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🌈 $5 Tier: [Arch Toasty][Benedikt][David Martínez Martí]
Disclaimer: I work full time in the industry, and have bills to pay. Im the only person working on this project. I can only work on this as a passion project in my spare time. The first episode is in great shape (as many of you know from playtesting), but Im struggling to find time to finish polishing it. I appreciate you being kind, patient, and excellent to each other. Hey folks, Ive had to pause things for a number of months. I have not had time to finish polishing the first episode. As noted in my last update things are in a good place. However, Im strapped for time. I took a job as a senior technical artist working in Unreal for an international company! That being said, I have a good feel for what Im doing now (at work), and I have started working on the final episode in my free time. Which feels great! I will be doing in person playtesting next month at IDGA (indie game developer meetup) in Ann Arbor. If anyone local wants to come out and give it a try then you are more than welcome to join! For now Im just polishing whats already there. Im doing a lot of little things like:
Hey there. I know some of you have been wanting an update of where things are currently at for some time now, and I feel like Im in a good place to provide that. For starters, Im alive, and so is the project.
In my personal life (as noted in my last update) things were not going well. Sometimes despite your best efforts things happen to the people you love, and things are just outside of your control. You simply cant save people who desperately dont want to be saved. No matter how much you care about certain people in your life, no matter how much you love them, they are going to make their own decisions, and sometimes those decisions are self-destructive (addiction is a terrible disease).
The resulting depression from the situation I was in could only be described as a gray nightmare that I couldn't wake up from, and it basically sucked all joy from the things I loved. My creative spark was basically snuffed out. There were many occasions over the last 9 months where Id look at my development server (which died during the move) containing all my Ira files, and I just couldn't find the motivation to repair it. It just felt like too big of a mountain to climb.
All I can say is that losing people you love takes an emotional toll that I would never wish on anyone. Life is profoundly resilient, and yet fragile. I've only had enough emotional bandwidth to work my client contracts, pay my bills, and in general, survive. Sometimes surviving is the best we can do, and surviving is what Ive been doing. However, I think its time for more than just surviving now.
Ive made substantial progress. I cant stress enough self care, working out, socializing, therapy, and taking the time to heal (Ill be doing this for awhile), and in my case (which I can only speak to) taking psilocybin. So, It's been a slow and steady climb out of that pit of gray despair. There was a turning point a few months back where half the time I was feeling alright. Then it was more like 75% of the time. I still have rough days, but they are manageable. I rarely break down sobbing on my desk anymore! Yup, I've cried more in the last year than I have in my whole life combined! Crying is cool folks! Anyway, I'm able to sketch and draw again. My creative desires have been resurfacing, and I feel more and more whole everyday.
The other day I sat down with my broken Ira server, repaired it, and enjoyed the process. I hooked back up all my Ira development systems, and opened the project back up for the first time, in a long time. The project brings back a lot bittersweet memories from what my life used to be. Watching the golden sunrise wash over the town of Pilgrimage felt good. Running the characters around, looking back at scenes, and watching the characters have conversations about the world they live in reminded me of why I started this project to begin with. I could feel that creative itch once again. I could feel the inspiration that used to drive me forward! Right now, Im getting reacquainted with where I left off. Im not putting timelines on anything at this point. Im just going to feel it out, and take things as they come. Its the best I can do, but I'm still here, and I still plan on finishing what I started.
Thank you all for the support and understanding
I need to pick up the broken pieces of my life, start putting the pieces back together in order to create something new. In the last year, Ive lost more people that I love, than what should be statistically possible. Ive tried to make the best of things, Ive tried to be understanding, I logically understand the impermanence of life / relationships, but there comes a point that attitude can only get you so far. Im not only emotionally spent, but Im 6 figures in emotional debt. This is the single most painful point in my life to date. Im leaving my apartment in Chicago (my home for the last 5 years) and Im moving to the backwoods of Michigan to create a space so I can recover.
I will be taking my studio with me though, and rebuilding it where I set up shop. The irony of all of this is that Im going back to where everything starts in Ira. The town of Pilgrimage is based off of Shelby Michigan; where my grandparents lived their entire lives. So in a strange way, maybe this is the best place to finish things over the winter.
