random game stuff (with a few important notes, but you should check the link on the main page first if you read this already)

November 23, 2020 ZoruaAl

Disclaimer: For real-world news, please go to reliable sources that cite reputable sources and analysis. This is not a proper news article and is mostly based on claims without using evidence. As an opinion-based blog post, it should not be read as a proper news source, as the requirements of professional journalism and an analytical approach are clearly lacking here.

However, I take a bit of time to discuss my own personal project, which is a game, and this blog is about me making games (it was supposed to be) so if you are interested in that maybe it counts as an update about game development, but the part about real-world news is not a proper update about the world.

October 19, 2020

Hello,

I haven’t updated this website in about four months, so I thought I might describe what I’ve been up to.

Real-world news is important to be conscious of right now, and the amount of political corruption and bias (more support for systematic oppression as well; companies have been exploiting their workers, disregarding human rights, and ignoring safety cautions that need to be present during the pandemic, some people have gone against social justice movements and are against activism…) that has been going on is not at all acceptable. The pandemic is also going on, so it’s important to be aware of what’s going on. On terms of good news, there has been a lot more support for social justice/racial equity movements like Black Lives Matter, recognition and awareness about climate change, LGBTQ+ movements, and in general, it looks like this is still a turning point to help change the future for better! I know it might not seem like awareness of what’s going on is related to game development, but, this is important – not random notes I make about my cancelled games. Some of this was discussed in a post I made four months ago, but it’s all still relevant. Please note that not every topic inside of activism was covered, because I am still learning about social justice movements in my free time, and I still need to find examples of movements for religious equality, economic equity, and climate change awareness/movements in science as well.

For Capsule Dragons website news, I thought I might discuss some information on an upcoming project.

I’ve been working on that one RPG that I was going to announce, and it’s had about a year of development. Not working on it once every day, but more like randomly in my free time. The new game I’m making is called “Infidemia”, and it’s a RPG about a game world where your choices affect everything, along with the six students, hearts, coffee, a robot, some spoilers here and there, and more that I have yet to announce.

Here’s an estimate on how much of the game is ready:

CHAPTER 1

–> Introduction sequence (First Day)

–> First 6 playable characters (Main characters)

–> Secondary characters around the school (faculty, staff)

–> First dungeon is complete, second dungeon’s a bit rough but it’s getting there

–> First two longer dream sequence events in the story (sounds strange out of context)

–> Introduction of one of the primary gameplay mechanics, still have to bugfix it though.

–> Fixed a lot of random bugs in the game, mostly from eventing issues. (Character walks to a place but can’t move, which freezes the game, or battle dialogue is swapped out with another fight) It’s still not in a playable demo state just because of the amount of bugs.

–> …Have some plans as to what will happen next (the story was about 30% planned out before I continued development a month or two ago)

MAPS

–> The first city you go to, Seyith, is mostly done on terms of its downtown area. The high school, first dungeon, player’s house, and the main shop are all complete. The city’s connecting paths are present but might need some work, as well as one hidden area and one area that was used a while ago but hasn’t been updated.

COMBAT

–> Custom damage number font was completed some time ago

–> Primary battle mechanics are present, but very broken (needs a lot of work)

–> Timed attack system not yet implemented but very much considered

–> Most random encounters are playable (not crashing the game) but dialogue is usually broken

–> All party members are fully playable, and can also use items and equip gear, as well as use standard attacks

–> Team attacks (combo attacks) are implemented but will need balancing

COFFEE TIME

–> Conversation simulator minigame has a tutorial but doesn’t have scenarios.

CHARACTERS

–> All 7 playable characters have been planned, 6 of them are playable in the prototype demo, and those same characters also have character designs that were done last year/this year and haven’t changed much, but could still change – so, main characters are almost done. Each character has a unique name, appearance, and background, as well. I hope players enjoy learning about the stories of the game’s protagonists.

–> The first character you play as is 100% playable and has the outfit variation(s) you can use for story events (outfit variations might be removed though) but for now I intend to add outfit variations to the rest of the characters as well.

–> Supporting cast of characters needs work but is still present. Not all non playable characters live by their own schedules yet in the game but that will be added once I get more of the story done.

–> Representing all characters well has been a goal, and also including a more diverse cast of characters and protagonists, as well, compared to my previous projects. If there are any issues with representing characters or underrepresentation, please tell me how I can improve.

–> There might be a hidden boss fight

GAMEPLAY

–> Time system is functional

–> Combat is glitchy but present

–> Coffee time has not been implemented

–> Not playable enough for a demo yet, but if it’s not too buggy I’ll release a demo or trailer soon

Now as for what the game’s about, that’s mostly a secret. It’s an unconventional RPG, so certain events and mechanics are totally optional, and I’m going for a different approach. The heroes of the game are high school students determined to fight against the systematic oppression in their society and world, using unconventional approaches to their quest sometimes in order to do this. It might be the first RPG I’m working on that I announce more details on, and for now there isn’t anything finalized like whether this game is kid-friendly or not, its age rating, when it will be out, how much it will cost, what engine I’ll use, what drawing application I’ll use, what the logo will look like, or the name “Infidemia”, as well.

