Have you ever imagined creating your ultimate game, the one that surpasses all others? It can often feel like an impossible task. This might be because the idea is so dear to you that it leads to creative block, or perhaps the game’s scope is too vast for a single person to handle.
Today, I want to share my journey with my dream game, Fuzzites, a creature-raising game inspired by the Chow Garden system from Sonic Adventures. I’ll discuss my attempts over the past 11 years and the challenges I’ve faced. So, let’s travel back in time to where it all began.
Before diving into my story, I want to highlight Core, the first official sponsor of my channel. Core is a fantastic, free game creation platform that allows you to build, publish, and play games. It’s perfect for beginners in game development, especially if you want to create 3D multiplayer games quickly. The best part? No coding is required! You can start right away using thousands of free, high-quality sounds, art assets, and music.
If you’re interested in programming, Core also lets you create your own game logic using Lua. You can build games from scratch or remix content shared by other creators. Once you’re ready to publish, your game goes live instantly on the Core platform with just a click. Core simplifies many of the challenges in game development, such as multiplayer networking.
Recently, Core received a $15 million investment from Epic Games and announced a 50% revenue share with top creators, which is double what Roblox offers. They also launched a game jam with Level 80, featuring a $25,000 prize pool. The challenge is to recreate your favorite real-life city using Core, a great opportunity to hone your skills and potentially win big.
Our story begins 11 years ago when I was captivated by Sonic Adventures. The thrill of high-speed action was unmatched, and my life changed when I stumbled upon the Chow Garden. The breeding mechanic and the variety of Chows fascinated me, sparking a deep love for the game.
This was during the golden age of creature-raising games, with titles like Tamagotchi, Neopets, Chocobo Racing, Monster Rancher, and Pokémon. However, as time passed, the genre faded, and no game could rival Sonic Adventures. Instead of waiting for the next big thing, I decided to create it myself. I began sketching and creating pixel art for what would become a series of games that never saw the light of day.
The original idea for Fuzzites involved little fuzzy ball-rabbit creatures that you could raise, train, and breed to get different colors or types. My first attempt was in Game Maker, aiming to recreate Sonic Adventures with my own creatures. However, lacking 3D skills, I opted for a side-scrolling 2D game. As you might expect, it didn’t go well, as I was just starting programming at 13, and Game Maker support was limited.
Years later, I tried again with Construct 2. This version was visually different, but progress was minimal. You could pick up, pet, and feed the Fuzzites, but there were no stats. I realized that the Chow mechanic was enjoyable because it was a side activity, not the main focus.
Another attempt in Game Maker Studio was inspired by Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. I envisioned a top-down game where you raise Fuzzites while interacting with people and exploring. However, the scope was too large for my available time.
About a year later, I considered making Fuzzites a multiplayer online RPG. I imagined different Fuzzites based on tasks like woodcutting or fishing, which felt unique. I also created a grid-based combat system that I still love today. Out of all the versions, this is the one I plan to revisit and finish.
The last two versions were more like prototypes. One was for a game jam, where you could only watch your Fuzzy walk around. The final version was an experiment in 2.5D using Godot, which turned out nicely, but I can’t reveal much about it yet.
These are the versions of Fuzzites I’ve created over the past 11 years. Some might say I had too much scope creep, and they’re partly right. However, the core issue is that the game I envisioned as a kid was so special that anything less felt unworthy. Nostalgia can be dangerous, as it makes you focus on forcing your idea to work instead of adapting it to something fun.
Another factor was my youth and lack of accountability to finish a game. I also realized that Fuzzites should be a secondary part of the gameplay unless it’s like Pokémon, where battling is central. It’s challenging to make creature-raising the main focus without it becoming dull.
If you enjoy Fuzzites and want to see it completed, let me know which version you prefer. Personally, I favor the online version and definitely want to finish it someday. If you’re trying to create your dream game but facing setbacks, remember not to put your idea on a pedestal. Look at it objectively and think about what would make a fun game. Sometimes, you have to swallow your pride, and it may not turn out exactly as you envisioned, and that’s perfectly okay.
