    • Puzzle Browser
  • Random puzzle
• Expansion (optional, 1 yr)
  • Mechanic and degen android girl fix the aquarium exhibits after hours. "I can fix her"/"Who is fixing who"
  • Add Zachtronic mechanics to all existing puzzles
  • Add new puzzles, maybe? to represent repair of android girl
  • Scored on space, cycles, cost

Total: 34 illustrations, 153 puzzles, 48 dialogs, 8 backgrounds, 18 stamp sprites, 4 ambiance, 9 music, 36 character sprites, 7 models, 3 booklet sprites

Notes:

• Need to ask artist cost and how long each item would take to make so I can make production schedule
• Big risk is I haven't created the puzzles yet, so I'm not totally sure if these will be the final exhibits. I might need more, or I might need less.
  • Might be able to mitigate this risk significantly if, for each area, I make the puzzles first, then hand the area off to the artists to make assets for.
• I probably need a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to record ambiance.
  • This can happen at the end of the project.
• Music is also a big risk, because maybe we need to change the writing.
  • This can also happen at the end of the project.
• Post-release:
  • User created puzzles
  • Procedurally generated puzzles
  • DLC expansion

Potential Marketing events

• Small Local
  • MADE First Fridays (Once a month)
  • Digital Creator Yap Night (Every other Tuesday)
  • BAD Collective Showcase (Occassionally?)
• Conventions
  • GDC (Spring, 2027-03-01 to 05)
  • Midwest Gaming Classic (Spring, 2027-04-23 to 25)
  • PAX East (Spring, 2027-04-22 to 25)
  • Capital Creative Showcase (Spring, was in May this year)
  • GodotCon (Summer, in July this year)
  • OpenSauce (Summer, in July this year)
  • MAGWest (Fall, in August this year)
  • 2DCon (Fall, in August this year)
  • The MIX (Fall, in September this year)
    • Costs $600, doubtful if it's worth it for me
  • PAX West (Fall, in September this year, always on labor day weekend -- Sept 7th -- according to chat)
  • VKet Market (Every winter and summer, in July this year. Could talk to @Dbqt about this) https://vket.com/en
• Storefront Events
  • Steam NextFest (Twice a year, can only be done once)
  • Summer Game Fest (Summer)
    • SEA Game Showcase
    • Day of the Devs
• Press
  • Thinky Games
• Publisher
  • Wholesome Direct
    • I thought there was a way to just submit to their showcase, but I don't presently see any information about that.
  • Ysbryd
    • However, I don't think they would be interested in this game.
• Funds
  • Indie Fund
  • Outersloth

TODO

• Vertical Slice:
  • Nice looking title screen
  • Transition between all scenes
  • Add cursor representing pivot
  • Popup to confirm exiting game
  • Popup to skip dialog during VN
  • Show icons on leaks
  • Show animation when exhibit unlocks
  • Puzzle completion sound
• Music:
  • Title screen
  • VN
  • Touch Pool
  • Tidal Pool
  • Open Sea
  • Kelp Forest
  • Coral Reef
• Touch Pool Exhibits:
  • Model for the touch pool space
• Visual Novel:
  • Background
  • Succubus drawing
  • Marine Biologist drawing
  • Fade out other character during internal monologues
• Map Select
  • Blockout of aquarium map
  • Clicking on different sections of the map zooms in so you can select an exhibit.
  • Lock certain sections of the aquarium off based on progression
• Level Select:
  • Refactor exhibit to have animal information as an item.
  • Refactor map to open level select when clicking on dialog items.
• Collectibles
  • Each exhibit has a stamp that you can receive when the sum of all solutions scores under a certain amount.
  • Remember stamp state of each exhibit
  • Button to open/close stamp passport
• Level
  • Simplify the "extra" puzzle to have less elements. Playtesters were trying to make all lines colored and were trying to use the border as part of the solution
  • Keep paths colored when form is in hand, maybe?
  • Move pivot when switching forms to avoid rotating around empty space, maybe?
  • Click and drag to select multiple
  • Render solution rect over puzzle instead of under
  • Show different text for locked dialog in level select
  • Make first stub level more complicated
  • Make sea urchin level require hermit crab exhibit completion because it also introduces pieces that cannot move
• Editor
  • More efficient import/export string for puzzles (maybe base64 encoding?)
  • Change control icons based on mode state
  • Return to selection mode when menu is opened
  • Change the 3D cursor appearance when placement is invalid
  • Fix 3D cursor transparency overdraw
  • Implement HFlip and VFlip for Shape mode
  • Implement HFlip and VFlip for Tile mode
  • Draw shapes we are not currently editing in a different way in shape mode
  • Draw shapes we are not currently editing in a different way in tile mode
  • Add a way to regroup tiles into a new shape
  • Add preview for path that is about to be placed
  • Restrict path placement to valid locations
  • Automatically determine smallest solution
  • Automatically determine largest solution