Since I’m working on this game by myself, I don’t anticipate reaching out to other independent game developers or companies, and I’m the only one playtesting it so far, so, making a demo with a feedback forum might be useful. If there’s anything in the game that’s an issue (I am open to feedback!) please comment, but, please make sure your comment is specific, and if you’re describing a bug, describe as many steps as you can before that bug happened, or sending me a copy of your save file might be able to help (though I’m not sure if that will). I’m working on this game by myself and I can handle feedback requests about anything that needs changed – typo in dialogue? Bug? Adding another non playable character? I will not respond to feedback directly, but, if you see a change in a future version of the game, it’s likely your feedback was considered during development.

On terms of overall development, it’s been a much harder game to make than any of my previous projects. I have to account for multiple dialogue choice options (how the player reacts), account for changes in the game world, the player’s choices, and the fact the game is played in somewhat real time (while you’re playing, time passes, but while you’re not playing, time is frozen).

It sounds like a lot to handle, and it is, but, I’m using a game engine that I think will be able to handle all of this, and currently have been able to make a lot more progress.

Before, I remade the introduction to the game using about three to four different approaches.

Then, I remade a few dungeons, and then decided to just redo all of the game (but not the maps, characters, or main story – scenario events as part of story were changed, though).

It’s still very early in development, and I have no idea when the game will be done. Unless I become a time traveler, you can expect “Infidemia” to release before the end of time.

…This is the first time I’ve mentioned all these details, though none of this is finalized. I have a better idea of where I’m going with the project and how long it will take, but I will not share my estimates on that yet because… my estimates are usually inaccurate and don’t factor everything into account.

It’s a much larger game than I expect to be working on, but, I’m determined to do quality work, and if I only explain half of the story but find a way to end it well, I’ll release it. If I find a way to explain all of the story and end up spending a lot more time on the game, I’ll release it later, but if it gets to be too long… I’ll have to rethink my plans.

-ZoruaAl

Capsule Dragons Message – June 4, 2020

Hello, Capsule Dragons site readers.

In this challenging time, many issues have been going on, and now is the time to recognize important issues going on with civil rights and racial inequality.

No matter where you may be reading this site from, or what perspective you have, everyone can believe in justice and equality. It is not the time to be ignorant and only glance over current events without acknowledging the suffering many communities are facing as a result of the continued discrimination and harassment that are continuing racism.

Many communities have been faced with this continued inequality, and in recent events, African-American communities have also continued to face injustices that need to stop – now is the time to speak for civil rights, again. Many people are harmed by problems that are sometimes discussed, but never resolved – discrimination continues, hate crimes continue, but we must become aware of this, and spread that awareness.

Studying some of America’s history, it has continued to struggle with giving all equal rights – civil rights, racial equality, gender equality, are all relevant today. While progress towards civil rights has been made, it needs change. And today is a potential turning point.

This goes not just for the country where the Capsule Dragons site is updated, but also for the whole world. This is a time for international support of recognizing communities and minority groups, as well as working towards a better future where everyone may have liberty and justice.

I have noticed fellow games companies and prominent figures speaking out against the recent events with racial inequality, such as the prejudiced brutality that resulted in George Floyd’s death. I pledge my support to a future where everyone may live in peace, and equality.

We are all human – and diversity should be appreciated, not feared. The impressive diversity and culture of humanity can be seen in all; no matter any trait, everyone must be appreciated.

This may sound like a message given to the heroes of the world in a role-playing game, a call to action where everyone must come together, unite, for justice – and I hope as many people as possible will hear this. Whatever your situation may be, you can still believe in justice, equality, and peace.

As some of you may have read a while back, the Capsule Dragons website honored Martin Luther King Jr. on MLK Day, who was an incredible civil rights leader.

Please know that I strive for making games that everyone may enjoy, and that I also respect those who have faced adversity and inequality.

I would like to update some news on my own games also, but for now, we – everyone – must recognize the ongoing struggles in the real world, and find a resolution to unnecessary suffering many face. This goes for the ongoing issues with inequality, in all its aspects – racial inequality, gender inequality, religious inequality, are all parts of ongoing relevant civil rights issues, therefore we must avoid history repeating itself and change it for a future where everyone may live together in a world that respects humanity, its diversity, and its ongoing struggles.

I may not be updating the site for a while, though until then, please know that many people alike me are supporting an equal (and equitable – as there are issues with inequity) future.

Thank you.

-ZoruaAl

Remember that RPG that’s going to get announced?

