Behind the Liminal Pt. 1: Prologue - The Waking Dream

Share this post:

August 17^th, 2021. Submissions have just ended for the Enter The Haroldverse game jam and I am among the 30 entries. To say I’m enlightened is an understatement. Over the course of July and August, I had went from not even owning RPG Maker to creating the relatively huge Stuck in the Past with my Axial boss Violet Spinel. I learned fast, wrote some awesome music, ended up placing 8th, and more than anything found a new passion. The realization that this was a way for me to finally create worlds and the characters that live in them after 24 years of being bitter about not doing that was unlike anything I had felt. If only I could just create an IP!

Two weeks later. I’m in my bed. Awake, I think. I’m not sure. My mind slowly begins to wander to a Stuck in the Past sequel. Reid’s back home, but he’s lost his sword! However, he has the ability to change his entire moveset with a single command. Boom, he’s a mage. Boom, he’s in a mech suit. Boom, he’s a swordsman despite losing his sword. This is crazy! Naturally, I tell my little brother first thing, to which he replies…

> that sounds really cool but i honestly have to ask
> is it really worth going through with more content/sequels for a game you just made for a jam?

Of course that’s not my full intention; dreams are quite the opposite of that. But it’s not often I create my own RPG mechanics. This idea lives in my head rent-free, Reid or no Reid. It has to!

October 1^st. I create the IP.

Discord message from callmeDJ on October 1st, 2021, which says the following. Just need to spit it out, I finally have an idea on how to turn this into an actual IP. Magical girl chameleon who can change her color to gain access to completely different abilities (which are either gonna be elemental or themed by color). Each world is color-themed, and changing into the color of that world gives you an evasiveness boost. However, your color has weaknesses to other colors, so you gotta be careful in what you choose. Also I like the idea of a big ol' kangaroo as a party member

The only thing that's changed is her partner isn't a kangaroo anymore. Shoutouts to (mostly) original races.

One year later. This IP becomes my life. I codename it The Colors of Life. Our main character is my legal daughter, just without a legal name (even now). She accidentally embodies every struggle I’m going through, and we’re both gonna figure them out together. Her party members are a found family. Likewise, I have a rag-tag gang of family and friends who love my idea.

I just don’t have a game yet. Or even a solid prototype.

Outside of one very rough color-changing prototype, I could not get it up. My ideas for prototypes spiraled into their own universes, yet I could not even do as much as open RPG Maker and get anything started. I am beyond frustrated with myself and swear to make things right next year.

Around this time, Violet messages me about a secret Reid sweep for the next Harold Jam. Everyone involved would create a Reid-centric entry instead of focusing on Harold. I’m completely burnt out from Harold Jam 3, but I figure I could do something small or even just compose for someone else’s entry this time around. Worth considering either way.

Six months later. Harold Jam 2023: Ascent of the Allies is announced. A few days prior, I was still so burnt out that I contemplated not even entering. Yet, when it was revealed the jam was based on Harold’s allies, Reid included, I realized just what idea I could pursue. My contribution to the Reid sweep. A perfect book-end to cap off Human’s run as the host of Harold Jam.

It was time to make the waking dream a reality.

Behind the Liminal is an eight-part behind the scenes that will cover every aspect of Stuck in the Liminal. I've written Behind the Liminal well in advance and plan to release updates daily leading up to the voting deadline. Once results are announced, this series will conclude with Beyond the Liminal a two-part postmortem discussing not only results but community feedback and what to work on down the road. So hold on to your hats; for the next ten days, I'll be incessantly blathering about this little jam game and how much effort I put into it.

Up next, The Concept and story of the Liminal!