Hi everyone !

For my first game jam, my goal was to make a point and click, like the ones I played when I was younger (Broken Sword, Monkey Island ... yes I'm old). I don't have a name right now, but the main character will be Inspector Waffles.

I'm already working on an other game (check my Twitter if you are interested), so Inspector Waffles is a side-project. My goal is not to finish it in 2 weeks, but at least to make 2 or 3 scenes. I like the idea of the 2 weeks duration to make something working at the end of it.

I'm also using new softwares I got from the Humble Bundle (Hexels, SpriteIlluminator). I'm very satisfied of both of them at the moment !

Game story

Inspector Waffles is an old school inspector, spending his spare time in bars. One night, a very rich cat is finding dead outside his house. Inspector Waffles is called to find if he kills himself or if he was murdered.

First day devlog :

Dialogs and riddles (90%)

I wrote a couple of scenes, probably 20minutes of gameplay. The hardest part was setting up the puzzles, not too easy, not too hard. I'll probably change some sentences during the jam, but it's almost done.

Drawing characters (50%)

I am not a pixel artist, so I'm quite satisfy with the result. I've planned to do 2 other characters, but I won't have the time to make crazy animations I guess.

First scene (10%)

The body was found in front of a big house. I did a background, but I'm not satisfy with it at the moment, I'll probably change a couple of stuffs (too narrow in my opinion).

Programming (0%)

Nothing at the moment. I'll start today or tomorrow.

Next steps :

I'ld like to do some talks between characters first, and then finish the first scene : it's going to be a "cinematic" scene, where there is almost nothing to do, any aspect of the point & click game mechanics.

Don't hesitate to give me feedbacks, it would be greatly appreciated :)

Hi everyone !

Yesterday, I said I won't have time to make animations. Well, I've changed my mind :)

2nd day devlog :

First scene (50%)

Drawing is almost done, I just need to do a couple of animations (shining stars and blinking lights for example), for me it's a little bit too static.

I added character animations, I used Spriter to do that, and the result is pretty good ! This software looks promising. You can also see the first dialogs between Waffles and Patches.

Next, I will add the interaction between scene and mouse clicks.

Programming (2%)

I made a little dialog system between 2 protagonists, launching animations and showing conversations.

Softwares

I forgot to tell you that I will do my game on Unity. This game engine is the only thing that is not new for me. I'm also using Spriter, Hexels, SpriteIlluminator and before starting the game jam, I had no idea how to use it. Not to mention that I've never done a Point&Click before ;)

Next steps :

Tomorrow, I will add interaction between the mouse pointer and scene objects. If I have time, I'll make the inventory (I already left empty space behind the scene).

Don't hesitate to give me feedbacks, it would be greatly appreciated :)

Hi everyone !

Today I didn't do all I wanted to do because I released a new version of my main project (if you are interested, check my Twitter account). I did only 2 things on Inspector Waffles, but there are 2 important aspects of the game : interactions between the inventory and the scene, and multiple dialogs.

4th day devlog :

Interaction between the Inventory items and the scene (80%)

You can select item from your inventory and try to interact it with the scene. Item is not highlighted when you select it, also when Waffles is talking.

I didn't test the "combine" action between 2 items because ... I didn't draw an other item :) But it should work !

Multiple dialogs (100%)

When you click a 2nd time on the corpse, new dialogs appear. I had to make a dialog system : according to what you already said and what you have in your inventory, dialogs change.

Next steps :

Tomorrow, new scene ! It will be a 100% pixel drawing day. I will probably draw new items too, and testing the "combine" action.

Thank you a lot for your feedbacks and your kind words :)

Hi everyone !

Today I saw Rogue One and it was awesome ! And I did some game dev too.

5th day devlog :

New scene : the bedroom ! (100% for the subsmission)

This is the bedroom inside the house you have already seen. I wanted to add more details, but I won't have time to finish the game if I am polishing too much, so he will stay like this, I think.

This is also how it looks like into Unity, if you are interested about how some aspects of how the game work, let me know !

Decor updates and new selection (100%)

Now, some elements from the scene can move, appear or disappear : they are seperated from the background and can be updated according to what you do with Waffles. See the exemple with the painting of Meowgritte (I hope you like the pun, because I will add more :) ).

It's not obvious to see where are the moving objects and the static ones, and I am quite happy about this !

Also, the windows are really weird on the GIF and their pixels change (it's only in the GIF).

Next steps :

Tomorrow, I'll add the mechanic to go from one scene to an other, and I think it's going to take some time. Probably doing some pixel art too, if I can.

Thank you a lot for your feedbacks and your kind words :)

Hi everyone !

Today, I did a new scene and Waffles can move from one scene to another.

6th day devlog

New scene : the Hall

The hall is the first room you meet when you come inside the house. Not a lot of things to show, only 3 doors which lead to other rooms.

Changing scenes

Waffles can go from one scene to an other, without losing his items. I've added a new cursor (with a door), which let you leave your current scene.