Some updates! No other game has its name so far! A release date will not be announced until it’s finally time! I’m working on adding one more mechanic to the game and then that should be it for the main system of how things work. (Vague enough, hopefully). I don’t know about a lot of details, like if I’ll keep the game singleplayer, what the age rating will be for my game or the demo… but, a lot of work has been done these past, umm… it’s March 2020 now… so, past 7 months?? I don’t know, but it’s taken a long time to make the prototype! (The prototype I find promising as I’ve been able to add a lot of things like story and mechanics in). Feedback on this project will be essential to guide its direction. I’m very enthusiastic about where it’s headed, and I’m working my best on this – not holding any secret game development technique back (this time).

“what about that RPG you finished”

I finished that and it’s going through the third revision process. After that, it should be ready for release, though this is one of the rare times I’ve discussed it here -_-

The third revision process involves making an OST for the game. As someone who doesn’t compose music often it’s a bit harder than expected, but my new project (almost called it by its name there! whoops) is getting an entirely original soundtrack (with some songs re-used from Super Speedy Laser Cats, but not many. Only one or two from that).

Anyway, my new RPG (not the one I finished) is going strong into this year – now it’s March and the game’s still on the first… part, I guess – it’s going to be unlike anything I’ve made before, so if you like all those platformer games I’ve been making (or if you don’t like them, that’s ok too – I have a new platformer project in mind that may be more… interesting) then look forward to something new. However, this game is still in a super rough state right now – rough rough draft. That means it’s going to be buggy and glitchy and may even mess up save data sometimes, so I’ll need a lot of feedback to improve it. I don’t expect the first edition to be perfect, but I think with some improvement it can at least become how I want it to be.

For now read the “questions I ask myself before publishing a game”:

Platforms the game will be on?

Right now, I could say “computer” because computational devices are most often used to develop video games. However, for consoles or PCs or laptops or phones I cannot promise anything. I am interested in console development and believe it is a desirable field of interest as a game developer.

Will the game come out?

Probably, but not soon. It will come out when it’s finally time for it to awaken (tried to make it sound cool but it sounded better in my head)

What’s the game’s name?

I cannot currently share that information due to a new policy of not revealing anything until it’s finalized (or has the label “in development” on it).

What’s the game about?

I’ll discuss what it’s about when it’s time to reveal a trailer or screenshots or something.

What can I expect?

You can’t expect much from this game… yet – roughly twenty five minutes of gameplay are confirmed so far. A lot of time has been spent planning and working out story details.

Where does the game take place? When?

That’s a secret

Who’s working on the game?

The site admin – as a one person team I will reach out to get help from more people I can easily request help on this project from. They will be credited in some way.

Is it related to Capsule Dragons?

No, but an item is a “capsule dragon”, which will not appear until later in the game.

How many players?

Is the game open source? Can I copy materials from it? Can I…

Licensing is a tricky process and this game is my own work. I will update this part of the questions when I get a response about licensing a game or copyright.

Getting ready for a reveal of my new indie RPG. Unlike my previous RPG I made (but didn’t publish) this one may eventually end up getting a full release date, trailer, announcement, name, etc. However, due to ongoing technical difficulties in development, the game’s reveal will be delayed about two months or more from its original date. Updates will be posted here when applicable, but for now I’m busy fixing up the game. The game’s original soundtrack is going along alright, but it’s… not decent enough to publish yet… so, for any updates on what kind of music you can expect to see in this new RPG. I hope to get a demo released officially (that’s right, in an actual game storefront someday!) with public beta access about a year or two after the demo’s release, however plans constantly change and there may not be a demo or beta or even a finished game within that time. The release date for this game is about fifty years after the game takes place, which is the temporary release date for now but that may change. Please do keep in mind trademark filing may be necessary at some point and a name reveal will not happen until I find out that my game’s name can be approved as a suitable option… until then there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. This is the second (technically, third) role playing game I will be working on that will eventually be fully finished. The first RPG I made will not be released publicly due to development issues and quality control issues, but the second one (the one I made before this one, anyway) may be referenced in this new RPG I will be making. In my roughly three years of experience making role playing games please keep your expectations very low for the demo. Those of you with higher expectations, do not expect the game to be as great as the vagueness makes it sound. I believe with enough time, effort, and revision I may end up publishing this game, but I will not make any official announcements until then. A reveal of the demo may happen within ? to ? years.

