Bolerosoft
@bolerosoft.bsky.social
Solo game dev since Jan 2025 in Godot. Current proj: "Mysteries of Old Tokyo".
Wishlist on Steam now! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3784300/Mysteries_of_Old_Tokyo/
Wishlist on Steam now! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3784300/Mysteries_of_Old_Tokyo/
Pinned
Bolerosoft
@bolerosoft.bsky.social
· Oct 3
Mysteries of Old Tokyo on Steam
Step into the Imperial Capital, where knowledge is your weapon. Research and explore 40+ real-life Tokyo locations, past and present. Encounter a cast of wandering spirits, interrogate their stories, ...
s.team
The demo is OUT! Research the past and unlock mysteries as a spirit detective in a meticulously detailed historical recreation of Tokyo.
You can play it right now! (Or some time this weekend, that's fine.) s.team/a/3784300
#indiegames #steam #demos
You can play it right now! (Or some time this weekend, that's fine.) s.team/a/3784300
#indiegames #steam #demos
Game progress has stalled in recent weeks. Still... feeling good that the postcard translations are done, images are in game, and the new gameplay loop is slowly improving.
Once gameplay 2.0 is done, I can start filling out the puzzles, adding more NPCs and more treasures. #gamedev #indiegames
Once gameplay 2.0 is done, I can start filling out the puzzles, adding more NPCs and more treasures. #gamedev #indiegames
November 27, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Game progress has stalled in recent weeks. Still... feeling good that the postcard translations are done, images are in game, and the new gameplay loop is slowly improving.
Once gameplay 2.0 is done, I can start filling out the puzzles, adding more NPCs and more treasures. #gamedev #indiegames
Once gameplay 2.0 is done, I can start filling out the puzzles, adding more NPCs and more treasures. #gamedev #indiegames
I like this theory, especially the "laziness" part.
For a long time, I thought success (in any field) was only achieved by suffering and hard grind.
Then I discovered that, instead of making yourself miserable, it's way more productive to just do stuff you enjoy which you find easy to do.
For a long time, I thought success (in any field) was only achieved by suffering and hard grind.
Then I discovered that, instead of making yourself miserable, it's way more productive to just do stuff you enjoy which you find easy to do.
How we all create art and find meaning in it is as unique as a fingerprint.
In visual art, that fingerprint impression is called having "a style". It develops in 3 parts:
1) your influences
2) what you enjoy
3) your special brand of laziness
In visual art, that fingerprint impression is called having "a style". It develops in 3 parts:
1) your influences
2) what you enjoy
3) your special brand of laziness
November 27, 2025 at 8:05 AM
I like this theory, especially the "laziness" part.
For a long time, I thought success (in any field) was only achieved by suffering and hard grind.
Then I discovered that, instead of making yourself miserable, it's way more productive to just do stuff you enjoy which you find easy to do.
For a long time, I thought success (in any field) was only achieved by suffering and hard grind.
Then I discovered that, instead of making yourself miserable, it's way more productive to just do stuff you enjoy which you find easy to do.
All game development cycles seem to reach the point where the proverbial "one horse-sized duck" is completed, but the "100 duck-sized horses" still have to be tackled, and somehow that's worse. #indiegames #gamedev
November 24, 2025 at 10:12 AM
All game development cycles seem to reach the point where the proverbial "one horse-sized duck" is completed, but the "100 duck-sized horses" still have to be tackled, and somehow that's worse. #indiegames #gamedev
The last of my 90s magazine-style ads for "Mysteries of Old Tokyo". #retrogaming #indiegames
November 21, 2025 at 8:16 AM
The last of my 90s magazine-style ads for "Mysteries of Old Tokyo". #retrogaming #indiegames
Mysteries of Old Tokyo" retro ad series, part 3/4.
Designing these has been so much fun. I just love everything about this one particular era of game advertising!
#indiegames #retrogaming
Designing these has been so much fun. I just love everything about this one particular era of game advertising!