I wish I had better news. Im going to make it, but this is where Im at right now. For a moment I considered not sharing this but, it's ok to struggle, it's ok to let people know, its ok to ask for help, and it's ok to give yourself space to heal.
If you're reading this then I'd ask that you take a moment to look to the people you care about, and simply let them know what they mean to you. Nothing lasts forever folks.
Until next time,
Zachary
Hey folks! As promised it's been 3 months and play testing begins at the end of the week! This play test will feature the first 1/3rd of the game. All the meat and potatoes have been incorporated, but minor details still need some finesse. Things like pacing, environmental sounds, and animations for certain environmental interactions have either been created, or on the to do list, but still need to be implemented appropriately (in some areas). Touching up cutscenes will need to happen as well. That being said, the game is there and its doing what it's supposed to! For the moment I will be collecting play data and responding accordingly to that feedback. After I get through this phase I will open things up to backers / followers on Steam who are interested; specifically using Steam keys for testing purposes. If playtesting is something you'd be interested in doing then drop me a line at info@iragame.com. Please keep in mind that I will need some things from you. You need a windows based computer, sign an NDA agreement, have a webcam, provide feedback, and must be willing to record your face + play session. I will include a how to doc with links for easy setup! If you have any questions feel free to drop them below. Until next time folks! - Zach
Hey Folks, Its time for another update. So whats been going on the last few months?
Well, things have been busy. Ive been working like crazy (what's new right?), but it's a good kind of crazy. Just working hard to make sure everything is in order. Which makes big updates a bit of a challenge. For those of you who want more frequent updates / and interactions with me and Ira in general please feel free to follow @IraGame on Twitter. I will also be putting a discord together in the near future. So stay tuned for that. If you have any social media requests feel free to let me know in the comment section below, and I will do my best to accommodate your preferred platforms.
In other news the MegaGrant has made a huge difference in Iras overall level of quality, and in general the richness of the experience. Its incredible having the proper resources to define environments now. They feel so much better than they did before. Ive been updating all the core game play systems to be release ready. They are not quite there yet, but Im getting close. Id say they are around 80% complete! There is a lot of detail work that goes into that last 20% to make everything feels just right.
Storytelling and game play are other big areas of progress. Currently Im working on finding the right balance between various storytelling elements, and mechanics. Its rewarding, but also a challenging endeavor that Im continuing to finesse.
Lastly I have some new teasers planned which will be part of the main trailer for Ira! We have not had a real trailer as of yet so it's something that is really exciting to start putting together.
That's it for now but I look forward to sharing more with your folks soon, and don't forget to join us on Twitter!
[previewyoutube=hz2CeF2V7CA;full][/previewyoutube]
Its about time we started sharing some of our backer based characters! Its been a really fun and challenging experience writing different people into the story of Ira while staying as true to the Kickstarter as possible. Some of you sent us some detailed descriptions of your life and we found them to be inspiring in or work. Ira's story and characters are literally defined by the people who helped make it a reality. We might be the first Kickstarter to do such a thing in such an in depth way! So thank you all.
Anyway, without further ado we want to introduce you to Johannes West. One of the original scientists, idealists, and founders of the Azimuth trading company. Before his mysterious disappearance he was working on a classified project named, The Black Iris. What happened to Johannes, and where did he go? Well, youll have to play to find out.
Some of the characters have minor changes to fit the story or aesthetic of the game. That being said your likeness are definitely there, but stylized in the Ira universe as expected. In this case Johannes will have round glasses, and a slightly different position in the Ira-verse.
So how did we do this? Well, we used a machine learning algorithm that extracts peoples faces from photos and generates a 3D mesh thats then used to model the rest of your head. Its wild. What this means is that the underlying structure of every character is using your actual face...Kind of cool right?
Alright, that's it for this update! We are trucking along doing our best to get things wrapped up, and we look forward to sharing more of the game really soon.
Until next time folks!
Here are some updated scenes.
We cant believe Its 2019 and at this point our project launched on Kickstarter about 3 years ago. That time frame doesn't even include our initial Kickstarter. Its more like 4 years all together (for us). At this point we are way over on time, but, you already know that. Regardless of that fact everyone has been really supportive and understanding. Seriously, not a single bad thing has been sent our way. We know we've been fortunate in regards to that. Where are the torches and pitchforks? Anyway, labors of love can take a lot of time and energy to bring into existence, and we appreciate your continued support and understanding.
