so i finally find out that there's info in the dx sdk. i also just realized that i didn't need to be building a map editor, at least not yet. talking with jm about something he was working on led me to further conclusions about my stuff. have i already arrived at this, and forgotten that i had?

i don't actually have a game i want to make. well, i do, but i'm still thinking about How It's Better Than Game X instead of what the thing is actually about. i want a 2d treasure hunting hack-em up, with zelda-style controls and diablo-style character building. as i think about it, that doesn't really make for much more than a GrindyThing. i don't have any idea about a story or setting or main characters. i haven't really thought much about what options you'll be able to choose from to build your character.

this leaves me at quite a loss.

but hope isn't completely lost! as it turns out i'm not completely brain-dead. i know a whole bunch about the stuff that i like: anime, comics, movies, music. well its not like i'm some kind of artistic know-it-all, but all of the things i'm influenced by are available to be tapped.

i'm pretty sure about the gameplay, just not EVERYTHING ELSE. so instead of code-type stuff (since its been laid bare before me) i need to focus on the actual game and what i want to do with it. yay! direction!

- visual
- music
- setting
- storyline
- characters

time to do some research!