I've been working on this game called Mask Around for the past 8 months, please check out the trailer!!

The game will be available on PC & Android in 2024. There are two very cool things that you can do right now:
- Wishlist it on steam!
- Subscribe to my new mailing list 

I'll use the mailing list to send updates, fun stuff, and more importantly beta access! So I think you should really subscribe...

Now, let's talk about the game and why I'm making it!

The Idea That Came To Me In A Fever Dream

When I first created Mask Up in 2019, my goal was to make a mobile platformer with only two buttons. I made several moveset to experiment with this limiting but fun control scheme. which ended up being the 4 playable forms. Mask Up was an experimental game from the beginning: fun to develop, but somewhat messy.

the infamous 'Mask Up' and 'Plant Down' characters

Two years later, I naturally wanted to created something more polished, so I started working on Plant Down, a short Mask Up prequel that consisted of only 3 boss fights. The two button control scheme was kept unchanged, but I simplified the moveset a lot: only one attack and a fixed jump height. I was pretty happy with the result, and thought I was done with the two-button gimmick.

The precise moment where I got the idea for Mask Around

But last summer, during a hot night (I was sleeping under the roof of an old parisian building, it gets very hot during the summer without AC), I found myself thinking about it again, about this whole two buttons adventure from 5 years ago. But what was there to do now? Then, an idea struck: I could use the phone gyroscope, on top of the two buttons, to add a fun twist without changing the core concept. I could allow the player to aim in any direction by rotating the phone, and still keep the 2D platforming controls.

A Twisted Idea

The sexy prototype of Mask Around

So, the day after that night (because it's still important to sleep), I began furiously prototyping. And soon enough, I was playing that concept, and it felt really nice. Over the course of the following months of work I realized several things:

• I couldn't only use gyroscope for aiming since many low-end phone actually don't have one
• I needed to have a PC version in mind from the start if I wanted it to be successful

So I took the time to develop extra input support, that don't use the original two buttons input that started it all. The game feels really great now with a controller or with keyboard + mouse, even though I was reticent for a long time and wanted to keep it an android exclusive. So I guess the lesson is sometimes it's good to change your mind? Thanks to these efforts, I can now do marketing properly because I know the game runs well on PC, and this is why you're reading this right now (how does it feels to get marketed towards? I bet it feels nice.)

The Highly Strategical Roadmap

Some wacky items from the game that will surely make you buy it.

Content wise, I'm aiming for the following at launch:

• 3 major biomes with a unique mechanic and set of enemies each
• 3 minor secret biomes
• One final boss
• Something like 16 items, 8 weapons, 16 masks, 16 cosmetics backpacks.

Right now, I'd say I made 50% of my goal.  I plan on launching in 2024 and to add content post-launch through free updates. But it will depend on my situation at that time and on the game's reception. So if that something you'd want, please support the game as much as you can: wishlist it on Steam, share it with friends, send me anonymous letters with enormous amount of cash!

Thanks a lot for reading! I intend on making more of these devlog on various topics, so let me know if there are particular topics you want me to cover. See you around!

Rouli