Ghost Knight: A Dark Tale - Update 2-5-23

Hello, Ghost Knight: A Dark Tale Fans/Followers,

First of all I wanted say, I am still working on the game. As it is a Solo-Developer endeavor, it takes time.
I have not been updating the blog or any social media because I’ve decided to take the time and focus on the mechanics/enemy/Boss designs. Which basically means a lot of the backgrounds/art isn’t in a finished or presentable state. You can only make a first impression once and I’d like to have it be a positive one.

2020 - Since releasing the first trailer in 2020, I have received a lot of positivity and feedback from fans of retro-style games such as Ghosts and Goblins and Megaman. Some of which, I have taken to heart and made some changes such as character movement speed and mobility, basically making the game/movement faster, while also making the enemies faster and more aggressive.

2020 - A medical scare has left me quite depressed and anxious throughout the past 2 years, as halfway through 2020, I found out I had a complex kidney cyst and its a 50/50 chance that it might be cancer. Which, throughout the hellscape that was 2020-2021 was just devastating; finding care/finding answers/finding surgeons to consult with, during the peak of the pandemic was an anxiety inducing nightmare. But we kept monitoring and getting CT scans/ultrasounds, with no changes. But I kept development going, working 8-12 hours a day, with no time off.

2021 - I decided to concentrate solely on everything that is “Gameplay first”. Everything I’ve focused on has been anything the character interacts with, enemies/platforms/obstacles I take to 100%, but environment, effects, polish has taken a back-seat until I feel like each level has a good flow to it. Still working non-stop.

2023 - GOOD NEWS - After monitoring the cyst/tumor for 2 years, I found out that it started shrinking and the doctors think its benign. Which, is a load off my mind. I feel reinvigorated especially after seeking mental health therapy for anxiety/depression.
Been putting in 8-12 hour days 7 days a week since 2020, taking minimal time off, here and there for family, mental health. But I am as motivated as I ever was to finish Ghost Knight: A Dark Tale hopefully by Spring 2024, for Steam/PC. There’s still a lot to learn, a lot to work do, I am glad I get to do the job I have always dreamed of.
I would like to show little - unfinished Alpha bits here and there on the dev-log to whoever is interested in the coming weeks/months.

I leave you with a small taste of an animation of a transformation sequence of an enemy type.

Thank you,
Sincerely,
Arty
Grimware Games, LLC

Royal Dog possessed by The Unseen Ones, Transformation Animation