Kenn @ Pinebox Games
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pineboxgames.bsky.social
Kenn @ Pinebox Games
@pineboxgames.bsky.social
• hobbyist solodev 個人ゲーム制作
• WIP 2D p&c/RPG ❴Future Ghost❵
• mostly indiegame adjacent stuff
• he/him EN/日本語 in 🇦🇺 on [-o-]
http://www.pineboxgames.com/
Discovered a new (to me) #retrogaming and JP pop culture store in a shopping centre I don't visit often. Decent selection. I snagged 'Parodius da!' (GB) for AU$15.

Dude said he had no idea about the JP games, so I told him what this one was (a parody of Gradius) but he just looked at me blank. 😅
November 9, 2025 at 7:17 AM
I wonder if sighted players will choose 'Screenreader mode' just for the additional #comic style text boxes and cute robot bat sidekick?

Narrative adventure #indiegame ◀Future Ghost▶ will have a bunch of #accessibility features, including this special mode for players with impaired (or no) vision.
October 31, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Been doing #gamedev stuff that isn't so easily shared, of late. Like 🧠-driven EN→JP #translation for the in-game timeline, not 🤖-driven (pictured).

Improving the screen reader compatibility for greater pronunciation accuracy has been another, for #accessibility and pedantry purposes.
October 21, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Here's a better look at my "Keep playing!" gamer girl Eloiz, who shows up when a locked timeline entry is selected...
October 15, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Dynamic timeline for #comic styled #indiegame Future Ghost now 95% functional!

Video shows...
• player character on a mountain + idle animation
• menu opening & Timeline selected
• Timeline opening, most entries locked, accessed using keyboard, then mouse
• start of a cutscene, played from Timeline
October 15, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Simple stuff never is.

This WIP in-game dynamic timeline took a weekend. Building for multiple input methods has been the real kicker.

Choose from perfect mouse input with "laggy" keyboard/gamepad (press twice to move b/w active entries) or broken mouse input!

Cutscene playback *basically* works.
October 13, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Inspired by these sorts of subscription advertisements in old comic books...
October 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Mockup of the timeline UI for my wip narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶

It will fill in as the player character experiences or learns about the events included in the timeline. Most will have cutscenes, but not all.

#indiegamedev #ui #retro #comics #storygame
October 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Is 31 key plot points over a span of 1500+ years too many for one narrative game?

If so, too bad!! ✌️😄
October 7, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Been implementing and improving on QoL features for my wip narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶

Here's a look at how the environmental hint system works, on a basic level. No pixel hunting in the #pointandclick adventure side of this #indiegame!

#storygame #comics #indiegamedev
October 4, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Got some nice playtest feedback from my daughter's boyfriend today, amounting to basically: "I really enjoyed the puzzle, even though I sucked at it. Will there be more like it?" 😁

#indiegamedev
September 29, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I remembered some players at the expo in March trying to see what happens when you walk into an "invisible wall" on the edge of the stage in the opening of my wip narrative adventure #indiegame ◀Future Ghost▶...

Decided to do something about it...
September 25, 2025 at 7:59 AM
September 24, 2025 at 10:59 PM
An exterior hand drawn settings for my wip narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶

Some of these kiosk shops have been open for over a century, passed down from generation to generation.

What might be of interest here?

#indiegame #indiegamedev #comicart #comics #pointandclick #jrpg
September 24, 2025 at 1:24 PM
One of the hand drawn settings for a bit further into my wip narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶

Sometimes big things happen in small places.

What draws your eye in this room?

#indiegamedev #indiegame #comics #comicart #adventuregame #jrpg
September 22, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Soon you'll be able to enjoy a cup of tea in a cave dwelling on Mars in the demo of my narrative adventure game 'Future Ghost'.

#indiegame #comicart #comics #indiegamedev
September 21, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Another hand drawn setting for my wip narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶

One of the settings in the upcoming demo

What would you interact with in this room?

#indiegame #indiegamedev #comicart #retrocomics #adventuregame #jrpg #turnbased
September 19, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Thank you for hosting!

Here's a sample of the first turn-based battle in the retro comic-themed narrative adventure I'm making, 'Future Ghost', which is wishlistable here... s.team/a/793100
September 18, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Another hand drawn setting for my wip narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶

An elderly supporting character's room

What would you interact with here?

#indiegamedev #comicart #comics #adventuregame #jrpg #indiegame
September 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
One of the 60-ish hand drawn settings for my wip narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶

The player character's home

What would you interact with first?

#indiegamedev #comics #comicart #indiegame #indiedev #adventuregames #jrpg
September 17, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Updating a player sprite...
That wrist unit wasn't there before!

#indiegamedev #animation
September 14, 2025 at 3:54 AM
The character upgrade screen for my narrative adventure game ◀Future Ghost▶ with full screen reader compatibility!

This degree of compatibility is unusual and takes some work to implement. My aim is to make it possible for even fully blind players to enjoy the game.

#indiedev #accessibility #ui
September 13, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The level up screen with bonus stat upgrade for my narrative adventure #indiegame ◀Future Ghost▶

Now fully functional, with random allocation of bonus points (shown) & sound fx. Just needs mouse input for stat selection and some additional screen reader compatibility bits added.

#ui #uidesign
September 9, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Still a wip, but getting pretty close to having the level-up screen with custom stat bonus point assignment working for my narrative adventure #indiegame (with #RPG elements, obvs.) ◀Future Ghost▶

Styled after old school #comic book fitness program adverts
August 29, 2025 at 1:20 PM
WIP stat upgrade UI for my narrative adventure #indiegame ◀Future Ghost▶

Adding a second language as I go to set up for additional localisations later. Japanese titles for each stat with English flavour text to make key information clear while keeping a vintage American #comic book feel.

#indiedev
August 14, 2025 at 12:21 PM