In full candor we had taken a mental health break around the holidays. Between all the bug issues at the end of last year and burning the candle at both ends our little team was wearing out. We needed a little down time and now that we've had it we are feeling good, and excited to get back to Ira. We dont have an exact release date but we are doing our best to get things wrapped up in a timely manner. When everything is working and feeling right we will lay down an official release timeline.
With all that being said we are looking forward to a strong finish this year, and more frequent updates every month! We can't wait to share the adventure with you.
Until next time folks!
Hey folks, Its been a minute since our last update, and its time to share some of things weve been working on. Before we get into that Id like to apologize for the extended silence, and fill you in on whats been going on. I had someone who was very close to me pass away recently, and I left the good old state of Illinois to spend time with them, and take care of things before and after their passing. This person was my grandfather, and he lived to the ripe old age of 93. Hes actually the inspiration for Iras family, and some of the locations in game (the Homestead, Pilgrimage). So, In honor of him we are making Iras family's last name Morningstar after his. It seems only too fitting. All that being said Im back at it, and our team appreciates everyone sticking with us. So, without further ado we have some wonderful things to share.
Hello from 2018!
Where have we been? Well, weve been holding off on any major updates until we get our marketing campaign completed.
Basically we are going to overhaul our web page, social media accounts, cut a full trailer (general things of that nature). Its going to be the biggest single update that Ira has ever had! It just takes a lot of hard work, and finesse to get everything where it needs to be. So, once our updated setup is in place It wont be too long until you can actually sit down, and play Act 1!
Anyway, that's all for now! Well leave you with a sneak peak of the Intele Co public works building.
Hello from 2018!
Where have we been? Well, weve been holding off on any major updates until we get our marketing campaign completed.
Basically we are going to overhaul our web page, social media accounts, cut a full trailer (general things of that nature). Its going to be the biggest single update that Ira has ever had! It just takes a lot of hard work, and finesse to get everything where it needs to be. So, once our updated setup is in place It wont be too long until you can actually sit down, and play Act 1!
Anyway, that's all for now! Well leave you with a sneak peak of the Intele Co public works building.
Picture links to teaser
Its been awhile, and its time for an update!
Let's talk about mechanics! So, one gameplay mechanic thats been in the works for awhile now is our interaction system. Originally Ira started out as a point and click adventure game. The player would have to click in-order to get from point A to point B, and to interact with objects, and as much as we love point and click adventure games we knew Ira needed something that better fit our end goal. Ira isn't about getting from point A to point B, its about the journey, and the connection the players has to both the character, and the world. It was imperative that we create a system that pushes that connection as far as possible
One of the goals for the interaction system is to create a personal experience through the characters. By shifting the focus of interaction from soly the player's speech choices into characters actions/abilities/tools, people can directly connect, and influence their experience within the world. That being said, the characters have natural limitations so you can't break the story.
Heres how it works. During gameplay you can select the character, and time slows down. Then a ring of icons appear around the character; each one relating to an action or skill you can toggle on or off. Different characters have different skills/abilities/tools, and thus interact with the world on their own terms but controlled by you!
Each character has their own way of speaking/expressing themselves. Now they have skills/abilities/tools to go with it. After a few months of quietly working we finally have the new system in order. Just to be clear this does not replace our dialogue system. The updated interaction system complements it, and lends to a more engaging journey. Check out the mechanics teaser for James.
- The Ira team
Picture links to teaser
Its been awhile, and its time for an update!
Let's talk about mechanics! So, one gameplay mechanic thats been in the works for awhile now is our interaction system. Originally Ira started out as a point and click adventure game. The player would have to click in-order to get from point A to point B, and to interact with objects, and as much as we love point and click adventure games we knew Ira needed something that better fit our end goal. Ira isn't about getting from point A to point B, its about the journey, and the connection the players has to both the character, and the world. It was imperative that we create a system that pushes that connection as far as possible
One of the goals for the interaction system is to create a personal experience through the characters. By shifting the focus of interaction from soly the player's speech choices into characters actions/abilities/tools, people can directly connect, and influence their experience within the world. That being said, the characters have natural limitations so you can't break the story.