-capsuledragons.com site admin

It appears to be February soon?? Well I guess it’s time for another news update. Wait, isn’t it February? Hmm… even I do not know. Anyway

Capsule Dragons game development is on a pause for a while – I do want to work on platformer games again, but I’m working on a very big RPG project that I happen to also be doing music (and a chance to do art for) as well as the overall story and character abilities etc. Right now most of the game is planned out, and it’s taken me a bit longer than a few months to get about thirty minutes of gameplay done. I still can’t talk much about this game in terms of plot, gameplay, or what the title is (Yes, I do have a temporary title… but, I can’t reveal that yet) as it’s all in development and doesn’t have an official page up for it yet – remember, it won’t get one until a long time, maybe the year the game takes place in (if it takes place in the future or past or whatever). I have a lot of work done on characters, plot, some music and the overall prototype is coming along well. A lot of progress, really – but it’s only me working on this game so don’t expect a demo to just show up soon or anything. Again, releasing demos takes a while as even though I may have a demo ready to play, it’s not going to be able to be played until I find a way to make it playable. Reputable online game storefronts appear to be an option, but are rather expensive for releasing a demo of a game, don’t you think? The previous RPG I was working on is indeed finished, but will probably not be published because even with a year’s worth of revisions it’s not going to be a game many people would enjoy. The new RPG I’m working on probably won’t get published either, but has a lot more “quality of life” improvements – and game mechanics. I would like to go in-depth about how the game works and who the characters are and what the game actually is, but I probably will only do that when the game’s ready to get feedback about it. Right now there’s not enough content for me to release a demo and ask “So, players, what do you think? How can I improve this game?”. In game development I would like to get some feedback, so the official feedback comments section may open up on this very site Capsule Dragons, but, that will also take a lot of work and I do not have an estimated time amount for when things will be ready. Keep in mind the less this site gets updated the more I am working on games – and, that good games take a while to develop. As of right now I do not know how much of my RPG (role-playing game) I would say is completed, but the introduction and first major story event have been finished. That may sound like enough for a demo, but considering the scale of the game and the fact that everything about it is subject to change, I will not update any details on it until then.

happy new year, it’s 2020 ! well it’s the next decade, which means Capsule Dragons has been around in sometime 2010s to now 2020 – even if it’s not 2020 yet it will be soon… what will happen in 2020? (how many times did I type 2020 here? 20/20 times) I don’t know what will happen but hopefully Capsule Dragons HD will get more updates. If I add them, that is. I will soon… in 2020!!

UPDATE: CAPSULE DRAGONS HD BETA NOW LIVE!! go play it and tell me anything you want changed at https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/349598986/

November 30 2019:

ok that s it time to release public beta of capsule dragons hd. it doesnt have music, but, i can add that later

Capsule Dragons series is now 6 years old… well that’s a long time (about half of that was the development of a cancelled Capsule Dragons game…)

so now to celebrate i announce that Capsule Dragons HD (on scratch.mit.edu) does indeed retain its original release date sometime 2021. If I somehow get a lot of work done on other projects like the role playing game I’ve been talking about, then it might see a release date closer to quarter 2 of 2020. However, Capsule Dragons HD has been a very… tedious project originally, and has most the code done. I’ll upload screenshots of the development build if I have time

Some newer updates (November 17 2019)

–I’ve been writing a lot of game reviews recently. I’ll be posting them to the website soon. As a game developer, you can expect honest game reviews from someone like me! Well, assuming that I know what I’m talking about. It’s only my first try at game reviews, so don’t expect anything noteworthy yet.

–The revision process for the other RPG is still 80%. I have a lot of music I’ve already made that would fit the game, I believe, so I’ll be finding a way to import them soon.

Some new updates (October 24 2019)

–Been working a lot recently on role-playing games I’m developing. I can’t say much about them right now, but the one that I worked on for three years is going strong through the revision process and beyond. The revision process is 80% complete, more like 60% complete, but will include custom music (eventually I’ll compose more music) more custom NPCs (Non playable characters) and limiting the scope of the project to the right amount of content. I’m also working on another role-playing game, which I’m taking a break from as it is probably the hardest project I have worked on (besides Capsule Dragons Adventure). A lot has happened with game development, music development and more recently so I’d like to get out more news faster, but, I might be working on a new monster-collecting game in Scratch soon. (or C#, haven’t decided yet).

–Also busy composing more music for a few games, that’s interesting, but, I don’t have any of the official music released anywhere yet (I also don’t have a copyright for my music yet, at least this game’s music) and that’s something. I don’t know a lot as a musician but I find music a small hobby of mine that might be used to make better Capsule Dragons music in the future. Character themes for my role playing game are something I’ve considered.

–Capsule Dragons Tower is still canceled. I have no plans to bring it back, but you might see concepts from it as a whole game mode someday.

Capsule Dragons HD development will eventually continue. sorry for the delay in updates. i have been busy working on a role playing game that cannot currently be discussed here. However, I would like to show off the AI that can play Ultra Battles Countered as Red and win most battles. Eventually. It’s a work in progress but can beat me as meta characters. -ZoruaAl (October 7 2019)

Capsule Dragons Adventure is 5 years in development! After looking through some old concept art and some papers about the game, I’ve remembered I started working on the project one June 24th long ago. Hopefully all you keeping up with the Capsule Dragons website have played the demo! There’s a free demo on this website… if you can find it. Think of it like a scavenger hunt.

