The Wii U version of Cosmochoria is facing some troubles
The Wii U port of the Kickstarted space shooter Cosmochoria is being held up by a number of issues, which developer Nate Schmold elaborates on in a recent Kickstarter update. The problems largely involve the difficulties in porting the game from Construct 2 to Nintendo Web Framework and poor performance as a result. This isn’t the first time a Wii U developer has had these problems – the development of Team Notion’s Super Ubie Island was also delayed by the need to rebuild the game in Unity.
The Wii U version of Cosmochoria was tentatively slated for an early 2015 release, but as Schmold will need to re-code the game in another engine this will likely be pushed back – if this version is even released at all. Schmold promised Kickstarter backers that those requesting the Wii U version will have their pledges refunded if the game is cancelled and left it to them to determine its fate. Read the full statement over the break:
Firstly, my apologies for the lack of contact, there has been a lot of stuff going on and I have lots to share with you but I’ve been holding back because a key piece of the puzzle has been the Wii U development and I wanted to be able to give a progress update with that along with the other game dev-related updates. Well, as it turns out there has been some stuff happening behind the scenes and it’s an issue big enough that I feel I need to just put out an update focussed entirely on the Wii U port of Cosmochoria so you guys know what’s going on. To make matters trickier, there are only so many things I am legally allowed to say due to the Non-Disclosure Agreement with Nintendo and their dev team, so I am going to do my absolute best here to fill you in and not get in trouble in the process.
Nate, Whats Up?
A lot of work has been done in the past couple months to ensure that what I was doing for the PC release was also going to work on the Wii U. This meant testing gameplay and performance and other aspects of the games design on the Wii U dev kit to ensure that when it came time to focus my resources 100% on the Wii U port, it would go smoothly.
Simply put: there have been challenges. Challenges in getting my code exported from Construct 2 running optimally on the Dev Kit, Challenges in getting feedback on what improvements will be made to either Construct 2 or to Nintendo’s Web Framework in that regard, but most importantly, they are challenges that I have limitations on how to deal with. I’ve been in steady contact with Nintendo on the issues i’ve been having and they are quick and helpful to respond, but the suggestions and ideas provided have only gone so far and unfortunately in my testing I was unable to reach a level of performance that I am seeing on even much older PC systems.
Relying on a framework like Construct 2 to make the game, there’s only so much I can do. Short of rewriting the game in an engine like Unity or coding by hand, I am inherently tied to the strengths and weaknesses of the platforms Cosmochoria is being developed with. These platforms were chosen (Construct 2 and then Nintendo’s Web Framework) because they were easy to learn, easy to use and able to make something happen that I didn’t think was possible without them, but from what I’ve been seeing, it might be a simple matter of a game like Cosmochoria just has too much happening on the screen for this to be a suitable porting solution. The game might just be too big to rely on Nintendo’s Web Framework as it is now.
So… What’s Next Then?
That said, I’m not giving up. There are quite a few things I can try in regards to ‘stripping down’ what I’m doing for the PC version that might help with the performance, but I haven’t had a chance to test them all out yet. Things like: Reducing the particle effects (things like the sparks that fly from your gun when you shoot, or the sparks that trail after a dragons fireball), Eliminating the accelerated effects (Instead of colouring plants, planets, enemies dynamically, I could experiment with creating sprites for them instead.) There have also been changes to Construct 2’s underlying code recently that may have an effect but I have not yet had a chance to test it properly. I wish there was more I could tell about Nintendo’s side of things but based on the NDA there’s only so much I can say, other than there is very likely nothing that will change from their end to help the situation out.
It’s almost entirely up to performance optimizations in Construct 2 and in my own code, which I am worried can only go so far.
I am still going to be working hard on testing, experimenting and generally trying to make sure that if it’s possible, it will get done. I am bringing this up now so you guys know where I’m at with it and what I’m dealing with and I want you to know that I would be both heartbroken and crushed to not be able to complete that aspect of the development, and will be utilizing every resource I can to try and make it happen.
The Clock is Ticking
The key factor that adds stress to this whole thing is that is involves *your money*. Because I am on the hook for the Wii U dev kit, that’s a HUGE chunk of change that has been set aside from the Kickstarter total which I am obligated to pass to Nintendo for the ability to build a port in the first place. Again, i don’t know how much I can say, but unless I return the Wii U dev kit to Nintendo by March, that money must be paid in full. The worry is that I am then out the money for the Development Kit but also completely unable to properly port the game on it due to the technical limitations.
Alternatively, that money could be used for further development of the actual game (for Windows/Mac/Linux), or to put it towards a budget to redevelop the game in another engine entirely (something like Unity as opposed to Construct 2 which could technically solve the performance issues entirely). Of course, the final option would be to refund your money if you are waiting for the Wii U version.
The problem is that if I keep the Dev Kit—due to the cost of it—those other options simply can not happen, there would be no money to refund as it would be in Nintendo’s hand everything else budgeted for the Wii U port has already been spent on research, development, testing and development of the current Wii U version.
Ok, the Options Again?
We don’t have to choose one of these until the new year, but I am laying out the scenarios now so you know what to expect and what is required if it turns out I am unable to get Cosmochoria running smoothly using Construct 2 and the Nintendo Web Framework. If I can get Cosmochoria running well, with a higher frame rate, these options become moot and we just proceed as originally planned.
1. I keep the Dev Kit. I continue working towards a Wii U port in another engine entirely like Unity. This means, straight up, I need to re-code Cosmochoria from scratch. I can reuse the sound, art, music, and some of the core game logic structures, planning, etc, but in terms of programming, the entire thing would need to be re-coded & there is truly no way I can properly estimate on how long this could take or when I could deliver. I only have very basic knowledge and experience with Unity so it would be a learning experience through and through.
2. I cancel the Wii U port, and refund the pledges of those who were wanting a copy of the Wii U port. Unfortunately I would only be able to refund the cost of the game itself ($9/$12/$15 depending on what tier you pledged at), as with many of the physical and creation rewards, I have already paid the costs to manufacture and even in some cases ship the physical rewards. Alternatively, you would also have the option to receive a Steam or Humble Bundle key in lieu of the Wii U key, so you could still get access to the final game (which is still on course for full final release within a few months) if you wanted to keep your money invested in the game.
And So….
That’s it. You guys now know what I know and why I’m developing an ulcer from dealing with the potential that a Wii U port might not be able to happen like I originally planned. If you have any feedback, advice or wisdom for me, I would deeply appreciate it. I’ll be watching this thread & the forums for comments and would love to chat more if you have questions, etc. Otherwise, I will go back to working as hard as I can on finishing the game so it’s ready for the full Steam launch in February 2015. At which point we’ll need to make a final decision on what to do about Wii U.
Thank you so much for your continued support.
