So! 

It's the third time I'm writing an annual EMUUROM status update, a blog post where I ceremoniously announce that even though I didn't get the game done this year, the next year is DEFINITELY going to be the year of EMUUROM. So in this fashion, let's update our graphic for the next year and-

Uhh, I give up. No "EMUUROM comes out in early 2023" this time. I am done with promises - the game is out when it's done. Be it 2023, 2024 or even later, I will announce it when I'm absolutely sure. Yeah, I dreaded writing this blog post a lot more than the previous ones, as you might tell: here I am, spending the new year's eve, writing this. So let's get this over with!

Progress so far

In the previous EMUUROM status update (Dec 10th 2021), I described having 35 out of 64 rooms done - the second Neva biome completed, the third Harju biome in progress. 2022 has been busy, and I'm glad to inform that at the moment a whopping 62 out of 64 rooms are completed! Wow! Harju was completed a long time ago, and at this point I've pretty much completed the final biome of Vuara as well.

Also, I created a new rune writing system for the world of EMUUROM. It's been a life-long dream of mine to create a cryptic writing system, and one weekend it just... HAPPENED. The system is featured extensively in-game, for instance in the new overhauled DEX and MAP screens. I'm planning to incorporate the runes in marketing much more in the future - their presence seems to make people more curious about the game!

Speaking of making people curious about the game: in 2022, I got out of my dev cave and showcased EMUUROM in Turku and Helsinki, and got some all-important feedback from new playtesters on both occasions. I even gave a talk about EMUUROM at the Aalto University as a part of the Games Now! lecture series. A recording of it is on YouTube, so go check it out! I also joined LGIN, a support network for game startups. It's been a godsend - I've gotten valuable advice from industry professionals, and I imagine learning from experienced devs is gonna make the launch of EMUUROM a lot smoother.

Things to come

With 62/64 rooms done, what is there to be done before I can release EMUUROM, then?

Well, those two remaining rooms are boss rooms. Yikes! One of them almost works already, but the other, the more important one... well, it's in progress. And those 62 completed rooms - they still live and change as I get more feedback from playtesters; especially the final area of Vuara is still in a need of serious playtesting before I can call it done done.

Even when rooms are at 64/64, there are still a few things to do: for instance, the game has to be wrapped up with an ending cutscene. I've already written a script for it - I "just" need to implement it in the game. And not only that... I want to add more secrets! This was sparked by a game I recently heard about: ANIMAL WELL, an upcoming mysterious exploration platformer by Billy Basso. In my mind, in a linear axis from Rain World to EMUUROM, ANIMAL WELL sits right in the middle. An... emuuroidvania? Anyway, I'm already a huge fan, and after hearing it has "puzzles that may take 10 years to solve", I felt I need to step up my game... and I already have many ideas for secrets I can't wait to add to EMUUROM!

Speaking of waiting - better keep on doing that. Releasing EMUUROM is gonna take at least a few more months, and if that isn't enough, I'm going to take another unpaid sabbatical from work next summer; if the game isn't done by then, that's gonna be the needed giant leap towards completion. No promises, though! Having poured countless hours into EMUUROM, I don't want to rush the ending, unlike with this blog post.

Happy new year!

PS. Did you see the new trailer already?