Scheduling, Timing, and Symmetry

I determined yesterday when designing that asymmetric maps were better then symmetric maps for purposes of replayability (they become repetitive more slowly). Yesterday I also switched the game mode from a cooperative L4D-style one (with bots as enemies) to a un-cooperative TF2-styled one (with other players as enemies). I also discovered an issue with the schedule, my deadline is August 30th, which is exactly 66 days away (slightly less then ten weeks! Two Months! Waaaaaiit a second...)


Two Months? That's the same delivery schedule that the pandora was on! And it's already being released! OMG My deadline is in the past! CTHULHU FHTAGN!


Meanwhile, I've now determined that a cooperative multiplayer would be better, as it would be asymmetric and less repetitive. More importantly it fits my vision of the game better, and it's what I always wanted the game to be.


I'm now redoing the schedule to be spread across multiple years, I'd already realized that by the end of this summer i wouldn't have the entire game done and polished, but now I plan on a prolonged development cycle where I work on Muddy every summer until it's finished. I'll have a deadline and goals to accomplish each summer, and I'll also continue "inactive development" over the other seasons, (re-balancing, play-testing, noting areas that need polishing, etc).


This summer's deadline is August 30th and I hope to have a alpha build with one finished map and some other goals I haven't quite established yet. I'll probably have weapons (as those probably won't take too long, and it'll be good to playtest them as soon as possible), and I'll probably have the goals of the game mode implemented, but beyond that I'm not sure exactly what goals I'll have.