Inspiration
In honor of Halloween, we wanted to create a fun-filled, spooky game to share with others.

About Io
One of the meanings of "io" in the world of tech is input/output. A simple example of io could be a user typing on a keyboard (input) and the characters appearing on the screen (output). In the case of our similarly named game , the user's fate is determined by the inputs they decide to choose. Much more dramatic sounding than the keyboard example, but at its foundation Io is how computers are able to interact with the outside world and how you guys can interact with the world we created.

Tools Used
Io was created using Python and Ren'Py, a visual novel engine. The majority of the graphics shown in the game were drafted and produced by members in the team.

Challenges
One of the challenges faced was the inevitable struggle that comes with working in unfamiliar territory. We'd never used Ren'Py or designed a game before so learning and as we went proved to be difficult throughout developing. Another challenge we faced was producing our intended graphics at the same rate that the story-line was being brainstormed. The process in drawing each sprite and background turned out to be more time consuming than expected. As a result, we were able to complete our story in flowcharts, but not yet visually in the game.

Accomplishments
We created our first game ever! And we had an awesome time doing it. Our team was able to brush up on our pixel art and story-building skills all while working on an exciting project.

Lessons Learned
We learned that spending more time on planning than producing is essential to being efficient in releasing high-quality work. When we spent less time discussing the details of graphics, we ended up spending more time revising and editing. Contrarily, when we'd ask each other questions along the way the drawing board for those graphics rarely ever needed to be revisited.

What's Next?
There are still many plans laid out for Io, some of which are in progress as you read this. These plans include:

-Expanding access to different worlds so users can make more choices and unlock different fates
-Mini games against side characters/monsters
-Animations
-Custom GUI appearance
-More themes options! (Christmas is calling)