#indiegames #retrogaming
November 17, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Mysteries of Old Tokyo" retro ad series, part 3/4.
Designing these has been so much fun. I just love everything about this one particular era of game advertising!
#indiegames #retrogaming
Designing these has been so much fun. I just love everything about this one particular era of game advertising!
#indiegames #retrogaming
Enjoyed my last 90s-style ad for MYSTERIES OF OLD TOKYO so much that I "found" another one.
Mask: Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Floppy disks: author's own
#retrogaming #90s #indiegames
Mask: Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Floppy disks: author's own
#retrogaming #90s #indiegames
November 12, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Enjoyed my last 90s-style ad for MYSTERIES OF OLD TOKYO so much that I "found" another one.
Mask: Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Floppy disks: author's own
#retrogaming #90s #indiegames
Mask: Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Floppy disks: author's own
#retrogaming #90s #indiegames
Last month I had a demo launch/4-week ad blitz and I averaged 400+ wishlists/week, which was great.
Since the ad spend ended, it's like it never happened. I have been averaging 22 wishlists/week. Some days have even been in the negative. #gamedev
Since the ad spend ended, it's like it never happened. I have been averaging 22 wishlists/week. Some days have even been in the negative. #gamedev
November 10, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Last month I had a demo launch/4-week ad blitz and I averaged 400+ wishlists/week, which was great.
Since the ad spend ended, it's like it never happened. I have been averaging 22 wishlists/week. Some days have even been in the negative. #gamedev
Since the ad spend ended, it's like it never happened. I have been averaging 22 wishlists/week. Some days have even been in the negative. #gamedev
Happy birthday Kevin! :)
🎂 Today I turn 30 🎉
For 5 years i've been working on my dream action-RPG in my free time & for my birthday, my only wish is for more people to see my work
If this trailer resonates with you, please share this post or follow me, it would mean the world 💙
#GameDev #art
youtu.be/jAebrFvU_-4
For 5 years i've been working on my dream action-RPG in my free time & for my birthday, my only wish is for more people to see my work
If this trailer resonates with you, please share this post or follow me, it would mean the world 💙
#GameDev #art
youtu.be/jAebrFvU_-4
Tale of the Lightseekers - Demo trailer (2025)
YouTube video by Tale of the Lightseekers
youtu.be
November 9, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Happy birthday Kevin! :)
Recently rediscovered print ad for "Mysteries of Old Tokyo" from PC MANIAC magazine, October 1997. #indiegames #retrogames #90s
November 9, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Recently rediscovered print ad for "Mysteries of Old Tokyo" from PC MANIAC magazine, October 1997. #indiegames #retrogames #90s
Nijubashi, the twin bridge of the Imperial Palace.
Apart from the trees, I think this is the view that has changed the least over the last 90 years.
Even individual bricks are the same as they were in 1935. #japan #tokyo #indiegames
Apart from the trees, I think this is the view that has changed the least over the last 90 years.
Even individual bricks are the same as they were in 1935. #japan #tokyo #indiegames
November 8, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Nijubashi, the twin bridge of the Imperial Palace.
Apart from the trees, I think this is the view that has changed the least over the last 90 years.
Even individual bricks are the same as they were in 1935. #japan #tokyo #indiegames
Apart from the trees, I think this is the view that has changed the least over the last 90 years.
Even individual bricks are the same as they were in 1935. #japan #tokyo #indiegames
This weekend I plan to match/overlay the remaining photos that I took back in May on top of the postcards - there's only a few left to do now!
Today I was finally able to firmly geolocate this view. #gamedev #indiegames #tokyo #ginza
Today I was finally able to firmly geolocate this view. #gamedev #indiegames #tokyo #ginza
November 7, 2025 at 7:50 PM
This weekend I plan to match/overlay the remaining photos that I took back in May on top of the postcards - there's only a few left to do now!
