Gee whiz, you guys are awful vocal about what you guys want me to be working on instead of something else. So basically, I’ll be putting MGS 3 on the backburners — probably meaning it won’t be released until 2011 at the earliest. Instead, I’ll be focusing what little effort I’ve got left back on The Underside.
In recent The Underside news, I’ve been hard at work writing a text script for the game. It’s something I started doing with Merry Gear Solid 2, which helped me keep the game’s story focused, and less scatterbrained as the past The Underside iterations have been. With older versions of The Underside, I had been writing dialogue off the top of my head as I was writing the lua script files, and as a result, which is why the game was so unfocused, and lead you on a tenuous chain of events to a bunch of places without any real rhyme nor reason.
One thing I’ve noticed is that Multimedia Fusion’s lack of memory management has made the game hiccup every time a new weapon is fired, or when a new sound is played, which is a result of Multimedia Fusion loading files on the fly, instead of, say, pre-caching them. It’s a minor thing, but it’s something I definitely want to take a second look at in the future. I’ve got an idea as to how I’d fix the problem, but it’s awfully hacky.
Anyways, that’s it. I’ll be focusing 100% of my development efforts on The Underside, and maybe, just maybe, I can finally free myself from this tortuous prison of expectations (which will be met, and hopefully, shattered by my unwavering talent).
Peace out, bros.
August 26th, 2010 at 3:22 am
Nice that we at last are going to see some Progress at the underside!
It really is one of the best retro games made today and i really think it has more potencial than many original classic games!
you are the man Arthur!
August 26th, 2010 at 6:34 am
Just… don’t feel so pressured you rush things. Everything’s better when you put time and love into it. And rainbows.
But seriously, it’s not like anyone’s paying you huge sums of money or betting their firstborn’s life on you finishing TU first. So relax or something, I don’t know.
It’ll be an awesome game of course dn_nb
August 26th, 2010 at 6:45 am
yay!!!
August 26th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Hmmm I am quite excited but you don’t have to continue with the game until your ready to. I’ve seen alot of things start good but get worse later on because they continued there idea before they were ready.
August 26th, 2010 at 10:59 am
As one of the people who has been harassing you to work on TU, its good to just know that youre not ignoring the project, but as everyone else has said dont rush it. Its obviously no easy task and I thank you for putting the time into it.
August 26th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
in b4 fags switch it up on you and want MGS3.
Both are good and both have kept me interested enough to follow.I’m still amused at the detail you put on MGS2 (from the little ocelot cameos) maybe these “side projects” you’re doing are helping you more than others think. Hopefully after these I’ll see some more original concepts you’ve been hiding.
As for people harassing you to work on projects (I’m guessing most are 13 year olds that don’t know shit about how much work is put into hobbies wanting to score a free game). I find it cool you look at that for input and feedback but it’s your shit do what you gotta do.
TL;DR Good luck on both projects none the less.
August 26th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Pretty impressed all the stuff was done on the fly before. Can’t wait to see some meaningful updates for the underside.
August 26th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Then will we be getting the modding update you promised a year ago?
August 26th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
yes let’s all complain on how promises were broken and lies were told. OR, we could could shut up and let the guy do whatever the f*&k he wants. as long as what he wants to do is work on is TU.
August 27th, 2010 at 8:44 am
As one of those whiners, I am incredibly happy you are working on TU again, i’ve been following this project since 06.
August 27th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Cool man!
Take it nice and easy though.
Also, I wanted to say this for Streemerz, but forgot.
You see, the whole Action 52 thing reminds me of a song..
“Remember shitty retro games we played when we were eight?
Let’s do them over, pretend we don’t make minimum wage
And Derek Yu can you put us on the front page?”
August 27th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Wow, you guys are ridiculous. Harassing a guy who does this for his hobby and his own personal time, not being paid trying to entertain you guys. Creators shouldn’t be forced to work on something they aren’t in the mood to work on, Personally i loved the Merry Gear solid series me and my brother thought it was one of the most epic and clever things i have played. so Well made from the dialogue and sprites straight to the Music itself, i adored it and when the 3rd trailer came out i was speechless in how fun it was going to be. To hear that it was coming out soon was really exciting. this is terrible news for me, i am looking forward to your game. But this is Depressing me…. thanks guys.
August 27th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
VIDEO GAAAAAAAAAAMES
August 27th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
I agree with garyyo.
But yeah, it makes me feel bad to know that we’ve guilted you back into working on it. I don’t know if you had as much fan support back in the first iteration, but you’re slowly building up an audience that liked it. Whatever you do, do a good job, okay?
August 27th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
heh. failure is never an option with ol arturo.
August 28th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Failure is always an option. In fact it is the easiest option. When you splay your cards ‘pon life’s great table and tally up the probabilities, the path to greatness is the road less travelled. Tarmacadam winds this way and that, a great, inky, tentacled beast leading inexorably to failure. A proclivity to success merely harshens the blow of failure’s clubbing hands. In the end, we all die.
