How do you do, everyone? Mangoku418 here! 

Thanks for checking out my very first Devlog post! The goal is to post a devlog each month to keep you all informed on how progress is going. I lot of things have happened this past year and we've made some major updates from March 2020 to now. This will probably be the longest one because I have to go through intros. ^^

But first, some history! 

"Project Kawasaki" actually started all the way back in 2012 under the name "Kawasaki Chronicles" (Why it was called that, I can't tell you. Maybe because it sounded cool?). It started out as a small comedy/romance comic series, much like To-LOVE-Ru, Love Hina, and Toradora!.

Fast-forward to 2016, my VN proof-of-concept of "Kawasaki Chronicles" was created. I started using RenPy after trying it out for an English project in college. The engine was super efficient and easy to use. It was also a good way to apply my art skills. I tried to make the game to incorporate stat-building and bonding with characters on a day-to-day basis. It was very bare-bones, but it worked (somewhat). I planned to have over 10 characters you can interact with, each with 10 side chapters. I even had ideas of adding RPG elements and NSFW cutscenes. Overwhelmed by the overall scope and dealing with my college endeavors at the same time, the project was put on hiatus.

I went to school for game design and made it out with a Bachelor's degree. Unfortunately, because the gaming industry is very competitive, I was unable to secure a job after graduation. I've tried making small projects and taking in commissions all the while applying to jobs. The end result wasn't the greatest because I was stressed out and getting frustrated from getting no traction. And then it hit me: "If I can't get a job in the industry with my degree, why not just make your own game and use that as a portfolio piece"? Because employers don't just want to see a degree, but they also what to see what you can truly do. Normally I'd try to make platforming or fighting games, which are what I like to play the most. But I've gone and tried that since 2010 and OOF they didn't turn out too good. I wanted to try something new. Something else that's interesting and can help me pick up some new skills. And visual novels came to mind. Oh yeah, disclaimer, I don't play visual novels often. I remember my brother's reaction when I told him that I was making a visual novel. He was like, "Wait, really? But you don't normally play visual novels and I thought you didn't like reading." Well sure, but I've always enjoyed the concept. And as a character artist, it was a perfect way to show off my skills. In Winter 2019, I decided to pick up "Kawasaki Chronicles" again and reorganize the game's scope. Rebuilding the game from the ground up, the game was reincarnated to "Project Kawasaki". Note: "Project Kawasaki" is not the final game name.

Where's the Plot?

Because I'm an adult now trying to create a game based on an idea I made when I was in high school, things needed to change. I wanted the story to be more impactful and relatable to real-life situations. Something that focused on building friendships, finding meaning, suffering from bullying, and dealing with family loss. I started taking inspiration from media like A Silent Voice, CLANNAD, and Aggretsuko. Back in the "Chronicles" days, Nao died of an "unknown illness". A lot of family deaths are caused by sickness, murder, car accidents, etc. While those types of deaths are very heartbreaking, I wanted to try something different that not many people go over. And that was suicide. By changing the cause of death to suicide, it raises a lot of questions as to what was going on in Nao's head and why she ended her life. It creates a different conflict for Ayame, dealing with rumors about her mother's passing, fighting her inner demons, and trying to accept that she didn't bring about her mother's death. Researching this topic took some time, as I wanted to get a good understanding of what people's thought processes are when it comes to suicide, and learn how their family and friends react to it. And let me tell you, suicide and depression are no joke.

Kawasaki Timeline

After fleshing out the story and characters, I finally started developing "Project Kawasaki" in March 2020. Since then, I've been trying to improve my art style and connect with other VN devs.

In June 2020, I released my prototype build.

Later in October 2020, I released my alpha demo with updated sprites, new characters, and a more fleshed-out story based on previous critiques. Though I was told it was a tad long for a demo.

And now?

Since then, I've been working with some very talented people in writing and background art to help better convey the story. Here are some things that we're working on right now.

And there's more to come! My next plan of action is to create promotional material to help sell my game to potential consumers. I'd like to start a Kickstarter campaign sometime in April/May to help fund the project. Things have been going smoothly and I'm much more confident that I can reach this goal! It's also scary because I'm treading in unfamiliar territory. I want to thank everyone who's helped me get this far. From family to friends to fellow VN devs to people in many communities, I wouldn't have made it this far without your support.

And that's about it for now! Let me know how I did so I can improve on my next one! Expect a new devlog sometime by the end of next month. If you'd like to keep updated throughout the month, be sure to follow me on Twitter and join my Discord server. This is Mangoku418. Have yourselves an Omega Awesome Day, and Happy New Year. Cheers! ^^