3D render of Mole’s Best Friend’s main character, Topo, by the one and only GamerJax: a 10 year old game developer who I was lucky enough to meet at PAX West this year. This is the first Mole’s Best Friend fanart ever made! Look at that attention to detail! #indiegamedev #fanart #3dart #youthartist

Spent the past couple nights working on this ominous fig bush. Solo game dev is hard but when you’re stressed about building your Steam page, you can busy yourself (procrasinate?) with assets. #gameart #backgroundart #sologamedev

Was mocking up an idea but then my toddler misplaced my Apple Pencil again, so I guess I will just think about my idea instead.

The main character of my game is nocturnal, so there are a lot of nighttime backgrounds. It’s been interesting playing with light and shadow at night. I noticed that the dark sky felt very flat, so I added a gradient and it helped a lot. It’s nice when a small tweak adds depth! #indiegame #gameart

Currently halfway through to the latest @aghotspot.bsky.social episode with @inklingwood.bsky.social and got chills. VERY inspiring and cool to hear about their journey as first time devs. And of course I’m always partial to hearing about mom devs who work on games with babies on their shoulders.

October was a big month for me - I’m trying to get the Mole’s Best Friend Steam page up so you can wishlist it, met with my awesome storyboard artist friend Sonja to talk about an opening cutscene, and making lots of progress on my prototype to prepare for play testing! youtu.be/jPpRMc8bT7o?...

Made a bit of progress!

I started drawing this pottery/ceramics studio background a year ago this week, but have procrastinated on finishing it because I want it to be gorgeous and true to the vibes I got from ceramics classes I was in when I was younger. Basically, perfectionism paralyzed me! I gotta get on it. #indiegame

hope u like puns 😏

Half of the fun of point n click adventure games is investigating items in any given scene. I added names/descriptions to almost everything in Scrunch the beetle’s bedroom. She is a rebellious preteen who loves fiber art. My personal favorite item is the “fleur” lamp. Get it? Fleur, floor?

I sure picked a hell of a time to make an adventure game. Started working on it 5 months postpartum and now I have an absolutely bonkers 1.5 yr old running around. But I will persevere! Game development can happen between naps, no matter how few and far between!

Spent September animating, marketing with said animations, and realized you HAVE to have a growth mindset as a game dev (or anyone with a goal in life) youtu.be/HMV2IgBq04c?...

Hyperventilating because I posted about Mole's Best Friend (with screenshots!) in the new Adventure Game Hotspot forum.

Small game dev win: I figured out action areas, aka the tadpoles emerge and submerge depending on if you are standing close enough to the creek! Not pictured: me giggling and kicking my feet as I click back and forth. #indiegamedev #pointandclickadventure #visionairestudio

breaking: woman who claims to hate animating, keeps animating

Animated this grouchy gecko gardener this week. She may look cute but she’s got a bad attitude. #animation #indiegamedev #molesbestfriend #adventuregame

Post a mage! ✨ A sugar glider witch who loves the element of surprise.

Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable #sickandtwisted #disturbingart #cozygame

I do TikTok stuff and am enjoying the text to speech feature. Here’s an update on me tadpoles. #animation #indiegamedev

Game dev is a crash course in believing in yourself, wearing a million has, and harnessing a growth mindset. In the last 6 months I’ve done narrative design, puzzle design, animation, coding, marketing, formed an LLC, project management, collaborated with other creatives, and cried.

I am struggling a lil with water animation, but I am p happy with my tadpoles. #animation #pointandclickadventure #indiegame

animating water is like rly hard 😓

late night animatin’

I’m talking with a storyboard artist friend soon about doing some boards for the opening cutscene for the game. I am pumped. Also going to try to get the Steam page up this month. Full speed ahead!!

Working on animating some tadpoles for the player character to cross the creek! #animation

I learned a ton at PAX, but came away with some questions that I need help answering. What’s my game’s hook? Why should anyone care about it? Is it worth starting a Discord for people to stay updated? #indiegamedev #devlog #paxwest

We had fun at our first PAX West! Met so many great people, spread the word about Mole’s Best Friend, went to a couple mentorship sessions and played a lot of games. It was awesome to see the hard work of so many devs come to fruition (PAX Rising showcase especially!) and I feel so inspired.

PAX is overwhelming and exhausting but also fun and cool.

Backgrounds backgrounds and more backgrounds, feeling pride and like I am really worldbuilding here, who’da thunk it? #gameart #molesbestfriend #indiegame #gamedev

Working on a fun dragonfly pendulum clock. Trying my damnedest to lean into whimsy and cute bugs! #indiegame #gameart #wip #molesbestfriend

Just make it exist first, you can make it good later ✨ #indiegames #cozygames

Game dev is hard, especially when working solo. I am having trouble balancing art and tech, marketing and development, but I guess what matters is making progress at all. youtu.be/rfjQHxRgujg?...

Plugged some of the updated backgrounds into the engine! Topo’s house is almost done. The art is a big part of Mole’s Best Friend and I am happy to see it shaping up into something beautiful, but I really gotta work on the mechanics. #gamedev #indiegame #pointandclickadventure #cozygame #gameart

Scrunch is a (pre?)teen beetle who loves all things fiber art. I had a lot of fun designing her room and playing with mood lighting. However, I have a bajillion more backgrounds to draw so I’ll call this a decent stopping point. #gameart #backgroundary #gamedev #indiegame #pointandclickadventure

I began doing concept art for my game a year ago, but the whole idea for the story stems from a (very) short animation I did almost a decade ago. I’m inspired by the flora and fauna of Southeast Texas, with a hefty dose of magic and whimsy. #conceptart #characterdesign #indiegame #gamedev

Hi! I’m Larissa, and I’m an indie game developer, illustrator, and UX Designer. I am currently solo developing my first game, Mole’s Best Friend. I describe it as a blend of Monkey Island and Animal Crossing. I post devlogs on my YT: youtube.com/@lurissu Will be at PAX West handing out stickers!

Mole's Best Friend is a cozy point n click adventure game about a routine abiding mole named Topo and his best friend Scrunch, a rebellious young beetle. One day, they have an explosive argument and Scrunch goes missing. It is up to Topo to face his fears, track Scrunch down, and save the planet.