Spirit Swap News

[h2]Happy Thursday, Spirit Swappers! [/h2]



Spring is in the air, today is officially Trans Day of Visibility, AND we’ve got an update special for YOU!

With conventions and events cropping back up, we’ve been busy both developing the game AND participating in a few digital panels and talks. But before we get into that…

[h2]Movin’ and Groovin’ [/h2]

This month, we wanted to put together another devlog for you to watch and enjoy! Fashion and customization is a major component of our game -- and one y’all have been SUPER excited to hear more about -- so we wanted to show some behind-the-scenes on how this system is coming along, and how it works.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Thanks to our Lead Technical Artist, Chris, for taking some time to share a bit more about how we get the cast of Spirit Swap dancing, and just how important that is for the foundation of our fashion system.

As always, thanks to Sam for the WIP clothing selections, Khei and Chris for the animation, and Morgan and Réjon for the wireframes and implementation featured in the video as well!

[h2]The MIX 2022 - Black Voices in Gaming[/h2]

Chris also had the opportunity to be on another broadcast! We also were featured on The MIX during their Black Voices in Gaming stream a couple of weeks ago: be sure to check that out via their VOD!

They're a great org that highlights a wide variety of indie games and their dev teams, so be sure to check out the rest of the show too!



[h2]GDC 2022 - Unity Panel[/h2]

While a bit more developer-centric, Alex and Réjon also participated in a panel during GDC! Thanks to Unity for hosting, and friend of the studio - Josh Boykin - for moderating, and be sure to have a listen if you want to learn all about designing impactful games!



[h2]Byeee ~ [/h2]

That’s it for this month! Hope you enjoyed this update! Got questions? Let us know via Twitter, our Discord, TikTok, or here in the comments! And see you next month!


Love,

The Spirit Swap Team

It has been A MONTH. Before we kick off with updates, we want to reaffirm our hope for this game and with you all, our community. We’re making a game that celebrates joy -- specifically brown, Black, and queer joy. In a time when it can be challenging to find news that is uplifting, we hope that our progress updates can at least bring you a small bit of cheer.



Our focus this month was to finish the majority of our vertical slice, and by golly, I think we got there!

What’s a vertical slice? A VERY quick description is that it’s a build of the game that includes a proof of concept of most major components in a game. So, all of the wireframing and foundational work that Morgi and Réjon have put together? They’re IN!



Note: Art is WIP! Movement is WIP! BUT LOOK IT’S DEMASHQ ;-;

While there’s still some polish (and duck tape) that we’ve got to work out, we’ve got a great representative slice of what the game and it’s different components will look like.

Part of the vertical slice was putting in narrative beats that segued directly into swapping, as well as getting the AI working!



Note: Lulu is ready to whip up recipes and swap out spirits!

Finally, we’ve got the ability to move through areas in the hub! Again, background art is still a placeholder, but this gives you a general idea of what we’re aiming for as you wander Samar’s Room and get ready to visit friends around town.





We’ve been more quiet because of biz dev things (and taxes…ugh, tax paperwork!), but as the spring and summer come around, get ready! And, as always, if you have any questions, let us know via Twitter, our Discord, TikTok, or here in the comments. We wanna answer ‘em!


Love,

The Spirit Swap Team

Hi Spirit Swappers! Wait, where did January go? What a speedy month! We blinked and all of a sudden, it was time for our update!

We got some good rest and gaming time over the holidays, and have hopped right back into development. We’ve been taking the art from our previous updates and implementing them into the game. Slowly but surely, it’s becoming a reality, y’all! And now? Time for some updates!



Join us in kicking off the year with the Black Card Gala! It’s coming up this weekend, February 4th - 6th, from 12 PM - 6 PM EST each day.



If you stop by, you’ll be able to see our virtual booth, check out loads of other indies and creators, and even have the option to commission our artists, Benny and Morgan Madeline for a personalized Swapsona! You can only request a commission if you stop by the booth, so be sure to register to attend today (it’s FREE!)



Follow Black Card Members for all the details (and because they’re doing great work in general) and, again, sign up for the FREE event here!



We’re almost done with all of the environments, which is absolutely WILD to think about! One of last areas to be sketched out was Pookie’s Oceanside Skate Park: a home away from home right on the shore. You’ll be able to catch Pookie here, practicing all sorts of tricks, as well as helping folks new to skating get comfy on their boards.

Concept notes from (creative director) Alex: "The tech of Spirit Swap is deeply intertwined with magic and plants, and we really wanted that reflected in the infrastructure of the world and how people interact with it. You see vines reinforcing electric cables, modified lilypads functioning as platforms and short distance bridges linking floating ramps to the shore, vegetation peeking through the cracks in the wall and holding buildings up as if it were part of their molecular makeup. Balancing that with keeping the Mediterranean and Levant architecture has been a bit of a challenge, but the artists have been doing an amazing job! Can’t wait to show you all of the finished pieces!"

For now, feast your eyes on the line art (with some distinguishing colors) from the talented Jenny M.





The final stretch goal we achieved during our Kickstarter goals was to have some wonderful voices bringing our cast of characters to life. We’re proud to announce that we’ve gotten our ducks in a row, and are nearly ready to begin the casting process. There’s no pretty image for this, so here, have the sneakiest of peeks of the thirst trap that Midniights created for us to celebrate reaching 6.5K on our Twitter account!



Oh, where’s the full thing? Well, check out our Twitter, and get ready to get sweatyyyy.

