And So It Begins

Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 6:00am

It is with great joy that I find myself able to announce that my next creative project will be not a novel, but a video game. A lot of hard work lies ahead, but I have never shied away from a creative endeavor because it will be hard. Rather, I look forward to expanding my skills into new domains.

So, what will a Matthew Buscemi video game be like?

First and foremost, I will do all the writing, and those of you familiar with my novels will likely notice all my usual themes and motifs. The metaxia will likely be present in some form. Expect nanotechnology to make an appearance, too.

The two most formative video games of my adolescence were Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger, fantasy worlds where magic was commonplace. For the first time, I plan to fully blend elements of science fiction and fantasy in my writing, producing a world where magic and high technology are both commonplace.

My game will likely be in the same genre as my favorite games. It will be a JRPG-style game with turned-based combat.

It is unlikely that I will do anything phenomenally innovative with combat mechanics. For my first game, I want to focus on getting the basics right. That said, I will be thinking about ways to provide something unique. It won’t be a major mechanic, but there will be unique elements. Perhaps a number of small meta mechanics that feed into the core combat. I’ll start prototyping my ideas soon.

I want the game to have beautiful art and a gorgeous soundtrack. I have always felt that video games have such enormous aesthetic potential. They sit at the intersection of three major art forms: literature, music, and visual art. I can write, but I can’t draw pictures or compose music to save my life. I will have to collaborate with others realize this project.

I am perhaps unusual amongst independent video game developers. I have had my fill of chasing fame and glory in the literary world. It is enough for me to quietly produce my work, and whoever likes it will read/experience it, and whoever wants to ignore me can go right on ahead doing that. However, if I find myself collaborating with artists and composers of significant talent, I will want to do everything in my power to make sure that their work gets recognized. I will endure marketing for them. I need no more of it for myself.

Keep an eye on this space. I intend to provide regular updates on this project.