Building GlamHaven: A Journey of Art, Drag, and Community

Eventually there will be videos of the gameplay but the focus is on the art assets then the game. Thanks for keeping up with me.

The heart and soul of "GlamHaven" lies in its art, at first I was worried about not fitting in or following the arbitrary rules of pixel art,

Then I realized that it's my game and to do me. If I bog my brain with arbitrary rules I won't get anything done.

the journey to bring this dazzling world to life has been both challenging and rewarding. Every location in the game is drawn with parallax backgrounds, a process that is as time-consuming as it is crucial to the game's immersive experience. With five main locations, each featuring 2 to 6 additional sub-locations, the artwork forms the backbone of GlamHaven.

Initially, I had some basic artwork completed, but after taking a break, I realized it didn’t quite capture the essence I was aiming for. I wanted to evoke a historical and queer aesthetic throughout the game. This realization led to a complete overhaul, where I meticulously reimagined each scene. One of the most exciting aspects has been integrating pride flag color schemes into the buildings. Not only does this add a vibrant, inclusive touch, but it has also been a fascinating way to learn more about queer culture and the diverse flags that represent it.

Diversity is a core pillar of "GlamHaven," and I am committed to reflecting that in every aspect of the game as I can. While the prototype featured an ambiguous male character, the final version will showcase drag queens of all genders—masculine, feminine, and non-binary—because drag is for everyone. Contrary to popular belief not all Drag queens live their life in drag. Each character will have three skin tone options: dark, medium, and light. Although I wish I could include more options, this system allows for a meaningful level of customization given current constraints.

Creating drag characters is a detailed process, with each combination of outfit, hair, and makeup requiring separate drawings. At present, there are 13 hair concepts, 13 outfit concepts, 5 makeup concepts, and 9 body types, resulting in a myriad of unique combinations. The hope is to also have your character be in and out of drag so the player can play the way they want to.

Playtesters noted that the background colors were often too saturated, making it hard to see the characters. (If you want to playtest when it's available leave a comment) To address this, I plan to add a white outline to the main characters, enhancing visibility without compromising the vibrant aesthetic.

Mechanics are another significant focus. Balancing innovation with the risk of scope creep (the tendency to keep adding new ideas and features, complicating the game). Using RPG Maker MV comes with its limitations, but incorporating JavaScript coding has allowed me to push these boundaries and include more complex mechanics.

Right now I have a mechanic that makes a pageant happen. This will involve some cut scenes and a Quick Time Event that you "perform" your number. This and your outfit combination will add to your score and you will compete with the other queens scores. You then have the chance to win pageant crowns. It's still a prototype but it's a fun mini game.

 I'm sure I could use unity or godot but I've invested alot of time in this and learning new code would slow the progression of this game. Perhaps in the future I'll learn these engines and advance the game scope.

Working on "GlamHaven" for over a year has often felt like one step forward, two steps back. The game's scope has grown, and while the ideas keep evolving, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, the vision remains clear. The primary goal is for your character to achieve stardom in a city built by and for drag queens. While not every queen's journey aims for fame, your pixelated protagonist does. A secondary goal is to build community and learn about queer culture, a feature I plan to integrate after the core mechanics are in place.

Despite the challenges, I have high hopes for "GlamHaven." The journey is long, but with each step, the dream of creating a vibrant, inclusive, and dazzling world comes closer to reality. Stay tuned for more updates as I continue to bring GlamHaven to life

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