Anyway, it’s the end of the month so I need to post new updates again. If you go to the left side of the website, you should be able to read “ZoruaAl on posts” or whatever news I post to this website to keep up with development news. As of right now, Ultra Battles Countered is fully playable (go check it out! http://capsuledragons.com/ultrabattlesgame/ ). A lot of work on Ultra Battles Countered has been done, so Super Speedy Laser Cats will be the next game to get updates, and then Capsule Dragons HD. I’m still working on these indie games! Oh, and, make sure to keep an eye out on updates… the early access for Super Speedy Laser Cats is coming soon!!

What is the game? Go read the “Ultra Battles” section of the Capsule Dragons website.

Another development update, multiple days in a row??!! update: Yes I know I announced I was working on an RPG that was already some 3 long years in development. A demo and a place to comment about the game will both be available for free here soon. Very soon. (soon)

Development update 3 (final one for May 2019): (Near time of May 28): Well, this RPG is coming along slowly, for the span of about 3 years. Maybe more. I’ve been polishing up a few extra things to get that demo running great! Oh, and the demo? Can’t release a demo yet, as I am still playtesting through the whole game. The demo is coming very soon, possibly June! (soon and June rhyme, so that worked out!). What about Capsule Dragons?? Is this even a Capsule Dragons RPG?? No, this is not a Capsule Dragons RPG (-_-). This is instead unrelated to Capsule Dragons, although there will be a reference or two to the series, which is a RPG with turn-based actions and a unique battle system. As of now no more details can be said, because almost everything is subject to change. For Capsule Dragons news, I guess I can say that Capsule Dragons HD just needs more music. That’s pretty much it. Capsule Dragons HD still comes out early 2020, so check back… often! Wow, I should get back to work on my RPG already, shouldn’t I? Until next time!

Development update 2: Been working on an RPG for a long time. It’s coming out soon. More details to be given later, maybe with a demo. If there’s a demo, you’ll be able to send feedback directly to me so I can review the game. I can’t say anything else about this game, other than that it’s being reviewed. Update: Demo will be ready soon, but there’s no finalized release date. From the last few weeks to today, May 25/26, I’ve been constantly revising the game and getting the demo ready. This RPG has taken a lot of effort and time… I hope anyone playing the demo will give feedback on the feedback forms that will appear! (Note: Demo not out yet. Coming soon!)

The news below about “Capsule Dragons Tower” is of a cancelled game. Capsule Dragons Tower has been cancelled due to development problems with the platforming mechanics.

NEW GAME INCOMING! NEW GAME INCOMING!

New month, new arcade game. The Capsule Dragons Arcade expands with another new game (more info to be revealed soon), temporarily titled Capsule Dragons Tower, launching Summer 2019. Development has just begun.

For those long-time Capsule Dragons fans (if there are fans, thanks for being patient) they will have remembered Capsule Dragons Universe. For those of you who do not remember or know, Capsule Dragons Universe was a cancelled prototype of a new Capsule Dragons game, where the player had twenty different weapons to run, jump, and attack with through exploring single-screen levels.

This concept of different weapons leads me to conclude to a new, arcade-style game. In Capsule Dragons Tower, the player explores an infinitely-high tower filled with enemies and randomly-generated single-screen levels. Every enemy can instantly defeat your player… but luckily, every five levels (one floor) you go through, you gain a different (or if lucky, the same) weapon to use to progress through the tower. Eventually, the player will encounter harder enemies with more health. The player can only get attacked twice before returning to the start, so see how far you can get and try to get a world high score!

The beta’s release will be Early Summer 2019, and the game comes out Summer 2019. Now, whatever happened to Capsule Dragons HD, I wonder?

Capsule Dragons Tower launches Summer 2019 on www.scratch.mit.edu/users/ZoruaAl , so check on my account page for any updates (besides here, the official Capsule Dragons website!).

Good day to all you people out there,

ZoruaAl

Remember that battle game with a demo uploaded here, called “Super Speedy Laser Cats”? This is what’s being worked on right now, while Capsule Dragons HD is a side project. Capsule Dragons HD is so close to being done, but it still needs a lot of testing, music and sounds, and maybe animation. This quick development update is mostly to say that Super Speedy Laser Cats, a four-player battle platformer game, without a release date, is being worked on now while Capsule Dragons HD is being finished. Super Speedy Laser Cats is getting bugfixes, gameplay balance updates (?) and more! Trying not to add too much content, the game is going well, however, it is not the time to announce a release date yet because the game is not close to completion.

That means Capsule Dragons HD’s release date of early 2020 has been moved to early 2021, which is from delays being with the game not being done yet. There are still quite a few music tracks left to make…

Right now for Capsule Dragons HD there are some bugs where the player goes into a new Chapter/section of the game and the boss there doesn’t say the right thing for that area. Update: bug fixed! The game is looking nice (HD) in vector graphics.

