Fetch is a game about playing fetch with a digital dog. I suppose you could say that it was two years in the making, since I started playing with the concept back in 2010. The idea came from a variety of places, but during the Sketchfest of July 2010 I created this sketch:



It's changed a bit over the last two years, but the essential idea is the same. Playing fetch with an undead dog creature (since dubbed "bone dogs") in a volcano-dominated landscape. Clever, simple, fun. Or so I hope.

Did it really take me two years to make Fetch? Well, it did and it didn't. It wasn't two years working 40-hour weeks, or even 20-hour weeks, on the game. It was kinda wedged in there with other projects, work, and life. In addition, I spent a lot of time learning new things (new software, new skills, new concepts), and often abandoned the game for long stretches when I ran into something that was too large of a stumbling block. Eventually though, the pieces all started coming together and the game evolved into the form you see.



I used all free or open-source tools for making Fetch. The game itself is built with Unity. The bone dog was modeled, rigged and animated in Blender. Textures and 2d art were made and/or edited with GIMP. The textures on the dog and ball were partially done in Blender. And sound editing was done in Audacity.

Despite the frustration, I enjoyed making Fetch. Hopefully you enjoy playing it just as much.

Play Fetch at EMG-Zine here!