January Dev Log

Self-Checkout Unlimited!

This month, we announced our new project: Self-Checkout Unlimited! If you haven’t seen SCU’s announcement post, make sure to check it out for details here!

Moving, Studies, and 2020 Planning

Beyond the SCU announcement, our 2020 is off to a busy start! Dovah recently embarked on a short-term move back to the Midwest, while Gamma's PhD research kicked off again with the new school semester. 

However, we've both been hard at work planning out our goals for 2020, including conventions, merch, and Kickstarter plans for Self-Checkout Unlimited! We've already ordered some merch for our store and are getting ready to order more, so the opening date is fast approaching!

IRL Research

In order to study and capture the right feel of a shopping mall for Self-Checkout Unlimited, Dovah has been exploring IRL malls over the past few months--both in Washington and Tennessee.

In an effort to get into the right mindset, Dovah wrote a large part of the initial outline for Self-Checkout Unlimited inside Northgate Mall in Seattle (whilst taking the pictures above). As a perfect specimen of a dying brick-and-mortar mall, Northgate proved to be a useful--if unconventional--office.

Eastgate Town Center in Tennessee (above) was another interesting spot to research. Although it is currently a center for private offices, its origins as a public mall are still obvious in the architecture and atmosphere. 

This raises an interesting question: what creates the essence of a shopping mall beyond its name alone? How can that atmosphere be accurately re-created in a video game?

An Exciting February Approaches

In February, we'll see the voice acting casting call and Kickstarter (most likely) for SCU, more convention plans, and some potential awesome announcements! It's full steam ahead into 2020, and we plan on making the most of every month!