Oh, and some more information on Capsule Dragons Adventure– this project is just not being worked on right now. There are a lot of things going on with Capsule Dragons HD and Super Speedy Laser Cats, so Capsule Dragons Adventure will not have a release date yet or any new information– most of the game is being redone, including sprites, levels, music, and more. If it’s going to be a good game, it needs to be polished up and have enough content, but not too many features, for the player to enjoy. It’s a large-scale project being mostly redone, so if a release date were announced, that would have to get pushed back even further than Capsule Dragons HD’s release date, meaning there’s no specified time when the game will be ready.

Capsule Dragons Super Dash is available to play on the Capsule Dragons website! It’s an infinite runner where you have to dodge stuff.

play Capsule Dragons Soccer Smash on your phone, tablet, or computer at https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/282843417/

play Capsule Dragons Super Dash on your phone, tablet, or computer here!

Some news about Super Speedy Laser Cats: There will be new ‘battle rules’ that you can use to customize gameplay– not all of them are finalized, so I can’t share that information –but they might be things like adjusting how often powerups spawn, how much damage each cat takes, etc. The project is going well, and Capsule Dragons HD keeps getting new additions as well.

Capsule Dragons HD, on Scratch, comes out Early 2021. A finalized release date should be ready in early 2020, with the temporary release date (listed) as Early 2021. Look forward to more features, a score tracker, and more! Can you get the world high score? (When it comes out of course… busy with Super Speedy Laser Cats)

Go check out the Capsule Dragons HD tab on the webpage- it got updated as of today! (January 2019)

Working on a new project:

Super Speedy Laser Cats

It’s a multiplayer battle game you can download the demo for, here! Look forward to more news on it later, maybe more demos. Full game doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s coming along very well. Updates about it are at the top of this page.

Special code to play as Icey (In Capsule Dragons HD/Demo): Shiny1

More special codes coming soon!!

more opinions

Actual issues, not random game stuff

November 23, 2020 ZoruaAl

Update 12-6-2020: Please note that this article has several inaccuracies, ignorant remarks, and was published without prior editing. I hope that you are doing well, and I did not acknowledge that people who are in a bad situation may be reading this as well.

Update 3-19-2021: The following article contains only opinionated statements. Analysis is not credited, statistics, information, and other sources of accurate information for this post are not present, and this disclaimer should strongly advise you to research this issue on your own, as the Capsule Dragons website is a blog with opinion articles and not actual news articles (unless I’m talking about games).

Please note that this is an opinion article without an academic approach. I apologize for the lack of professional journalism on this website and will hold myself accountable to acknowledge where and when I mess up.

I’ve been doing some research on topics that I’ve been taking more time to look into recently; instead of learning about game design and programming languages, I’ve been doing research about real-world issues and have been unable to find any results for very specific topics… …even in a place that claims to value the truth, search browsers have systematically hidden any results that I am looking for about some of the following topics:

–> Biased results (all results for a specific topic are all on one side or are only showing two common approaches to something going on; the “News” section of common search engines only show results from specific news outlets and it’s harder to find news from independent journalists, as it seems that there are only specific websites that are allowed on a list of news pages that do appear)

–> Facts are replaced with clickbait (top results, anyway. You can eventually find what you’re looking for, but, it’s harder to find… …coincidentally, that may be on purpose)

–> And more. None of this should come as a surprise, but the fact that none of this is surprising is the disturbing part that this is normal… …please note that while none of this research is “conclusive”, and that I’ve left out browser and search engine names because of two reasons (copyright, but also that any well-known browser has these issues and there’s no reason to refer to a specific one).

It’s not like results are destroyed or taken away everywhere; this only happens for the “News” tab of several search engines I have tested, so you might be wondering why this matters at all or why I’m writing about this here.

Capsule Dragons (website) was originally about some series of games of the same name that I worked on with cloned physics engines, glitchy collisions, terrible dialogue writing, and the worst graphics possibly ever, but, I decided it would be more important to talk about what matters and not about little privileged things going on while being totally ignorant of the truth of what life’s about. It’s important to change this focus even if I don’t get to hear of when someone views this website, because it’s better that describing what’s going on might make someone care more about people and the world around them.

I’ve been personally frustrated with how corporate companies have been taking down independent projects due to whatever copyright claim they have, only to force giving fines or punishment, only from greed to gain more power and more money. Due to this, I will not share information on Infidemia until its art, sound, and engine resources are all original.
Even if Infidemia’s going to talk about things going on in the real world that need addressed, it’s not going to be the solution to the local and global crises going on.
Look, there’s a real-world COVID-19 pandemic that’s going on, affecting everyone, everywhere, and in any way. And yet people don’t have access to masks to wear, hand soap to use, household supplies that many take for granted (some take for granted so much that they think buying all of a store’s stock without people who actually need those resources are okay – seriously, something’s wrong).
Then, there’s the fact that the country I’m writing this in does not have any will to help its people – only communities can do that, only communities can unite together (while socially distanced and following safety precautions) to fight the completely corrupt systems that, when it comes down to it, are denying certain people the right to live, while giving that right to specific individuals based on whatever bias or prejudice against everyone else… …seriously, why isn’t there a system that systematically helps everyone through accounting for equity and treating everyone as equals? This isn’t political stuff, this is just describing what’s going on. My opinion has been stated, but the fact that there’s systematic denial of the right to live, play games, have a job, and enjoy life.