Today I was finally able to firmly geolocate this view. #gamedev #indiegames #tokyo #ginza
Today I was finally able to firmly geolocate this view. #gamedev #indiegames #tokyo #ginza
This is amazing. I found an incredible web map of Japan by a student at NIT with aerial photography covering major cities from 1947, 1963, 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1990, as well as older paper maps.
See how Tokyo DisneySea was once just a marshy island. #japan
user.numazu-ct.ac.jp/~tsato/webma...
See how Tokyo DisneySea was once just a marshy island. #japan
user.numazu-ct.ac.jp/~tsato/webma...
November 7, 2025 at 8:48 AM
This is amazing. I found an incredible web map of Japan by a student at NIT with aerial photography covering major cities from 1947, 1963, 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1990, as well as older paper maps.
See how Tokyo DisneySea was once just a marshy island. #japan
user.numazu-ct.ac.jp/~tsato/webma...
See how Tokyo DisneySea was once just a marshy island. #japan
user.numazu-ct.ac.jp/~tsato/webma...
Big milestone today... I finished translating the Japanese text for all 44 postcards in the game!
This was a really interesting task and a ton of fun to dust off my rusty Japanese skills (with a lot of help from the dictionary). #indiegames #gamedev
This was a really interesting task and a ton of fun to dust off my rusty Japanese skills (with a lot of help from the dictionary). #indiegames #gamedev
November 6, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Big milestone today... I finished translating the Japanese text for all 44 postcards in the game!
This was a really interesting task and a ton of fun to dust off my rusty Japanese skills (with a lot of help from the dictionary). #indiegames #gamedev
This was a really interesting task and a ton of fun to dust off my rusty Japanese skills (with a lot of help from the dictionary). #indiegames #gamedev
All these postcards have a short description on the back in Japanese. Some are quite clunky, but others have a real poetry to them. I like this one: #tokyo #postcards
November 3, 2025 at 6:52 PM
All these postcards have a short description on the back in Japanese. Some are quite clunky, but others have a real poetry to them. I like this one: #tokyo #postcards
Apologies for the radio silence... A lot of refactoring.
But that's done now, and it's starting to pay off! Alpha gameplay 2.0 where instead of being handed photos and text in the prep stage, you now visit each location and take the photo yourself. #gamedev
But that's done now, and it's starting to pay off! Alpha gameplay 2.0 where instead of being handed photos and text in the prep stage, you now visit each location and take the photo yourself. #gamedev
November 2, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Apologies for the radio silence... A lot of refactoring.
But that's done now, and it's starting to pay off! Alpha gameplay 2.0 where instead of being handed photos and text in the prep stage, you now visit each location and take the photo yourself. #gamedev
But that's done now, and it's starting to pay off! Alpha gameplay 2.0 where instead of being handed photos and text in the prep stage, you now visit each location and take the photo yourself. #gamedev
I spruced up the map screen with an all-new animated player icon, which changes to a train when using the railway.
(Walk animation based on Seliel's Mana Seed collection.) #gamedev
(Walk animation based on Seliel's Mana Seed collection.) #gamedev
October 29, 2025 at 2:12 PM
I spruced up the map screen with an all-new animated player icon, which changes to a train when using the railway.
(Walk animation based on Seliel's Mana Seed collection.) #gamedev
(Walk animation based on Seliel's Mana Seed collection.) #gamedev
Reworking the "spirit report".
While writing the email text, wanting something that sounded like an affidavit, I found out about "kishōmon" which were these gnarly "self-curse" oaths in medieval Japan.
I thought it'd be cool if internal RIA emails came with randomised kishōmon curses. #indiegames
While writing the email text, wanting something that sounded like an affidavit, I found out about "kishōmon" which were these gnarly "self-curse" oaths in medieval Japan.
I thought it'd be cool if internal RIA emails came with randomised kishōmon curses. #indiegames
October 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Reworking the "spirit report".
