Welcome¶
Welcome to the Quest for the Golden Tennis Ball devlog! This is the first of many posts detailing the development of The Quest for the Golden Tennis Ball (GTB). In this post, I'll talk about what the game is, introduce its stars, Chispa and Lola, and share a little history behind the project.
What is the Quest for the Golden Tennis Ball?¶
The Quest for the Golden Tennis Ball is a 2D platformer developed in Unity. The game follows Chispa, Lola, and their friends on a cross-country journey to find the Golden Tennis Ball. It draws inspiration from classics like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as well as modern hits like Celeste and Pizza Tower.
The story is born out of the homesickness I felt after moving across the country and showcases the special bond people share with their four-legged friends.
Who are Chispa and Lola?¶
Chispa and Lola are the stars of this game — they are my dogs, and each has their own unique personality.
Chispa is smart, curious, and friendly. She will be the first to tell you that she has never met a stranger.
Lola is small, snuggly, and shy. While Chispa shines in the limelight, Lola prefers to hide from strangers under the bed.
History¶
Making a game was one of those moments where I thought, “How hard could it be?” — and then promptly found out. Despite years of coding experience, making a game has proven to be the most difficult project I've ever taken on.
In early 2024, I was dabbling in pixel art when I realized I didn’t have a place to show it off. Sure, I could make another mod for Barotrauma, but the dark depths of Europa are no place for little Lola. I had been toying with the idea of making a game for about a year at that point. One morning, my wife and I came up with the story for the Golden Tennis Ball over breakfast and put together a rough draft of the levels. That draft sat on my desk for months. Reading it and looking at my animations of Lola, I decided it was finally time to make The Golden Tennis Ball.
Development began in Python using PyGame. I built my own spawning systems, controls, and even a small intro cutscene that I shared with friends. Progress was slow and frustrating. I had heard the term “Game Engine” but didn’t really know what it meant. Eventually, with development driving me insane, I googled “what is a game engine?” — and immediately both Godot and Unity appeared. They changed everything.
I experimented with both engines, attempting to rebuild the level I had made in PyGame. Ultimately, I chose Unity. It was easier for me to learn, had tons of resources, and allowed me to expand my software skills — learning C# was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. From there, I began building the different systems that make up The Golden Tennis Ball.
That’s all for now! In the next post, I’ll cover character controller design and the different approaches I’ve taken to build a controller that feels good to use.