3. ONE MONTH LATER

In this post:

• Recap of the past month’s accomplishments

• Unfortunate news on the trademark

• What’s next

A Productive January

A lot has happened in 31 days.

The RedSixteen.com site is up and loaded with new concept art to help capture the desired tone of the game. I opted for Confluence as our hub to keep us organized and collaborating throughout development. Additionally we set up a Discord server for our internal team to stay connected as well.

We have a team now, too. I’ve contracted with a highly talented developer/designer, concept artist, and soon-to-be-set-up narrative writer, so things are moving. Introductions have been made to potential composers as well as a highly skilled sound designer, and next on the list will be identifying a strong 3D modeler/rigger/animator.

The game’s general level structure, boss list, and flow have been drafted along with detailed character backgrounds for our protagonist, her allies, and some villains, too. I really like where the narrative is going, particularly adhering to strong script and screenplay storytelling structures (how’s that for alliteration?)

Regarding gameplay, we have just wrapped up our first week of development with virtual server access and versioning in place. The early days are mostly filled with rough prototyping and experimentation as we try and build/test several unique combat mechanics we think could be amazing.

Funding all of this is… an interesting experience. But my sights are currently set on applying for several grants to bring the vision of this game to life with the resources it deserves.

Frustrating Trademarks

On a somber note, Microsoft owns the trademark for the word “Fable” from their game. That’s right, they own the entire word. And no one is allowed to use it. It’s bullshit for sure as there isn’t a single word in the english language that communicates the setting, feel, and vibe of this game better than “fable”. Fairytale and Folklore do not have nearly the same gravitas.

Meanwhile, nearly every conceivable combination of words to title a fantasy game has been taken. Seriously, everything. Think of a fantasy game name… Ever After? Once Upon the Wild? Once Upon a [any word here]? They’re all taken. I may have tried about 97 ideas so far, but not giving up yet!

In the interim, I’ll be meeting again with our attorney this week to see if there’s anything we can do at all on the Fable front. Yes, it’s frustrating, but in the end the game will be bigger than whatever it’s titled (RIP “Fable’s Edge” - we barely knew you).

What’s Next for February?

Up next for February is the gas pedal down on all fronts. I really want to nail down Red’s character to a place we feel good enough to get it into modeling and move into other character and environment art from there. The story will continue to be developed and the long list of system mechanics continues to get filled out.

All of this will fold nicely into grant applications and presentations to secure more funding. I can legitimately say that this game aims to subvert expectations in every lane: Story, Dialogue, Gameplay, Combat, Music, Visuals, and Setting. It truly is exciting.