Making the action worth keeping
Combat practice, a clearer film-set identity, and the gap between implementing a feature and trusting it.
This entry is in progress. It records the state of the work so far, rather than a completed day's results. The images below are labeled November 12 captures used to explain the systems; a new date on a post does not turn them into new footage.
More systems, more questions
The project now contains dedicated practice spaces for working on combat: a dojo, shooting range, and batting cage. They give the weapons and interactions somewhere to be developed without having to make the whole film work at once.
The source and design have expanded to cover a much broader set of interactions and scene ideas. That breadth is also a risk. The handoff describes later film scenes as rough first drafts, and records substantial gaps in recent headset testing. I need to keep the distinction between implemented, captured, and played successfully visible.
The player should be the star
The November 13 art-direction document sharpens the film-set idea: simple stunt-performer or motion-capture stand-ins for enemies, practical sets, and a more finished-looking lead actor in post-production. It is a direction for the work, not a description of art that has already shipped.
That supports the same original ambition. The point is not just to survive a scene. It is to create an action sequence that I want to watch again from another angle.
The cutting room is a feature, not a victory lap
Post-production remains a central part of the design. Recording a take is one problem; reconstructing it convincingly, placing cameras, controlling playback, and producing a useful video are several more.
The handoff identifies export, timeline control, and the lead actor's hand presentation as areas needing further work and verification. Some files may move ahead of that note during the day. I will update the diary from actual reviewed outputs rather than treating the note—or the existence of a video file—as the final word.
What still needs proof
- Repeatable checks of the current alley and practice levels after the recent changes.
- Actual headset feedback on the new interactions, rather than desktop-only observations.
- A reviewed Director's Cut export, including picture, sound, and camera behavior.
- Performance measurements on the current build before making performance claims.
The website is part of this process too. I want the daily record to show the decisions and the rough edges, alongside the satisfying moments. A polished landing page should not hide how the game was made.
Next: test the current work, capture what changes, and use that evidence for the next update. The narrated daily video will be added after recording and upload.
