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Monochrome Heights Devlog #13 – So Much Polishing

3–4 minutes

I’m making my first commercial indie game, a 2D platformer game, called Monochrome Heights.

I haven’t had as much time as I might have liked to work on the game over the last couple of weeks. My intention has been to get some meaty chunks of work done on it, but for one reason or another, I haven’t had a great deal of dedicated time. However, I was able to chip away at various small aspects of the game, and in particular some polishing here and there.

These small bits of polishing has felt like it’s impact ranged anywhere between being exceedingly useful, to an easy distraction, all the way to being a complete waste of time. On some level, nothing is a waste of time, but I have spent some time working on some bits of polish only to throw it out because I can’t get it to work how I want, or it seems to cause more problems than it solves.

A screenshot of Happy the Robot standing near a wind marker. Image Credit: One Frog Games

I’ve been making some minor tweaks to key gameplay elements based on the continued feedback I have been receiving on the most recent playtest. I’m pretty happy now with the way everything is for the main character, but I’m still making minor tweaks to some of the items, hazards, and platforms that the player comes across. Some of these have been easy, some stubborn, and some I’m still avoiding because they seem difficult to approach.

Even if I haven’t made a huge push on the game, these small tweaks and bits of polish are important and many are necessary before I spend too much more time making levels that use the mechanics. Iteration is a key to game development, and polishing up things as best I can will help the game feel and look as good as it can.

The game still needs lots of polishing, so much polishing. There’s plenty of polish I can do now, but quite a bit of it has to wait until more levels are made, and story segments are built. However, fixing up small things around the mechanics, even if it isn’t as much progress as I had hoped for, is still progress.

A screenshot of Happy the Robot standing near a big machine. Image Credit: One Frog Games

The summer will bring some unique challenges in terms of my time management, but I’m hoping to make a big push and looking forward to an event at the end of the summer which I’ll share more on later.

If you’re interested in following along in more detail, sign up for the Monochrome Heights mailing list here. You’ll get exclusive access to early demos and additional short updates. Until next time. Thanks for reading! 

Share any thoughts on the game in the comments below or come find me on the Boss Rush Discord.


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The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, LeRon, Stephanie, Edward, and their friends from around the internet come together to talk their week in games, entertainment, and more while also bringing topics for conversation, answer listener and community questions, and cover major news and events happening in the video game industry. Watch The Boss Rush Podcast live on Wednesday Nights on Twitch at 8:30PM ET / 5:30PM PT or on Monday mornings at 7AM ET on YouTube and podcast services everywhere. Thanks for listening! You can also get this episode one week early on Patreon.

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SPOTLIGHT: Dark Machine Games, Developer Behind White Knuckle - Boss Rush Podcast - A Podcast about Video Games

Dark Machine Games White Knuckle on Steam here.How does a small indie team turn a prototype into one of the most talked-about climbing games of the year?In this Boss Rush Network Spotlight Series interview, host Stephanie Klimov sits down with the team at Dark Machine Games to explore the incredible journey behind White Knuckle. What started as a rapid prototype quickly evolved into a unique first-person speed climbing experience blending tension, horror elements, and flow-state gameplay. The team dives into their inspirations for the game’s striking art and sound design, how community feedback shaped development during early access, and the unexpected boost from creators like Markiplier. They also discuss their growing recognition, including being featured in Forbes 30 Under 30, and what that means for the studio’s future. With new updates on the horizon, including the upcoming region “The Nest,” this episode highlights the power of community-driven development and the passion fueling one of indie gaming’s rising success stories.Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow the Boss Rush Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for your continued support of the Boss Rush Podcast and the Boss Rush Network! If you listen on podcast services, leave us a 5 star rating and a nice review or comment. If you're listening to this episode on YouTube, subscribe to the channel, like the video, leave a comment, and hit the bell so you don't miss an episode posting. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website for more great content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Boss Rush and our community.

Mario Movie Franchise Hits $2 Billion & Switch 2's Lineup Stacks Up - Nintendo Pow Block Podcast - Now Your Podcasting with Power!

Email your ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questions to the podcast here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Nintendo Switch 2's lineup continues to become a stacked one for 2026, showing now signs of slowing down. This week on Nintendo Pow Block, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss the wave of new release date announcements including Splatoon Raiders, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2, and more.They also discuss how Nintendo continues to expand its ecosystem with spin-offs, expansions, and their major franchises hitting new milestones, including the Super Mario movie franchise passing $2 billion globally. Pokémon TCG is getting a new expansion featuring Lucario, Resident Evil Requiem’s continues to hit new sales records for the franchise, and even a remastered collection of Ecco the Dolphin is making a comeback. They end the podcast as always with community questions and topics. This and more on Nintendo Pow Block!Join our Communities:Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Nintendo Pow Block on Social Media: Nintendo Pow Block Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitch.TV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the Boss Rush Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitch.TV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow our Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Cofounder of Boss Rush Media and host of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nintendo Pow Block⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Cofounder and CEO of Boss Rush Media and host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nintendo Pow Block⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Xbox Casuals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Boss Rush Network:Support Boss Rush on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy merch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website at BossRush.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more great content.Thanks for Your Continued Support!Thank you for supporting Nintendo Pow Block! If you’re listening on podcast platforms, leave us a five-star rating and a review. If you’re watching on YouTube, subscribe, like, comment, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. Your support means the world—see you next time on Nintendo Pow Block!

Xbox Game Pass Gets Cheaper As Call of Duty Exits - Xbox Casuals - An Xbox Podcast

Xbox is making some aggressive moves, and it feels like things are finally out in the open. Under Asha Sharma and Matt Booty, the team laid out a clear four-part plan for the future, covering hardware, games, player experience, and services. On this week’s Xbox Casuals, Corey Dirrig and Josh Finney discuss what it all means, from stabilizing the current console generation and teasing Project Helix, to growing franchises and rethinking how Xbox Game Pass works going forward. There’s even talk of potential acquisitions and changes to exclusivity. It’s a lot to take in, but more than anything, it finally feels like Xbox is being upfront about where it’s headed and has lit some fire under the community. Now it’s just a matter of seeing how it all plays out.This and more this week on Xbox Casuals. Join our communities:Boss Rush Community Discord Tower Casuals Destiny DiscordFollow our Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Founder of Boss Rush Media, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Finney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, cofounder and cohost of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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In this episode of Boss Rush Gamescast, Pat Klein, Stephanie Klimov, and Stoy Jovic cover everything from standout moments at PAX East to the evolving world of arcade and indie games. The crew explores world building in Crimson Desert, storytelling in Life is Strange, and the continued evolution of Mario with newer experiences like Wonder. They also share personal insights on game collecting, the impact of missing major vendors at conventions, and why the arcade scene is finding new life. It’s a wide-ranging conversation packed with thoughtful takes and firsthand experiences from across the gaming space.Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Boss Rush Network: Follow Boss Rush Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Boss Rush Network:Support Boss Rush on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy merch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website at BossRush.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more great content.Thank you for your Support!

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