DevLog #103: November 2024

Hey everyone! Here's the latest (and yes, a bit late again) monthly DevLog 😅

Super Night Riders S1

I've been focused on balancing and level design recently.

While this isn't as complex as working on assets or the core engine, it's still crucial.

Things are progressing, but I feel there's still some fine-tuning to do - it'll take a little more time.

More details on the release plan below in the "What's Next" section.

Super Night Riders (2016)

I've started working on an Android port as a side project, spending just a couple of days a month on it.

Here's a look at it running on the "Retroid Pocket Mini" - a tiny Android handheld with a beautiful 3.7" OLED screen.

Surprisingly, it delivers performance and quality similar to the Xbox One version 🙀

The game is already fully playable in terms of core features.

I've added new Android-specific features, like support for arbitrary aspect ratios such as 1:1, or 4:3 on this handheld...

... and touch controls for phones. Here on my Google Pixel 8a.

A few minor things are still missing, like achievements, leaderboards, and cloud saves.

I also plan to add more features, including multiple localization, and a shuffle mode similar to "Night Riders Remastered" - released a few months ago.

This Android version will follow a free-to-play model with a token system, just like a real arcade:

• Earn free tokens by watching ads.

• Buy token packs for $1.

• Unlock unlimited tokens to turn it into a premium version, matching the PC/console price.

On a side note, Night Riders (2013) and Night Riders Remastered (2024) on Android have reached 210k and 20k installs respectively 🙀

My boss still isn't impressed, though.

Boss Update

The little guy went to the vet recently to get a tooth extracted 😢

He's doing fine now, as you can see 😊

I keep telling him to brush his teeth after catching mice, but does he listen? Of course not! Cats... 😗

Bonus

A quick update on the chibi illustration I shared last year featuring Kuroko and Haru.

Kuroko is enthusiastically reporting her day to Haru, who seems completely uninterested and falls asleep mid-story 😁

Available in 4K on the attachments below!

What's Next

In December, I'll resume work on Light Fairytale Episode 3 to aim for a 2025-Q2 release.

Super Night Riders S1 is now planned for 2025-Q1.

I'd rather take the time to get the gameplay and stage design right from the start - it's kind of the core feature of a racing game, after all 😅

That's it for this month!

As always, thank you so much for your patience and support.

See you all for the New Year celebration 🎉