I’ve only just started on this “25 hour” path and I’m already making mistakes.

Last time, I used the phrase “a new as-yet-unannounced game” as though a game idea has qualified for that status.

There is a candidate, but nothing has passed the bar that marks it as something I intend to ship..

That said, I did say I’d talk about it, so that’s what I’ll do.

I’ve given the current candidate the very clever/creative/unique name “Idle Space Empire”, or ISE. The simple gist, right in the name, is that it’s an idle take on the classic 4X “space empire” genre.

A more nuanced take is that it’s an attempt to solve a problem I often have with 4X games. I like running giant games, so after awhile they slow to a crawl both CPU-wise and progress-wise. Very little changes for many turns, and I find myself wanting to put it on near-autopilot. “Call me when something interesting/important happens.”

ISE is an answer to that want.

It won’t be “clicker-style” idle, nor will it be “stamina game” idle, but rather… something closer to a garden.

The feel I want to evoke is that your empire exists in a virtual space, and is growing in the way you directed when last you stopped by. Then you come back, see what’s happened, and get to work. Bit of pruning here, some guidance there, etc.

It’s nearing the first 25h milestone, at which point I’ll have to get someone else to play it and tell me why it’s terrible.

My gut feeling so far is that it’s a bit underwhelming. I have not yet managed to manifest ‘the spark’.

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Next time, I am aiming to have some initial news about BAWD 1.1 to share. Stay tuned!