It’s done. The game I started for a jam in July 2023 is now done at the end of August 2024. It should not have taken this long, but I’m lazy sometimes.

I’ve always wanted to make a game. I still don’t feel like a game developer. I love doing this. I love the problem solving, the challenges, the triumphs. It’s all worth it.

This is a small game, and one with some issues, and one that someone smarter than me could do a lot better. But I made this one, and it works, and I like it.

But why this one?

It was unique. I think it’s impostor syndrome. I’ve started work on plenty of platformers and top-down action games, but those seem like they’re a dime a dozen, and it’s really easy to see so many well polished games in those styles and think you’ll never have what it takes to make this or that.

So I chose what was my most unique concept and completed it. It helped that it was also my most competent start.

This one is for the 90s kids.

I’m a big Digimon fan in that I like the weird mechanics that its earliest iterations used. The original version of Digimon was a companion to the Tamagotchi and the first Digimon video game was a 3D Tamagotchi experience on PlayStation. I loved it, even if I was never very good at it.

I also owned a few Tamagotchis as a kid growing up in the 90s. I still remember having to pick up their poop and playing with them for a little while, only for me to return home a day later after school to find them dead. It was unfair, but the challenge made it worthwhile sometimes.

A delayed lesson.

I’m a writer. One of my favorite authors also publishes writing advice. One of his biggest tips I’ve taken to heart is “Finish your shit.” It’s simple enough advice to dismiss, but once you’ve actually experienced it, it clicks. A weight lifts off your shoulders and you feel like you can do more things.

And that’s, ultimately, what this was about. I want to do more. But I knew Sam was sitting there, so close to finished, and yet I was neglecting him. I have finished a good handful of novels over time and I’ve learned through those experiences when to let go of a project. Sam was not one to let go. And it was getting less and less relevant as we get further from the pandemic.

Is this what it’s like to be a parent?

Just kidding. I know parents and this is an insulting idea.

But this is just what it’s like to be a creative. I’ve dabbled in so many things that it only made sense to start working on making games. And with all the things I’ve made, I’ve always hated letting them go and saying they’re done. There’s a tension in the shoulder blades that releases, and you would think that’s relieving, but it actually makes you more aware that it’s no longer there.

Letting go just means that I have space for new tension to fill the void, and new projects to explore.

If you’ve stuck around, here’s some tips for the game

Experiment a little at first. Most stats are always ticking down unless they’re being worked on. Keep an eye on the icons at the top. It’s probably counterintuitive, but the Sleep icon (the big Z) indicates energy. If it ticks down, Sam can pass out.

To get a bit deeper:

Consuming anything will increase fullness. However, if it’s not a cooked meal and Sam is full, it will negatively affect his health due to overeating.

Being stinky or around stinky things or drunk will make Sam’s health dip faster.

Water always improves health, and quickly.

Some stats are banked until after Sam sleeps in his bed (if he passes out, he loses these banked stats). This is especially true for exercise and beer.

Some stats are pretty straightforward while some are a little more nuanced. Watching TV and playing games always improves happiness (while affecting motivation) while reading will sometimes give a double boost to happiness while Sam is sad or make him sadder.

If you want to access the debug panel, either beat the game and restart from the in-game menu or press the right button three times.