Changing scenes with Unity was not so easy (I met a couple of problems I didn't expect), but it's done !

Next steps :

New scenes, new decors and new items ! I have to do a lot of that before starting the interrogating part !

Don't hesitate to give me feedbacks, it would be greatly appreciated :)

Hi everyone !

7th day devlog

Nothing to show you from yesterday, I'm sorry. I did a couple of new items and decors, but I'm not going to show you all of the items you need to have to finish the game :)

I've also added a saving state from one scene to another : if you moved the painting, for exemple, and you come back into the same room later, the painting will be at the same state you left it. That's a huge progress for the game.

Next steps

I have one week to finish, and I need to do at least 3 scenes, maybe 4. I would like to start the game with a cinematic, no idea if I will have time to do it. And I still need to start the "interrogate" part. It's going to be fine :) Today, I will draw a new scene again and start to test the game, solving my own puzzles (I think I can solve them ;) ).

Don't hesitate to give me feedbacks, it would be greatly appreciated :)

Hi everyone !

Like yesterday, I'm not going to show you what I did to avoid spoilers and let you discover the game when I will submit it :)

8th day devlog

Today, I've added a couple of items, one door you have to unlock, and a new scene : the library !

This scene art is almost done for the deadline, I only need to do the code behind it : but right now, it's too late, I'm going to sleep :)

Next steps :

I need to do 2 more scenes to complete the house : tomorrow, again, it will be a pixel art day !

Don't hesitate to give me feedbacks, it would be greatly appreciated :)

Hi everyone !

Yesterday I tested the puzzles from all the scenes I have already done. And it works ! I have nothing to show unfortunately.

9th day devlog

Scenes

Outside/Library/Hall and Bedroom are done at 90%. I just need to have some details on other decors, it will add depth to the story.

Combining

You can combine your inventory items with doors, objects,people : changes are visible on the scene. Most of the point&click aspect are done ! That's a real relief. I'll probably have time to start the interogate part.

Next steps

I need 2 more scenes for the story, 1 for the interrogate part. My goal is to finish the story before Thursday, and try to do the interogate part before the submit.

See you tomorrow !

Hi everyone !

Almost all the game is done without the interrogate part. I have 3 days to do it, it's going to be really challenging :)

10th day devlog

Scenes

2nd floor is done. I have a little room to do on the first floor, and it will be all done ! I just need to make an other scene for the interrogate part, if I have enough time.

Start screen

I've done a little start screen, I tried to not spend a lot of time on it (1 hour). I'm working 4 hours/day for this gamejam, and now time is running out :)

Next steps :

Tomorrow, I plan to finish the game without the interrogate part. I will do a "small" release : if I don't have to time to finish all I wanted to do, I will share, at least, a playable game with a full story :)

See you tomorrow !

Hi everyone !

We are almost at the end of the jam, and well, today I didn't finish what I wanted to do and I want to sleep :D. Tomorrow is going to be a long day !

11th day devlog

Last room !

The bathroom is done ! It's not significant for the game because you can access to it at the beginning of the game, so I'm sharing it with you :) Also, it's very simple because, well, I still have no time for polishing !

New decors and items

I add a lot of new interaction with the other scenes : most of them to start a story and understands the world, Fluffy history and hobbies, working relationship between Waffles and Patches and so on.

Next steps

The game is done at 95%, but I've to test the full game from start to the end of game. Pixel drawing is probably over for the gamejam. I guess I won't have time for interrogating the witness : it depends of how many bugs I found tomorrow :)

Thanks again for your feedbacks, and good luck to finish your games if you are part of the jam !

Hi everyone !

Very short devlog for today. I spent my time testing the game and trying to crash it.

12th day devlog

Puzzles are done. Almost all tests are done. I need to test again a couple of things, but everything works quite well ! :)

Next steps

I just need to do a short end for the game, just before the witness interogate scene. As I expected,unfortunately, there won't be any witness to discuss with : it would be crazy to start the interrogate part now and try to finish it in one day. Too much UI, pixel art and coding to do. Maybe later, if people like the game !

I will also add the talk action, but it will be accessible only for one character : Patches (the other cop).

See you tomorrow for a final devlog post !

Good news everyone :

Game was submitted ! Check here if you want to play. At the moment, there is only a windows version. I'll probably add a Mac version as soon as possible, I don't have a Mac so I didn't test if everything is alright.

A little summary about this experience : it was two crazy weeks. I worked 4 hours each day on it, but I was thinking about Inspector Waffles all of the time. I really wanted to do a classic point&click game, and a great little game, and I think I'm quite close of what I wanted to do at first.

The story was written in one hour, and I have no idea, after the witness part of Fluffy dead, what the next chapters should be about. If people really like it, I will continue this adventure. Most of the point&click aspect are done, I need to write the story and draw A LOT. And add animations, to make a game more beautiful.

If you want to see more of Inspector Waffles, help me to make it happens :)

Thanks everyone for your feedbacks during these 2 weeks ! If you are interested by Inspector Waffles future, check My twitter account !

See you next time !