A huge thank you to my Patreon supporters. Your support helps me create videos. If you’d like to see behind-the-scenes footage and access exclusive content, check out my Patreon. Also, don’t forget to explore Core—it’s completely free! Visit coregames.com or click the link in the description.
Thank you for watching this video! If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and like it. Have a fantastic week, and I’ll see you next time for another game development adventure!
Gather in small groups and brainstorm your dream game concepts. Discuss the core mechanics, themes, and unique features that make your game idea special. Share your ideas with the class and receive feedback on potential challenges and solutions.
Using a platform like Core, create a basic prototype of your game idea. Focus on implementing one core mechanic or feature. Present your prototype to the class, highlighting the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
Attend a seminar on managing game development scope. Learn techniques to prioritize features and manage time effectively. Apply these techniques to your game project and create a revised project plan that balances ambition with feasibility.
Reflect on a past project or game you have worked on. Identify what went well and what could have been improved. Share your insights with the class and discuss how these lessons can be applied to your current or future projects.
Participate in a multiplayer game jam using Core. Collaborate with peers to create a game that incorporates multiplayer elements. Focus on teamwork and communication, and present your final game to the class, highlighting the multiplayer features.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Have you ever dreamed about creating your perfect game? The game to end all games? No matter how many times you try, it can feel impossible to make. Maybe it’s because the idea is so precious to you that you struggle with creative block, or perhaps the scope of the game is just too much for one person.
Today, I’ll share my dream game, Fuzzites, a creature-raising game inspired by the Chow Garden system from Sonic Adventures. I’ll also discuss my failed attempts over the last 11 years and the challenges I faced along the way. So, grab your time machines and get ready to go back over a decade to where it all began.
But first, I want to give a major shoutout to the channel’s first official sponsor, Core. Core is an awesome, free game creation platform that lets you build, publish, and play games. If you’re new to game development, Core is a great way to start, especially if you want to quickly set up 3D multiplayer games. The best part is, no coding is needed! You can get started right away using thousands of free, high-quality sounds, art assets, and even music.
If you want to dive deeper into programming, Core also allows you to create your own game logic using Lua. You can build games from scratch or remix and reimagine content shared by other creators. When you’re ready to publish, your game will go live instantly on the Core platform with just a click. Core simplifies many of the hassles usually involved in game development, such as multiplayer networking, which can be quite challenging.
Additionally, Core recently received a $15 million investment from Epic Games and announced a 50% revenue share with top creators, which is double the share that Roblox currently offers. They also just announced their latest game jam in partnership with Level 80, featuring five diverse categories and a massive prize pool of $25,000. The premise is simple: recreate your favorite real-life city using Core. This jam is a great way to improve your skills and potentially win a lot of money.
Now, our story begins 11 years ago. At that time, I was extremely obsessed with Sonic Adventures. There was nothing better than rolling around at high speed. My life changed forever when I accidentally walked into the elevator in the first game and discovered the Chow Garden. I was fascinated by the breeding mechanic and how you could get different versions of Chows. To say I fell in love with this game at a young age is an understatement.
This was during the heyday of the creature-raising genre, with games like Tamagotchi, Neopets, Chocobo Racing, Monster Rancher, and Pokémon. However, as time went on, the genre started to fade, and there weren’t any games that could rival Sonic Adventures. Instead of waiting for the next big game, I decided it was up to me to create it myself. I began sketching and creating pixel art for what would become a franchise of games that never saw the light of day.
I came up with the original idea of Fuzzites—little fuzzy ball-rabbit creatures that you could raise, train, and even breed to get different colors or types. My first attempt at Fuzzites was in Game Maker. I wanted to recreate Sonic Adventures but with my own creatures. However, I didn’t know 3D, so I thought, why not create a side-scrolling 2D game? As you can imagine, it didn’t turn out well, and I didn’t get very far since I had just started programming at 13, and there wasn’t much support for Game Maker.
