Tawa : Lost in Time · published · build 22026674
The past few weeks have been transformative for Tawa.
I realized that Occlusion Culling is extremely effective for interiors (caves, rooms, buildings), but not ideal for wide open environments like the Savanna.
So I:
Removed global occlusion culling
Reworked every object in the scene
Added proper LOD systems
Implemented distance-based deactivation
Optimized creature AI calculations
Result:
On some systems, performance improved from 30 FPS to 90 FPS, depending on hardware.
This also allowed:
🌿 More vegetation
🌾 More grass density
❌ Fewer visible low-poly artifacts
🌫 Slightly reduced fog
👀 Increased visibility distance (still being refined)
More vegetation will be added in the coming weeks.
As of today, the loading time after the main menu is around 30 seconds. I’m aware that this is still too long, and optimizations are already in progress. The goal is to reduce it to around 15 seconds by tomorrow thanks to the improvements currently being implemented.
The world structure has been redesigned.
Currently playable maps:
The Savanna
The Tropical Forest (platformer-oriented, in progress)
The tropical forest focuses more on traversal and tension.
There will be around 5 to 6 levels total.
The world is intentionally smaller but denser and more meaningful.
The Compsognathus are now integrated into the game.
There is no full combat system yet, as optimization comes first.
Long-term vision:
Some mammal encounters may be replaced
Compsognathus may take a stronger role
Large mammals may become more subtle environmental presence
The in-game map resolution increased from 1284 to 2024, improving clarity.
A radar system has been added:
Enemy detection
Planned: differentiate enemies, allies, important objects
I am considering:
Merging radar and map
Or replacing radar with a sound-based detection system
Tawa may stop, lift her ears, and detect distant sounds.
New gameplay elements include:
Gravity changers
Wind blowers
Hollow logs for sneak protection
Temporary protection from dinosaur attacks
Phiso continues guiding Tawa in her search for her family.
Luma the dragonfly still warns of nearby danger.
I’m working on:
A lore cinematic
A narrative video
A stronger story structure