Heres how it works. During gameplay you can select the character, and time slows down. Then a ring of icons appear around the character; each one relating to an action or skill you can toggle on or off. Different characters have different skills/abilities/tools, and thus interact with the world on their own terms but controlled by you!
Each character has their own way of speaking/expressing themselves. Now they have skills/abilities/tools to go with it. After a few months of quietly working we finally have the new system in order. Just to be clear this does not replace our dialogue system. The updated interaction system complements it, and lends to a more engaging journey. Check out the mechanics teaser for James.
- The Ira team
Just a quick update. We are alive! Our next update is coming very soon and it includes our all new mechanics / interaction system!
Just a quick update. We are alive! Our next update is coming very soon and it includes our all new mechanics / interaction system!
Has it been a year? Sometimes it feels like longer, others it feels like only yesterday. Looking back its easy to forget how far weve come, remembering where we were at this time in 2016. It was just a little over a year ago that we were celebrating the success of our Kickstarter, but also that reality was beginning to set in as we were preparing to dive into the long and (at times) arduous process of full time development. Its been a heck of a year with many winding paths and obstacles to overcome, but were still here and were better for it. Weve switched game engines, weve redeveloped nearly every aspect of the project from visuals to story to gameplay to sound, and weve grown every step of the way. With every struggle Ira is that much closer to becoming the game that we know it can be. Were still on that path and great things are still in the making. We want to thank all of you who were there with us a year ago, and those who are still with us today, following along and staying in touch. Its that support that brought us here and keeps us going. Thank you all for your enduring patience, and know that Ira will be here in 2017. And with that, what better time to release our first teaser? Ladies and gentleman, your latest glimpse into to world of Ira. https://youtu.be/Xh5pZk9iDEM Thank you all for taking this ride with us. -The Ira team
So, what have we been doing lately?
Well, a little bit of everything. Updating 3D models, levels, sounds, character interactions, game play systems, profiling for different consoles, and story elements. Basically we are cleaning house on some old components that don't reflect the current vision of Ira anymore, and things are looking really good.
You guys remember this Image? This is the living room from the original Ira. Looks like its from an early production demo doesn't it?
Now heres what that room looks like in its current state. The differences is night and day. One of our goals for Ira is to create a world that people can really get lost in, and I think we are finally at that point.
All that aside we are pushing forward, and looking to the new year when we can release Act 1!
For those of you celebrating, have a great holiday!
See you in 2017
- The Ira team
Hello all, Its been a very exciting few weeks for us and we have a we have a lot of cool news. First up, you may have heard that we attended Steam Dev Days, and we have to say, the whole trip was an amazing experience for us. We were in Seattle for about a week, and we met with so many amazing individuals and teams there. Being able to spend time with others in the industry was a refreshing boost that we needed desperately. Were not alone! The conference was a great opportunity to learn from the successes and failures of other developers, and there was a ton of great information about the current state and direction of the industry. While not entirely relevant to Ira at the moment, virtual reality was a huge focus of the conference, and we have to say, were impressed. Its such an amazingly immersive experience and there is so much potential for interesting and meaningful experiences, were totally sold on the platform and we have some solid ideas about our next direction after Ira. Thanks to the fine folks at Valve we now have developer kits for the HTC Vive so we are ready to roll! Fear not though, Ira is the priority so well do our best not to get lost in the world of virtual reality. ;) Our only complaint about the trip? No Gaben to be seen Was he busy at work on HL3? Polishing his knife collection? Stuck in a virtual world?... We may never know. Steam Dev Days was great, and after returning home we barely had time to unpack our bags before the next big development came in. Apparently some guy on Youtube named Markiplier decided to showcase our old demo for a lets play Yup, the Markiplier played our game, and after few days the video is nearing the 1 million view mark. Yes, the demo is old and outdated, and we have no idea why this happened now, but its given us more of a spotlight than weve ever had, so a HUGE shoutout to Markiplier for the excellent playthrough. With Steam Dev Days under our belts and Markipliers video play through giving us a huge boost in traffic, we have a new found energy burning in us, and the development train pushes on full steam ahead. We recently got Ira up and running on the Xbox One compiling, which is an exciting new development, and we should have new content to show you all very soon! Until next time, Nick and the Ira team
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