This isn’t the first time I’m speaking out and it won’t be the last (unless something happens though it seems like I’ll be here for a little bit longer yet.)
And yet people are blinded by the perspective that things must be either right or wrong, which hides the truth and makes the truth into either some symbol of justice or the opposite, dividing an issue to have opposing standpoints just so people can fight each other. Really? Is that how the world has to work? Infidemia’s going to explore all this I’m talking about and more, but, it’s just a game, and getting the “final ending” won’t do you any good to help achieve the changes that societies around the world need. Games aren’t going anywhere, either, and you can play them when you’re done helping people in need, or maybe giving away games to those who usually do not get to enjoy them based on the divides I’ve spoken about before. Going back to the idea that things must be one way or another – if you keep focusing on calling one side “good”, you’ll deny what happens if that “side” becomes corrupt. Same goes for calling one side “bad” – it’s perspectives that divide us, not unite us and figure out how to help each other by teaming up with our different ideas and contributing to change that’s actually going to do something.

The country that I’m writing this in is not only facing political issues where people fail to accept that the government is corrupt (no matter your standpoint, it needs change – look at how things work more closely, not as someone tells you how they work – don’t believe what you’re told until you research it) and because of the dividing perspectives on politics, some people claim the election isn’t over yet. Sure, the current presidency might continue on for a while, but, you have to know that it’s going to be over soon. A change in presidencies won’t solve everything, and I’m not saying that it’s going to be bad or good. I’m just saying that there will be someone else who portrays the role of leader, whether that helps or it doesn’t, it’s going to change. (No matter your political standpoint, though, you can at least admit that there should be an end to offensive remarks made by someone who assumes the role of leader.)
Look, history repeats itself only because people are okay with history repeating. Do people really want to see another weapon of mass destruction destroy part of the world and part of the world’s history? Do people really want organizations dedicated to denying people the right to live? Do people really want their individualities to be judged or lost? How is everyone just okay with this? You can’t just binge-play games or binge-watch TV while everyone around you is in a struggle to make it to the next day. You can’t just ignore this. And you can’t hold on to only having one perspective, either. You have to be willing to accept change, and change your mind, too. How is it that someone like me has time to write all this while someone else might be close to death?
Companies have claimed they’re interested in helping the world, but all they want is money. Non-profit companies that don’t make a single smallest unit of economic quantity are companies that are doing their work without motivation of greed. Companies claim they stand up for social justice while they exploit their workers and create an imbalance of paying people who do nothing while giving nothing to people who are doing all the hard work. Complain about programming or office work, and keep ordering goods out of the idea of convenience, but realize that people in warehouses who are packing and organizing goods are being treated like robots, as if they’re only human resources.
Independent groups have been shut down by companies from whatever companies can use to shut them down. Why, though? Does using a DMCA takedown to remove a legally-made game that was made for no profits or donations really help your company, or does it just make your company look like the bad guy here? Some companies even rely on shutting down independent developers who aren’t making any money and then taking money from them (this often happens with people who do make money, in whatever method, though developers making games for nonprofit can also be harmed).
Why does an open-source project get completely removed from the Internet due to some claim about its original work being too close to the “official” variant, or because its reverse-engineering was so well done that a company mistook it for the real thing and claimed it was a copy, using that as an excuse to destroy independent work?

And yet, people with privilege think that they can spend their money on all sorts of luxuries to help them escape the terrible world called reality. If you have a lot of money, why don’t you use it to research an organization that could use your economic “advantage” (in a world of economic inequity) to use your money to help people who don’t have any, or get food for people who don’t have any? Why does the system have to be “those who have a lot get more, and those who need more have less and get less”?

Writing this won’t solve everything, but, I hope that you reconsider your approach to what’s really going on.

You can’t just let history repeat itself, and then let history textbooks repeatedly wash out the truth with their own biased, sometimes even perspectives that call justice a crime and call white supremacy okay – it’s not okay, and it needs to stop.

Life is real, and so are the struggles many people are facing right now.

What are you going to do, though? Are you going to “sit back, and relax” as you watch millions of people suffer? Or are you willing to actually care?

I didn’t plan to write this article at all, it just came to me when I noticed that my search engine wasn’t working the way I wanted it to… …and not just in a glitchy way. Glitches like wavedashing in games are okay, but, the current situation isn’t a glitch, or a game-breaking bug, or a metafictional bug. It’s real, and it’s too often mistaken for a “dystopian world”, because everyone’s looking in the perspective of “oh, people are suffering around me and that’s fine, because I’m living in a utopia and everyone else isn’t.” No, there is no utopia. If you think your life is going well, then you’re probably either really lucky, or you’re being used as a tool to systematically oppress people around you, but, it’s probably both.

