2021 has seen some of the most promising development for Guardian’s Guide since I begin making the game many years ago. Even though I took the time to transfer the project over to a newer framework, the setback was very worth it and has allowed me to make changes that will benefit the game once it is complete.

With that said, development time is a foul beast. It is very easy to get caught up in feature creeps and “improvement” spells. I spent a bit too much time in 2021 doing these things when I should have been pushing the project forward. Towards the end of 2021 I realized I didn’t have a release date for this project. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even have a release time frame. “Was I even planning to release this game?”, I asked myself. The obvious answer is yes, it’s the predominant reason I’m making this game, so people can play it.

I have to get serious. More serious than any time in my life. I have to set a dead line, and then push myself to meet that dead line. So I decided for 2022 I will “complete” the game. As in, the game will be playable from start to finish, minus the polish, effects, final art, etc. Having the game in this state by the end of the year will allow for a early 2023 release date. So here it is, an official declaration.

Guardian’s Guide will be released in 2023.

Everything I do from now on will be to make that deadline. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to split my focus from development to site maintenance, to social media and beyond. Most of these web sources will suffer since I plan to hyper focus on accelerating development. I will still attempt to update the website regularly, but the updates may be sparse. Keep in mind, I am also working a full time, 40 hour job. I will be sacrificing all my free time to make this dead line.

I have a plan that splits the game into chucks to be completed each month. Here is roughly what I am attempting.

January – Entire game completed on paper/begin completing year 1

February – Complete Year 1 (age 11)

March – Complete Year 2 (age 12)

April – Complete Year 3 ( age 13)

May – Complete Year 4 (age 14)

June – Complete Year 5 (age 15)

July – Complete Year 6 (age 16)

August – Complete Year 7 (age 17)

September – Complete Post Game (age 18)

October November December – Work on final 10% (testing, adjusting, editing, improving, other endless task)

This is a very favorable outcome. The truth is I have no idea how long completing a year will take. It might be quick, it might take much longer than a month. Nevertheless, once I have a good idea of the time frame, I’ll be able to get faster. I expect to fall behind in the beginning as I know I still have many things I need to do before I can really get into full development swing.

This 2022 year time span also gives my artists plenty of time to complete my initial request bulk as well as the images I plan to add once I start working through the years of the game.

Once I get to the fateful “Final 10%” I will start doing more site specific stuff like advertising and showing off the game. I guess that will be more of a 2023 thing. If I’m not at that point by then, hopefully I will be close enough to get an official release date in mind. If I’m not even half way, then that’s pretty much a fail on my end.

2023 might sound like a long wait for you guys, but it feels like almost no time for me to get all the work I need completed. lol But I am going to get it done. I want more than anything for the project to be successful. An entire future of other projects and my personal life depends on me properly bringing this game to market. I won’t let everyone who’s helped me up to this point down, I WILL complete this game. Please give me all your support for 2022 and 2023!