It’s been a long time. How have you been? I’ve been really busy being solved. You know, after you solved me?

I’ll try to keep it short, however we’ve got a lot to cover here, so bear with me. The Submachine is over, and with it, an actual era of my career. 10-year long era. I’ll explain in detail what will happen right now and the reasons why it’s happening. It’s all caused by the patreon-induced transparency, as this is the first year where I feel obliged to keep you guys in the loop about what’s going on and why. I’ll break the wall of text into smaller chapters, each named appropriately. That being said, here’s the first one:

1. Flash is dead.

As you can see, no beating about the bush in this article. Some of you might find this statement shocking, or perhaps shocking that I’m talking about this now and not like, couple of years ago. Well, there is a big reason why I waited until today, and the name of this reason is Submachine 10. You see, flash gaming was slowly dying ever since the advent of smartphone market and mobile gaming, around 2008. Yeah, 8 years ago. And I was fully aware of it happening back then too. But as long as I was creating Submachine series – I couldn’t ditch the flash platform. Submachine was born in 2005 as a free browser game and it was just impossible for me to carry on with the series for ten years, and then, when the last Submachine comes, switch the platform and turn my back on all those people who have been playing that game free online for the last ten years. The last Submachine had to be created in flash and it had to be free online. And it is. I went through the entire series as it started ten years ago, and now it’s done. Meanwhile, as I said, flash gaming was slowly dying ever since 2008 and I was stuck in the flash limbo, not allowing my work to evolve into something else on another platform. But it was my decision to stay that way and I have no regrets. Thanks to that decision I feel I earned your trust and respect. I feel that wherever I go in the future, you guys will follow. Those last few years were not wasted on flash. They were a foundation for something bigger. Closing statement on flash gaming is – while the one-day record of downloads on one of my games is 300 000, that was one of the Covert Fronts, perhaps the third one (imagine, more than a quarter million people played it in one day), right now those online numbers are abysmal compared. Flash is really finished, it was abandoned as soon as mobiles crashed the gaming market. If you say: “Wait a minute! I’ve been playing Submachine on my computer all along until now!” – well, yes, you have, but all those hundreds of thousands that are missing are playing on their smartphones and have forgotten browser games even existed. That’s ok, but there are serious implications  for my work and what comes next.

2. So, if flash is dead, what’s next?

First of all, let’s clear one major thing – I will not jump to the mobile/smartphone market. We’ve tried that before and every time it ended ugly. There’ll be no games for iPhone nor Android from me, at least not for now. I want to go in a different direction. Namely – proper PC (and Mac, and Linux) gaming. That’s what I’ve been doing for last couple of years with my HD versions of older flash games, but it’s time to make a proper switch. Basically there are three options for me to choose from. These are three engines that I looked at. Unreal Engine, Unity and Game Maker. I tried all of them, and the most accessible for a flash developer is actually Game Maker.

Unreal and Unity are great, don’t get me wrong, but for what I want to do right now, they’re kind of an overkill. These are mostly 3D gaming engines, and I still want to stay in the realm of 2D hand-drawn games. These bear my signature style and it would be lost when translated into 3D. Maybe, in time, I’ll switch to proper 3D gaming, but not just yet. The Game Maker seems to meet my expectations, and me being a self-learner I found it easiest for me to transition from flash. Take a look at this code snippet from Flash and Game Maker and notice the similarities.

I can easily find my way around this software. Actually, I never told you that before, but while I was developing Submachine 10 in Flash, I was also trying to do something in Game Maker already. You can take a look at this small sketch of a Mothball game, it was just for the sake of trying the software out. There’s nothing much to do but shoot enemies.

