Inspiration is Found In Doing
So I was finally able to make the greenhouse! And I’m so pleased with the results. It was definitely the right move to go ahead with the building of the bedroom while I struggled to conceptualize how I was going to draw the greenhouse. I’ve found that the best antidote to creator’s block is to just start working on a different part of the project.
I didn’t always work this way, however. When I was younger, I would love to write all sorts of stories: novellas, short stories, and even novels. Frequently, however, I wouldn’t know how to proceed with the story and I’d sit with horrible writer’s block for months. Most of my projects remained unfinished because I simply couldn’t get past a certain scene. As I’ve worked on building my creative skills though (whether through video editing, writing, game development, drawing), I’ve found that truly the best way to push forward is to just stop working on whatever is giving you trouble and pick up a different part of problem. Usually, inspiration is found along the way.
Similarly, I’m having a hard time working on the background. I’m on my third attempt and I really don’t like it so far. Simultaneously, I’m started to get a clearer vision of what I want the UI to look like. There’s really so many different parts to building Martian Alchemist that honestly if I have trouble building one part, I can just start working on another part 😂
I will say, one massive improvement I made was I converted my project to the new Universal Render Pipeline in Unity. Rather than using the older rendering pipeline, I took the time to convert my project and every single asset I’d imported thus far to the newer version. It took a lot of finagling, a lot of tutorials, reading through the Unity docs, and some trial and error but I finally got it to work! Now I can use the fancy-dancy 2D lights and make the scene look soooo much better.
I wanted to do this because I realized I’m going to want to use particle effects and the fancy lighting down in the lava tube portion of the game. Part of me thought, “Oh, it’s too much work to change it; just leave it as is,” but then my internal Fletcher said, “If you think it’s too much work, it’s probably the right decision.” And I am so glad that I took the time to figure out why it wasn’t working and get everything set up the right way.
This whole process has been a lesson in persistence and adaptability. There were times when I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions to be made, each one a potential rabbit hole of its own. But breaking it down into manageable tasks, switching gears when needed, and celebrating the small victories has kept me moving forward. The greenhouse was a significant milestone, not just because it’s a crucial element of the game, but because it represents overcoming a creative hurdle that once felt insurmountable.
Next, I’m planning to tackle the main potion making station. I’ve got a rough idea of how I want each tool to work, but nothing final yet. It’s a bit daunting, considering how important this room is to the central game. However, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from this project, it’s that taking it one step at a time and not being afraid to pivot when necessary will eventually get me to where I want to be. The journey of creating Martian Alchemist is far from over, but each completed piece brings the whole picture a little more into focus.
