Periodic Devlog #1

Status Update

Gearplexed full version is very close to finished. All 72 levels have been through at least three design iterations. I’m currently working hard to complete the fourth and final design iteration, which involves adding the finishing touches to the level environments and refining the game-play. Then, I need to work on every indie dev’s “favorite” thing, marketing! I make games I personally want to play yet don’t exist. But what is the point of making a game if you don’t share?

About Gearplexed

The Drawing Board, literally. Not the best sketch artist, but enough to keep track of ideas.

I have been dabbling in game design for the past nine years, even longer if you count the custom artwork I made for Sim City 2000 (Maxis, 1993) and custom campaigns I used to make Starcraft (Blizzard, 1998). I am a mechanical engineer by trade, but I also enjoy making computer graphics artwork. Game design happens to be convenient creative outlet that combines both these skills. Not including Gearplexed, I have three major game ideas that I’ve worked on to various degrees. Prior to this project, I had spent two years gaining a lot of traction on a factory-type game, but a video on YouTube suggested to NOT release a passion project as a first game. Instead build and release small, limited-scope game just to learn how to sell a game on Steam and actually finish a project.

Gearplexed combines two concepts I had been toying with: A level-based game inspired by the structure and personality of one of my favorite childhood games, Lemmings (DMA Design, 1991), and a mechanical power transmission mechanic I wanted to include in either my factory or city builder game, but couldn’t incorporate effectively.

There didn’t seem to be that many gear-based puzzle games, and none similar to my idea. I wanted to make a 2D puzzle game about building with gears that would be interesting to play, while having at least some educational value. Since I already spent years developing and fine-tuning construction, crafting, inventory, and entity interaction mechanics with my other games, I could simply transfer those. The only major mechanic I had to make specifically for Gearplexed was the gear motion solver. Therefore, the majority of my time was spent on game design, level design, and artwork.

I had expected Gearplexed to take 4 months to complete. As of this writing I’ve spent 14 months on it. However, it has exceeded my expectations in more ways than one. Building a game by yourself is a phenomenal amount of work, but it’s also been a lot of fun and something I’ve always wanted to do.

I’ll leave it there for now. In future devlogs I plan to elaborate a bit on certain design decisions, unique challenges, or problems solved. I’ll try to put something out once or twice a month prior to release, but I don’t want to take time away from the most important part, which is making the game. If there is anything you have a question about let me know. I may end up making a devlog about it!