August 29th, 2010 at 12:18 am
when u gonna start working on TU? Its like u forgot bout it LOL
August 29th, 2010 at 10:54 am
I do not know what you think, but I think that the story in The Underside is actually inspired by the situation mankind is facing – that is, gradual self-destruction.
Let us show that the world CAN be saved, so that we do not need to see ourselves wiped away by the Almighty Paintbrush!
August 30th, 2010 at 1:45 am
“which will be met, and hopefully, shattered by my unwavering talent”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! LOOK LAD’S HE THINKS HE CAN APPEASE THE PUBLIC!
AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!
WHAT A RIOT YOU ARE!
August 30th, 2010 at 3:53 am
Welcome to killing town, I’m the president.
August 30th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
I agree with what has been said about ‘guilting you into working’. Well, it’s your projects. Just take your time, make sure they’re extra awesome.
August 30th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
i thunks that he just tryin to makes us feelin guilty bout workin on the TU, when he really wants to be workins on the TU
August 30th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Noooooooooo I want MGS3!!!!!!!!11111oneonetwo
August 31st, 2010 at 3:57 pm
YESSSSSS
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
August 31st, 2010 at 5:58 pm
August 31st, 2010 at 6:03 pm
I think I just came…
Thank you for coming back to finish Underside
August 31st, 2010 at 8:10 pm
^^^^^
hey guy, shut the fuck up. nobody wants to hear about your stinky weiner especially when you are Literally this person http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKV28Cm19kM
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:24 am
The Underside is currently my favourite indie game, and it’s good to hear you are making progress with it.
But I do think it’s a shame that people are forcing you to abandon your other projects (albeit temporarily) to work on it.
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:04 pm
YIPPEEE! I LOVE TU!
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:01 pm
WE APPRECIATE THIS AS MUCH AS WE WILL INEVITABLY CRITICIZE IT WHEN IT COMES OUT (Not me but unappreciative bastards).
Yours,
Appreciative
September 4th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Sad to hear you’re not working on Merry Gear Solid 3. It looks really cool.
Good luck with The Underside though.
September 6th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
It’s interesting to note that I’d kind of accepted that The Underside had gone the way of Duke Nukem Forever in lieu of other projects… until the recently announcement of DNF’s revival… it made me think about TU and so I came back to check.
I was pleasantly surprised to see this post… although I am a bit worried about the tone/attitude of the post in a sense that you seem overly stressed and somewhat unhappy. Don’t push yourself too hard, eh?
September 7th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
back to work *crack*
September 7th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
I’d personally rather see another Merry Gear, but that’s just me.
September 7th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
I think this praise might be giving you a case of the USI and gays.
September 12th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
I personally think that it’s good idea that you’re currently only working on The Underside. It’s better to put one’s focus on one project and polish it enough to say “I made something awesome!” I really hope the Underside will be such a thing. Though the Merry Gear Solid 3 video made me really excited, so I’m hoping for both games to be released within my patience’s limit(kidding).
September 26th, 2010 at 1:03 am
The Underside is spectacular, so this is wonderful news.
September 26th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
lol buttz u made my day
We all want the undeside because its the sequel to cave story (gameplay-wise) right?
September 27th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
yes
September 27th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
I say CS and TU are on the same level. they are both awesome. *starts playing cave story*
September 28th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
no
September 30th, 2010 at 10:49 am
The Underside is far better than cavestory *gasp!*
No, I’m serious!
October 1st, 2010 at 6:26 pm
yes.
October 1st, 2010 at 10:14 pm
I’m really glad to hear about The Underside. Honestly, that’s what I checked back here for (coincidentally half an hour after you released Streemerz 2, and then I subsequently fell in love with Streemerz).
But as everybody else has said, good things come from wanting to work on it. I’m glad we’re giving incentive, but don’t work on it when you’re stressed out.
Like Duke Nukem Forever, this is a project people are willing to wait a very long time to be polished.
tl;dr Don’t cut any corners. If you’re losing your edge, work on something else. Inspiration will find itself.
October 1st, 2010 at 10:14 pm
The expectations are entirely your own fault for developing such a good demo. Just do your best, and don’t worry about the aftermath. You have what it takes to satisfy us, I promise.
October 2nd, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Sweet! I loved the Underside demos because they reminded me so much of Cave Story. We need more games like that. But The Underside has its own charm too, so I’m glad it’s being worked on not just because it’s the type of game I like, but because it’s interesting in itself.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Damn you guys, I was looking forward to the new merry gear…..
October 27th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
I for one am looking really forward to both Merry Gear Solid 3 equally as much as The Underside. Both games are going to be epic, really looking forward to them.
November 1st, 2010 at 2:12 am
i just picked up the Merry Gear series and it was probably the best thing i’ve ever played ever, barring the actual MGS series. the jump to 3D in the new trailer looks really slick, i’m more than a little sad to hear that it’s being put on the backburner, especially so close to christmas.
February 28th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
I love your page layout One of the greatest I’ve seen.
April 18th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
I fear that this game is never going to come out.