Years later, I tried to recreate it using Construct 2. This version was mostly similar, but the Fuzzites looked a little different. Other than the visuals, I didn’t progress much with this version either. You could pick them up, pet them, and feed them, but there still weren’t any stats. I realized that the Chow mechanic was fun because it was a side activity, not the main focus of the game.
I attempted to make Fuzzites again in Game Maker Studio, inspired by the Stardew Valley genre and Animal Crossing. I wanted to create a top-down game where you raise your Fuzzites while interacting with people and exploring. However, the scope was too large for my available time.
About a year later, I was experimenting with multiplayer and thought about making Fuzzites into a little MMORPG. I envisioned different Fuzzites based on tasks like woodcutting or fishing, which felt unique. I also created a grid-based combat system that I still love today. Out of all the Fuzzite games, this is the one I plan to revisit and finish.
The last two versions of Fuzzites were more prototypes. One was submitted for a game jam, where you could only watch your Fuzzy walk around. The final version I worked on was an experiment in 2.5D using Godot, which turned out nicely, but I can’t reveal too much about it yet.
So, those are all the versions of Fuzzites I’ve created over the past 11 years. I know some of you might think I had too much scope creep, and you’re partly right. However, the heart of the issue is that the game I envisioned as a kid was so special to me that creating anything that doesn’t perfectly represent that idea feels unworthy. Nostalgia can be dangerous because it makes you focus on forcing your idea to work instead of adapting it to something fun.
Another factor is that I was young and lacked accountability to finish a game. I also realized that Fuzzites should be a secondary part of the gameplay unless it’s something like Pokémon, where battling is central. It’s challenging to make the creature-raising aspect the main focus without it becoming boring.
For those of you who enjoy Fuzzites and want to see me finish it, let me know which version you like the most. Personally, I favor the online version and definitely want to complete it someday. If you’re also trying to create your dream game but facing setbacks, remember not to put your idea on a pedestal. Look at it objectively and think about what would make a fun game. Sometimes, you have to swallow your pride, and it may not turn out exactly as you envisioned, and that’s perfectly okay.
I want to give a huge shoutout to my Patreon supporters. Your support helps me create videos. If you’d like to see behind-the-scenes footage and access to exclusive content, check out my Patreon. Also, don’t forget to check out Core—it’s completely free! Just visit coregames.com or click the link in the description.
Thank you for watching this video! If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and like it. Have a fantastic week, and I’ll see you next time for another game development adventure!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Game – A structured form of play, often undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool, especially in the context of computer science. – Developing a computer game requires a deep understanding of both programming and user experience design.
Development – The process of creating, designing, and programming software applications, including games, from conception to deployment. – The development of the new software took several months and involved a team of skilled programmers and designers.
Coding – The act of writing instructions for a computer to perform specific tasks, using a programming language. – Coding in Python has become increasingly popular due to its simplicity and versatility.
Programming – The process of designing and building an executable computer software to accomplish a specific computing task. – Programming requires logical thinking and problem-solving skills to create efficient algorithms.
Multiplayer – A type of video game or application that allows multiple users to interact and play together over a network. – The multiplayer feature of the game enabled students from different countries to collaborate and compete in real-time.
Platform – A base software or hardware environment in which applications are run, such as Windows, macOS, or a gaming console. – Developing cross-platform applications ensures that software can run on multiple operating systems.
Creatures – Digital entities or characters within a game or simulation, often designed with specific behaviors and attributes. – The game features a variety of creatures, each with unique abilities and characteristics that players can interact with.
Mechanics – The rules and systems that govern the interactions and behaviors within a game or software application. – Understanding the core mechanics of a game is essential for creating a balanced and engaging user experience.
Skills – The abilities and expertise required to perform tasks effectively, often gained through practice and education in fields like programming and software development. – Acquiring programming skills can open up numerous career opportunities in the tech industry.
Nostalgia – A sentimental longing or affection for the past, often triggered by familiar software or games from one’s earlier experiences. – Many developers create retro-style games to evoke nostalgia among players who grew up in the 80s and 90s.