While writing the email text, wanting something that sounded like an affidavit, I found out about "kishōmon" which were these gnarly "self-curse" oaths in medieval Japan.
I thought it'd be cool if internal RIA emails came with randomised kishōmon curses. #indiegames
While writing the email text, wanting something that sounded like an affidavit, I found out about "kishōmon" which were these gnarly "self-curse" oaths in medieval Japan.
I thought it'd be cool if internal RIA emails came with randomised kishōmon curses. #indiegames
I never realised Lucas Pope did the 3D modelling on "Return of the Obra Dinn" himself. What a legend. #indiegames #returnoftheobradinn
www.youtube.com/watch?v=90vq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=90vq...
Return of the Obra Dinn - Narrated Modeling Mega Timelapse
YouTube video by Lucas Pope
www.youtube.com
October 23, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I never realised Lucas Pope did the 3D modelling on "Return of the Obra Dinn" himself. What a legend. #indiegames #returnoftheobradinn
www.youtube.com/watch?v=90vq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=90vq...
Over time the data in my game had become this spaghetti mess of references and nested resources that constantly broke. For such a data-heavy game it was a nightmare.
This week I've wrangled all data into one place, and converted some of the fragile Godot resources into nice robust JSON. #gamedev
This week I've wrangled all data into one place, and converted some of the fragile Godot resources into nice robust JSON. #gamedev
October 23, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Over time the data in my game had become this spaghetti mess of references and nested resources that constantly broke. For such a data-heavy game it was a nightmare.
This week I've wrangled all data into one place, and converted some of the fragile Godot resources into nice robust JSON. #gamedev
This week I've wrangled all data into one place, and converted some of the fragile Godot resources into nice robust JSON. #gamedev
In the middle of a massive refactor as I switch up the gameplay loop. I used Mermaid Chart to plot out all the scenes and I think I see a nice, elegant way forward, rather than the spaghetti that got me here... #gamedev
October 21, 2025 at 9:03 AM
In the middle of a massive refactor as I switch up the gameplay loop. I used Mermaid Chart to plot out all the scenes and I think I see a nice, elegant way forward, rather than the spaghetti that got me here... #gamedev
Final planned feature update for the demo... for now, anyway. Some small bug fixes, and you now have to identify the correct category for a location when selecting the inconsistency. #gamedev #indiegames
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
Mysteries of Old Tokyo - Demo v1.2.3 - Steam News
Final planned demo update (for now)
store.steampowered.com
October 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Final planned feature update for the demo... for now, anyway. Some small bug fixes, and you now have to identify the correct category for a location when selecting the inconsistency. #gamedev #indiegames
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
This was a slog! But it's finally out. Hopefully I caught all the bugs. New "New" icon, better train map, and Free Roam mode. #gamedev #indiegames
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
Mysteries of Old Tokyo - Demo v1.2.2 - Steam News
Free Roam, "new" flag, better train map
store.steampowered.com
October 17, 2025 at 7:38 PM
This was a slog! But it's finally out. Hopefully I caught all the bugs. New "New" icon, better train map, and Free Roam mode. #gamedev #indiegames
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/378...
Wrapping up work on demo v1.2.2 and I noticed there are a lot more features than bug fixes. This is a good sign (I think). From now on I'm going to step back from demo updates and marketing, and focus on some of the more major changes I want to make: #gamedev
October 17, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Wrapping up work on demo v1.2.2 and I noticed there are a lot more features than bug fixes. This is a good sign (I think). From now on I'm going to step back from demo updates and marketing, and focus on some of the more major changes I want to make: #gamedev
Something I find weirdly interesting about Tokyo is that, for a city with such intensely developed infrastructure, there are still these "dead zones" where transport has barely improved in centuries.
October 13, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Something I find weirdly interesting about Tokyo is that, for a city with such intensely developed infrastructure, there are still these "dead zones" where transport has barely improved in centuries.