This is an FAQ covering questions that I often get about Shield Cat. Please give it a read before asking me questions, or just check it out if you want to learn more about the project!

Not really! There is a story that happens in a semi-linear fashion, but you are given multiple objectives and can complete them in any order. Additionally, there are many secret paths to discover, including some that will take you to areas that you shouldn't be in until much later.

It is currently being developed by a single person! All art, sprites, programming, music, and some sound effects (as well as this website) are being created solely by CyanSorcery. The game also features some stock sound and environment effects.

As a solo developed game, it will most likely take many years to develop. The ideal release target would be 2027, but it may take longer (or shorter) depending on how circumstances change.

Currently my plan is to release the game on desktop platforms first, and if it does well there, then I can start working on console ports. My ideal situation would be to release it on a Nintendo console, as I feel it would fit in the most there.

This being said, due to the nature of how this game is being developed and how long it will take to do so, current generation systems like the PS5, Nintendo Switch, and XBOX Series consoles are out of the question.

I have no plans on sequels or other games related to the Shield Cat world at this time. It all depends on how well the release of this game goes, and how interested people are in seeing more of it.

Currently, GameMaker only allows you to have Windowed Mode and Exclusive Fullscreen, or Fullscreen but then the Windowed Mode has no border. You can't change this at runtime. If this changes, I will implement Fullscreen Borderless without delay, but for now, it is a limitation of GameMaker.

My current goal (at the time of writing) is to release the demo and see how it is received, and then go from there. I am interested in working with a publisher, but only if our interests align.

I would not be interested in working with any deal where I would lose creative control over the project, or would require me to tone down or remove any of the LGBTQ elements from the game.

Possibly! We'll see what happens when the game comes out and is finished. In the meantime, I've been uploading songs from the OST to YouTube.

Hell no, and I'm not willing to work with any developer or publisher who would want to, or deals with Crypto, NFTs, or 'web3.'

At the time of writing, I am not planning on holding a Kickstarter. If you're interested in supporting the game however, you can support the game on Patreon!

Sure! You can join my Discord server, or send me a direct message via Twitter. Please be sure that you read the FAQ before contacting me!

Yes! Every copy of Shield Cat comes with an instruction manual full of details about the game, and also includes many technical notes about the files included with the game. Please check the installation directory for it.

Originally the game featured a version of Lance that was simply a cat with a large shield, so pretty much the name was very direct. However, it has since evolved to be about the Cat Kingdom and its inhabitents. The Shield Cats are knights which protect the kingdom, but also cover other things too such as the train services and mail delivery.

The reason I ended up sticking to the name was because I already bought the domain name, and I didn't want that money to have been wasted. However, it all ended up working out. That being said, if I were given the opportunity to call it something else, I most likely wouldn't, since the central conflict now evolves around the Shield Cats themselves. Who knows, maybe the story would have evolved into something else.

I always wanted to make a game like The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang, because I found spinning against things quite satisfying in a way that I haven't found in any other game. Back when Toby Fox's excellent DeltaRune Chapter 1 demo was revealed, he spoke about wanting to build a team to help work on the game, and I thought to myself, hey I can do that. But then I realized if I thought I could do that, then why don't I go ahead and make a game already? So I did.

At the time of writing, there are no plans for MacOS. I don't own a Mac to build and test on, and am overall unfamiliar with the architecture. Also, the demand for MacOS releases is extremely low.

Unfortunately, no. I tried out the game on mobile with several people, and people found that it simply was not an optimum way to play the game. There is too much precision required in the game to play it using touchscreen controls.

Due to the fact that newer versions of GameMaker use a more modern version of APK wrapping, I can't do the APK wrapping technique to get Android games to work on the Vita as you might have heard is possible. That technique only works with GameMaker games which were made in GameMaker Studio 1.4 or below.

Unfortunately, no. The Ouya is not powerful enough to run the game, and the game requires Shader Model 3.0, which the Raspberry Pi does not support.