Closing statement on Game Maker is – remember, it’s not the tool that’s important, it’s who is using it. Game Maker is a proper game development software (unlike Flash which primary function was to create websites and animations), it uses sprites created from png files, which means I can still create my graphics in Flash and create games that look exactly as before, you wouldn’t even see the change in engine except that those wouldn’t be browser games anymore. But on the other hand – I can create sprites in Photoshop, or even paint them by hand and visibly change the style of what I do. This is the moment when creating a game that looks like one of my comic books is possible. I don’t know if I want to do this yet though. There’s a long time of rethinking my creative process ahead of me.

3. So, the Game Maker, but what you want to do with it?

Now you can stop laughing about those two missing “Mission to…” games. I’m talking about “Mission to the Sun” and “Mission to Earth”. I know I’ve been saying that I’ll create these games since, uhm… 2012? But this year it’ll be different. You see, I kind of feel like I went back ten years. Right now I’m facing an (mostly) unknown to me software and I’m not sure what I can do with it. It’s a great place to be for a creative mind. Ever since I created a coherent engine for creating point and click games in flash (my so called float engine) I lost the actual intellectual challenge of the process. And that’s a big thing for me – the challenge. You might have missed it, but ever since 2010 each year I had some sort of challenge that I tried to achieve and actually achieving that was the most fulfilling thing for me as a creative person. But being kind of stuck in the polished flash engine was slowly wearing on me. Right now I can shake all the dust off my brain, oil the gears and restart the intellectual machine. I remember one of most creative times were when I had an unsolvable (at the time) problem, and I couldn’t even go to sleep properly because my brain was working full speed on solving the problem. But in time – I just got too good at creating point and click games in flash. There was no more challenge for me. But right now, we’re back to square one, yeah, sure, I’ve got ten years of experience behind me, but I’m starting a new adventure right now. Ditching flash is probably the best thing that will happen to my brain this year. That being said – I’m ready for a long time of learning the new software. Learning – meaning trying to create few smaller games, and here’s where “Mission to…” games come in. I’ll try to create those in the new engine as an exercise before creating something bigger. Besides that, two more games will be created – that is if I’ll be able to create them. Do you see how unstable all of this is right now? It’s all hanging on a thread named: me being able to learn game development on a new engine quick enough. I’m actually excited for game development again. Anyway, those two games are naturally new “10 Gnomes” game (“10 Gnomes in Pothia”) and another “Where is?…” game (“Where is 2017?”). So at the least – you’ll get four games this year, none of which will be point and click games. You happy? Probably not, but we just have to power through that period of me learning new things before I can create something bigger.

4. Something bigger? What is it?

Yeah, sure, you had to ask. You just HAD TO ask that question. Well, if you have to know, the answer is – I don’t know yet. Firstly – I want to learn the new software while creating smaller games, and then I want to go BIG. I don’t know what it will be, but I can tell you the rough outline of what it might me. Basically I want it to evolve into something better. That means – taking all things that worked in previous games and put it all into one, big game. What it might be? Imagine – a daymare-like world, but in full color, that houses submachine-like puzzles, while having a main character that you control as in Daymare Cat. Maybe throw something painted in watercolor like in my Revolutions comic book series. Imagine that.

A clash of all goods I delivered during last ten years. In my mind that’s a proper way to evolve. Not creating something never seen before, but learning from your previous experiences, taking everything that was good and further improving it. Just as Submachine 10 was way bigger than it’s predecessors, I want to create something even bigger and better than that. I don’t know what it will be for now. Ask me in a year. I’ll probably have an answer by then. Did I mention it’s kind of important that you stick by me, or even support me through the Patreon page? Yeah, it is crucial. You’re still getting four games this year anyway. All of them free. Too small to attack Steam though.

5. Steam?

Yeah, with that bigger, better, newer, evolved game I’ll try to finally tackle Steam. I’ll probably put that game on Steam Greenlight and will need your support in putting it through the process. But that’s a long time from now, like 2017. Many of you suggested that I should port Submachine games to Steam, but the thing is – I don’t want to start my presence there with an old, ported flash game series, that’s also free online. Steam community would kill me for trying to pull such a stunt. I really need to and want to create something new. Yes, that means the era of free games is over. I know it’s kind of strange to hear, but guys, let’s be real, I don’t want to go for the free-to-play model and basically destroy my games with ads and annoying prompts to buy more lives, or hints or tries or whatever. I’d rather give you an opportunity to buy a single piece of my work that’s complete, like a book, and ready for you to read. I mean play. That’s all.