If you’re someone who’s enjoying something made by an entertainment company, why don’t you go research hidden truths about that company?

On the other hand, there are a lot of truths about successes by underrepresented groups, but these truths are often hidden. On the topic of games, there was a game console called the Fairchild Channel F (there’s an emulator for it available, though I’m not sure if the console itself is easy to find). It launched before another very popular, mainstream-known console, but the Channel F was the first console to use rewritable flash cartridges. A major contributor and in fact the creator of rewritable flash cartridges was
Gerald Anderson “Jerry” Lawson, an African-American contributor to video game history. Seriously, that’s really cool, for Lawson to pretty much “invent the video game cartridge”, – then, what did the competing console do? Copy the design, use cartridges, and then destroy the history of the Channel F, and so on…. …well, there’s an insightful video game history fun fact that took me at least three searches to get info on – again, showing how my results get filtered out (but results aren’t the focus here.)

Oh yeah, the Channel F also stood for “Channel Fun”, so the “Fairchild Channel Fun” would be the longer name for it, though this kind of shows the perspective of how gaming’s an enjoyable thing, though the modern-day perspective usually shows “oh, we don’t have time to play games, too busy with office work, etc. etc.”. While Fairchild was a company, it was an important step in technology that had a major success in tech early on that often goes unnoticed.

How can you leave that unnoticed?! Retro game console fans appreciate the harder-to-find, sometimes appreciating the underrepresented, game consoles, and would certainly be interested in appreciating the underappreciated. Even a game console that wasn’t very successful but had some very meme worthy lines from a specific series of spinoff games that were licensed became popular, although for a different reason, of not having well-developed games… …still, though, if you appreciate what’s often forgotten, then why don’t you make a way for people to remember that, as well? Corporate businesses thrive on power and greed that often uses competition as an excuse to do so, but in the midst of their competition, independent companies and creators are forgotten – independent musicians, artists, game developers, authors, anything – they’re all forgotten… …and yet preserving their work is counted as a crime because of copyright? Copyright was intended to protect individuals’ works for a limited time, not grant ridiculous levels of protection to companies that already have too much protection.

There’s no reason to defend something that has too much protection already. Instead, question their power, but, realize that once you do, it’ll be hard to stop questioning. In some places, speaking out against injustice counts as a crime. Really? How else are people and communities going to solve issues that have plagued this world for hundreds of years? Are we all going to have to face 20 years in a correctional facility because we stood up against companies with too much power? Are you going to let people suffer, but do nothing to help those around you, because you’re afraid that you’ll get hurt even though it’s your right to stand up for those in need?

The truth is too far often ignored and some claim it’s “not allowed” to talk about certain topics, which, the act of doing so is called “censorship”. When the truth is censored because systems in place don’t want you to know what’s really going on in the world, and they want to force your perspective to only see their lies made from greed and prejudice… …how can people so easily give into this?

Today, if you are living a comfortable life, go read about what’s going on in the world, from a variety of sources, but try to realize each source’s bias and perspective in each. Also go research human rights, then compare them to company rights. Try to understand more of the world, and view it from different perspectives, even ones you disagree with.

The only way to get a complete understanding is to look at it from all 360 degrees.

If you’re looking for factual information, this will take more effort and you’ll have to do more research, but, if you do it, you can speak of the truth also, and speak out against injustice, and spread awareness.

Before I finish off this post, go make sure to stay safe (wear protective face masks properly when around people, wash your hands, anything legit you need to do) and try to make someone else’s day fun by helping them (while socially distanced and such). Donate toys and games to a charity that will actually give them to people who wouldn’t get them otherwise. Enact any kind of change you can, but it’s best to start small, and then increase your scope eventually.

I know this is a little thing and it did absolutely nothing to do anything.

Playing Infidemia and getting the “final ending” might make you feel good, but it wouldn’t do anything either.

The only way that I can do something is by being actively involved, not just sitting off to the side writing about things I noticed that need to change, and that I’ll be a part of changing.

I refer to myself as the “monarch of understatements”, which means when I’m talking about something important, it’s hard for me to emphasize that. I was considering adding a few explicatives to get my point across, but, that would probably come across the wrong way. Regardless of what would have happened, I have yet to see if I violated the WordPress terms of service or not.

Oh yeah, privacy policies and terms of service are left intentionally vague, though it is possible to understand the language used in legal documents if you research them or find an accessible version.

I published this on WordPress, a website hosting service that has some terms of service, privacy policy info, cookie info, etc., and currently the website isn’t secure because forgot to update something but besides that the downloads here should be safe (Unity games), and some website certificate that expires every month but probably has a monthly fee.

Somehow, I was able to update this… …well, anyway, I hope you’re more aware now and will start to actually care – do something today. I’m sure that anyone who has had time to read this has enough time and money to actually do something that I couldn’t.

-ZoruaAl