We have lots in the works that we’re not able to share quite yet, but we can’t wait for you to see what’s in store! Also, know that we’re here for YOU! Got questions? Want to know more about a particular part of development? Let us know via Twitter, our Discord, TikTok, or here in the comments, and we’ll do our best!

Talk soon!

Love,

The Spirit Swap Team

[h2]Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all you’ve done for us this year.

From our early #ScreenshotSaturday posts, to the Kickstarter, to now: we’ve come such a long way. It absolutely would not have been possible without your support. [/h2]

[h3]Our entire team will be taking a break between Dec 20th and Jan 3rd, where we’re planning on eating good food, playing lots of video games, and stepping away from our computers to charge up for lots of progress in the new year. Speaking of computers: we love this Bampshi piece so flippin’ much! Go follow them for the best artwork.

With that, and before our regularly scheduled update, please note that we’ll also keep our Discord closed during that time, so we’re able to truly log-off and enjoy the break! We hope you’re getting some rest and relaxation this holiday season too!

NOW! Let’s get on with some sweet new art and news![/h3]

[h2]#FutureOfPlay Recap[/h2]



Future of Play was an OUTSTANDING game showcase, and if you haven’t gotten a chance to see it yet, please just take a moment to watch one of the best events this year. We had the pleasure of kicking off the festivities with TWO musical showcases from the talented meltycanon, including a brand-new song drop: Swap it Out!



The lyrics videos were edited by the one and only Alanna from the GLITCH team. Both of these songs are on Soundcloud, and, if you’re like us, you’ll have ‘em on repeat for hours at a time!

~ Swap it out, change your mood… ~

Ahem. Where were we?

[h2]First Look: The Polycule![/h2]

Dice has done it yet again! We’re almost completely done with all of the VN (visual novel) portraits of the main cast, and the Polycule -- Cleo, Dio, and Theo -- is currently in progress. This portrait is a bit more challenging because we’ve got three character’s that’ll be grouped together, but they also need to be able to be separated to stand on their own during parts of the conversation!



We love them so much?! A little more about each member of the Polycule, featuring another first-time reveal of the animated sprite PNGs Sam has been working on, and that Khei is animating!



Cleo: Few are as connected to the spirit realm as Cleo--their dreamy nature and soft personality makes them an ideal guide for lost little spirits. Tending their garden leaves them with calloused palms and smudges of dirt on their cheeks, but they never look anything less than cottagecore fabulous at all times.



Theo: One might be tempted to write off Theo as a quiet, bookish librarian, but those closest to her know she just blossoms in more private settings. Oblivious when it comes to romance, but will fight you if you threaten her polycule.



Dio: An up-and-coming DJ taking Demashq’s public access radio by storm, Dio brings their gremlin energy to everything they do, even when you really wish they wouldn’t. Will embarrass you in public but will always back you up.

[h2]Catch you next YEAR ~ [/h2]



As always, we’d love to hear what you think: any fave moments or reveals over this year? Spirit Swap-related or otherwise! We’d love to hear it! Let us know via Twitter, our Discord, TikTok, or here in the comments.

Stay safe and cozy, everyone.


Love,

The Spirit Swap Team

How can it be? We’re in the final stretch of 2021?! We’ve got an incredible groove going on with the Spirit Swap team: art team is making art, narrative folks are writing the BEST words, and this month’s update will focus on an aspect of the game we haven’t deep dived (doven? doved?) into quite yet: the UI/UX!

We also wanted to try something a little different: sit back, relax, and get ready to listen and watch this month’s update! Réjon, our UI/UX Lead, and Jenny, our Lead Producer, teamed up to create a video devlog for your enjoyment.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

In it, Réjon talks in more detail about the UI/UX of Spirit Swap, particularly the process of creating wireframes (the skeleton) Samar’s Room, and how you’ll navigate it as a player! You’ll also learn more about how decorating and the spell system will work.

Please note that the footage is all WIP, but we hope you enjoy this foray into the world of Spirit Swap’s UI/UX this month!

(And, please, let us know if you enjoy the video format, or prefer written updates! Or both! Both is good!)

[h2]#FutureOfPlay[/h2]

It’s baaaaack! One of our favorite showcases of the year: #FutureOfPlay! Hosted by the wonderful folks at GLITCH, this is one of the best game events to check out what’s coming up...and what you should be excited to play.



We’re super proud to announce we’ll be a part of the showcase this year, so keep an eye out for us ~ we can’t wait to see you there!

Watch it live at 3 PM PST on December 9th via Twitch or Youtube!


[h2]Lulu is cooking up a storm![/h2]

If you haven’t met Lulu, or need a fresh reminder, Lulu is a self-appointed peacemaker who often takes on more than she’s asked to, and she has a knack for getting her way most of the time. Just as a reminder, here’s her VN portrait, created by the impeccable Dice:



When Lulu can’t manage to turn her brain off, she turns to baking to settle her spirit. Lulu is also very self-aware, so she’ll alway give you femme and grace...oh, and she’s obsessed with bunnies!
We had to be sure to share this beautiful concept art (below) for the animated sprite of our favorite baker in Demashq. Our artist, Sam, really outdid themselves with her:



[h2]Catch you next month ~ [/h2]

The next update will be here before you know it!

We’d love to hear what you think: anything you’re wanting to hear more about? Did you like the video devlog? Let us know via Twitter, our Discord, or here in the comments. And, if you enjoy TikTok, be sure to follow us there -- we’re starting to hop in and share content there too. Talk soon!

Love,

The Spirit Swap Team