6. So why should I consider supporting you on Patreon.

Because I’ll be using my patrons as members of my development team. They will be getting samples of graphics and game sketches to play and express their opinions. Everytime I come up with something significant gameplay wise I’ll let them see it first hand. If you’re following me on facebook or twitter – you’ll get the same amount of info as before about new releases, games, comic books, everything. But on Patreon I’ll let people inside my workshop to see the process of creation and be a part of it.

7. Why am I still reading this?

You must really like what I do if you’re still reading this article. Thanks! We’ve already covered all the essentials of what will be happening in 2016 – 2017 and all that’s left is for me to thank you all more in depth. Firstly, all of you that support me on Patreon – thank you from the bottom of my heart, as this Patreon thing is really the heart of this whole operation.  Secondly – big shout out goes to all people that bought Submachine 10 from my store. You guys turned up and basically allowed me to take the entire year off for learning and just creating small free games before going onto that bigger project. I’m really thankful for your donations and purchases as it’s the definitive way to know whether people actually like your creations so much that they’re willing to throw some money at it. I feel that right now is the best situation I put myself into since all those 10 years. We have a direct connection, me, the games developer, and you, the player. The money flow can’t be more direct. That’s really ensuring that the future ahead of us is bright.

Final thoughts: if I haven’t explained everything in full detail and you have any questions for me after reading this article, ask them on facebook or twitter. I’ll try to address them all in a separate post.

I’m very optimistic about the future, yet I’m not sure about your feelings concerning our relationship. Just know this – I’m always creating and my brain is always working and coming up with new ideas, stories and ways to awe all of you. That’s something I observed in me long time ago, that there are actually no off-time periods, even on vacation or when procrastinating hard – in the back of my head I’m always thinking of something new to create.

Remember that as I set off to create something bigger and better – it’ll also take longer to finish. There’s no schedule as of now, but it might take a year or two. The era of short free games will probably be over after this year, maybe with the exception of “10 Gnomes” and “Where is?…” games, which I may or may not continue after 2016.

10 years of Submachine are over. Let’s see what next 10 years bring us.

I’m curious. That’s the best mindset I could be in right now and it’s all thanks to you and your support.

Waiting for your questions.

Thank You for everything that happened so far.

Mateusz Skutnik

So, guys, here’s the thing.
As you probably know, sometime ago I asked you to send me questions that you think should be addressed in the upcoming Submachine 10. Your response was swift, precise and… uhm… avalanche-like? Not sure if that’s the right expression. Anyway. I’ve collected 112 questions, and as you can imagine, I will not be able to answer them all in the upcoming game. Not even close. Maybe I should just write a book about Submachine. Like a dictionary, or digest.

I’m pretty sure I will cover some of those questions in Submachine 10, however I believe rest of them will have to wait for standalone Submachine games that will come later on. Those, while being stripped from the main storyline, will have plenty of room to discuss all those subjects in question. So, more Submachines, yay.

Here’s the full list of Submachine questions I’m supposed to tackle:

1. In Submachine 9, the Player see the graves of Mur and Liz. Are they actually dead?
2. Is the Player dead and the Submachine is some sort of purgatory?
3. What really is the submachine
4. who Mur and Liz really are
5. who are all the others that explored the maze of the network of places we have been
6. Was it all just a dream, an amazing place existing in the mind of the character we play as, or is this a story of someone traveling to a place we all want to visit, where travel is done by a machine, a portal and such?
7. What’s so important in the fifth layer
8. why don’t we ever see the main character
9. elaborate a bit more on the plan
10. How humans discovered the Subnet, the layers
11. why Murtaugh (and Liz?) were chosen
12. What was Shiva’s intention
13. why the structure prevailed after the deaths of Mur and Liz
14. Did the Player’s journey have some purpose?
15. How did the Player begin all this
16. where did he come from
17. Who is the player?
18. what time period is he living in compared to when Mur and Liz were alive?
19. I would like if it gets cleared up if there is time travel involved in the series and in what way.
20. why the karmic portals are destroying the subnet,
21. what implications this has for the submachines and the player
22. further explanantion to the time layer
23. how Thoth and Shiva are both involved
24. And where is Einstein?
25. Clearly even if the player can’t interact with Mur, Liz, or Einstein directly, they’ve interacted with each other directly at some point – how can they have done so but none of the other people in the subnet have encountered each other?
26. Where is sunshine_bunnygirl_17
27. how much more connection there was with Covert Front.
28. if there will be answers about the nature of the Submachine (location.. infinite? growing?…).
29. Where are the corpses of people lived in the submahine?
30. Is it possible the player was everyone of them in his/her past?
31. Who buried the lighthouse and why?
32. Did the events that the game discusses happen centuries ago or did the player participate in them?
33. Will we ever see an actual human character?
34. what happened to all the other, unnamed people who left notes throughout the Submachine?
35. Where did they all go?
36. Or were they ever really there?
37. Why did Mur and Liz die?
38. How could we talked with Mur, not so long time before his death?
39. Why we didn’t meet anyone in Submachine?
40. explain the links between different parts, so that we know if we are travelling in time and/or space/dimensions
41. if everything is happening in chronological order.
42. how Mur and Elizabeth came from that hostile situation between each other to that marvelous plot twist on sub9.
43. In sub6 , where we have to hack the system, did human create/build that place ??
44. I’d to know who and why created Wisdom gems  and what they really are
45. Are we alone?
46. Why are we
47. Kim był Mur i Elizabeth jak to się stalo, że się poznali, a może razem pracowali nad czymś?
48. czy tą grę da się ukończyc?
49. czy postać w którą się wcielamy kiedykolwiek wyjdzie z submachine?
50. Kto tym wszystkim steruje po smierci Mur?
51. Can we just see M’s face?
52. Or atleast is arm?
53. Einstein, how he is able to transport himself through portals and such, but where did he end off?
54. everything what has happened in the subnet is the reality, or the machine was done in order that the persons were living in a virtual reality because in the earth or the reality happened a collapse, for this way saying, the apocalypse?
55. How important the light is?
56. more about what happens when you create a portal inside a portal
57. things about the history of the submachine, at least the history that’s connected to humans somehow, knowing more about how the humans found the subnet (did someone create it and other people found it later on?
58. did humans just stumble upon it somehow and decided to add their own creations to it? how did that happen?
59. is there something outside the Submachine?
60. How Sub_1 fits in with the overall plot since it’s brief story
61. I finally want to know what those bells are exactly for!
62. Where is Kent? a submachine location or a place on Earth?
63. What’s the connection between submachine and Earth/The computer that surpassed human inteligence?
64. What’s the connection between the Kent waterfall and karma?
65. What is the rough timeline of the events in the series?
66. ow do the places we visit in the series fit within the structure of the Submachine, and how are they connected? For example: which layer(s) were we during Sub1-Sub6? Did we travel from the Outer Rim to the Core at the end of Sub1?
67. Who is Shiva/the Computer? Are they one and the same?
68. Where’s the Loop in respect to the 8 Layers?
69. Do Defense Systems and Subbots operate in all the Layers of Reality?
70. Does the Plan have anything to do with the cubic shape of each room?
71. Are the persons who wrote the notes in latest Submachines the former Basement Exploration Team?
72. How did he get to Subverse and Basement from Sub1?
73. Did he has some special purpose in Sub1-Sub4 except escape from the trap?
74. If Subbots do exist in subverse…Show them and tell about them at least in one note, please?
75. What connection do Sub0, SubFLF, SubFLF HD, Sub32 have with main series?
76. Who are protagonists of these side games? Their purposes?
77. What does “MAP” symbol mean? (Symbol we can see in all submachine games’ main menu)
78. Why does ikentt have karma flow/water?
79. Where is it located?
80. Why there were excursions in Winter Palace, South Garden and Lighthouse?
81. Does “our real world” exist at all in Submachine game universe?
82. Did we really make time travel in Sub2, or in some other game?
83. How is important the time in Submachine universe?
84. How many people organizations are there?
85. What is the company? (Sub4 Ship note)
86. What organization ordered to scientist who called this place as “Submerged Machine” to work with submachine?
87. What is Fourth Dynasty?
88. What happened with “Temple/Murtaugh/Shiva Cult” (Sub9)?
89. What happened with Lab workers? How did they ended there at all?
90. From what organization are guys from Sub8?
91. Who are guys from Sub9 secret notes?
92. Is there God? aka Shiva Or all is just technology? aka Computer (or something like this…)
93. explanation what happened in Sub2 intro and Sub2 outro…
94. If we/Payer have one-dimensional mind (Sub9 secret note), then why do we can’t meet any people in Submachines? What is the problem?
95. Way in the past you talked about the creator of the first Submachine, and how his creation went haywire. I would very much like to get to know how he reacted to it and felt about it all. He seems like such an important, yet underrepresented character.
96. What happened to Henry O’Toole when “Murtaugh’s” religion began gaining traction. Was he forgotten or did his works become widely acknowledged.
97. How do the people of the Subnet see their history, which eras do they revere and which do they condemn. Related to this, maybe we could finally get the sub-eras if not explained, at least listed.
98. Murtaugh is a surname, you’ve admitted as much. What was Murtaugh’s first name?
99. Are we alone in Submachine? Is there something there, lurking in the shadows, or are we just the only explorer traversing the subnet?
100. Will the Third Layer ever be repaired and brought whole again?
101. In Sub_9’s super secret bonus area, it was mentioned that Murtaugh was shown the future by Shiva that left him quite happy before he died. Perhaps this is what he saw? Perhaps we, the Players, will have our hands / cursors on this kind of conclusion?
102. Who happened to commission the Submachine network (if it can be called that)?
103. Why is there no life, inside the Submachine?
104. What was the need for the limited appearance of firearms in Submachine? (Think I remember seeing something akin to a machine gun, in one of the games? Not sure.)
105. What is the purpose of the cultural deities in Submachine?
106. What happened to the notes we have collected along the way, with the exception of Sub5 notes?
107. Who put the golden seals in Murtaugh and Elizabeth’s tombs?
108. What is the purpose of the four symbols we see in Sub2? We never used them in the game.
109. Where did Murtaugh obtain plans to draw the teleporter in the lighthouse
110. Who was the man that left mentioned in Sub7, and why did he leave, did he also have power like Murtaugh’s?
111. Why did Murtaugh teleport to the loop? What happened that caused him to enter the loop and not some random location in the outer rim, or is the loop the outer rim?
112. sub4 – What on earth is behind the metal plate? (beginning on the roof)

play | location video | recenzja na Esensji | Liberation review

Today I want to show you the power of what’s going on. That whole Patreon situation. How it liberates me to basically do my creations just for you, and not entire internet (as I don’t have to scratch and claw for ads anymore). Remember the predicted release date for new 10 Gnomes game? September? Scratch that, I made it already and you can play it right now. Not only I’m giving you this game two months before schedule, it’s in full HD, 1920×1080 and, naturally, free. All thanks to people supporting my art on Patreon.

Thank you again.

This is what the second life on Morfolaki series will look like. The revival, under the Daymare brand will be aptly named Daymare Morphs, and will start in January 2016.