Hey all, getting back to this space, I wanted to first appreciate all the support. We recently hit the mark of 150k wishlists on Steam, without even putting out our demo or participating in the Next Fest (…yet!). This means a lot to us! But also, it makes us aware that it's important for us to deliver the best game we can, as well as communicating exactly how the game is, so we only surprise you positively. On that note, I start my third blog post, talking about what to expect in regards to gameplay mechanics.
From a design perspective, I wanted the game to be a collection of lots of things, rather than a few things that are complex to understand and implement. Since the beginning of the project, I realized that the experience that I was trying to create relates more to a sandbox space, where I would keep on adding toys to it. Throughout the project, I would play and iterate, adding more little toys to compose the overall experience.
My mantra was «If I want to create an emergent gameplay experience, let me have an emergent development process», so that every crazy idea that we have, we can put it in the game in a matter of hours or just a couple of days. That made the game simple in a lot of ways, but at the same time, the care, the fun and the complexity appears in the combination of all those simple things. It's more about the emergent open-ended experience, than a tailored-linear experience.
As you embark in this dungeon, you'll first start interacting with objects, picking stuff up that are pretty physical. You can pile them up in a corner, over a table, or even throw to a friend in the distance. «Hey, I found this up here, I'm gonna throw it to you» -kinda experience.
Your inventory is pretty limited, as well as a bunch of other things. Light is limited, resources are scarce, enemies are hidden in the corners. But once you bring stuff back to your camp, a lot of possibilities open up. Each thing you find opens new recipes in the crafting menu, and each tool opens the dungeon to other possibilities.
Recipes are simple, what is hard is to actually have enough resources for everything. So, you'll see your group going out on some self-motivated quests, like «I wanna craft this new armor, can you guys join me and help me find some metal scraps?».
As you discover more materials and tools, you'll be able to craft workbenches and cooking tables that will open new crafting possibilities. You'll be able to craft different weapons, melee and ranged, and many tools, some to open new pathways, others to help you collect resources in the dungeon. That's a big part of the metroidvania element of the game. I call this «Survival Metroidvania», because you'll be crafting tools to open new areas through the dungeon. Remember that sometimes what you eat is actually what gives you the abilities to continue the exploration.
One thing that I was particularly proud of was to implement some puzzles and challenges inside the dungeon that will further use your crafting abilities. I didn't want puzzles that felt gimmicky or too on the nose, so, I explored options that felt they could in fact exist in that dungeon, as if it was in the real world. Note that some puzzles will be easier to solve if you've been incrementing and building a better campsite.
I could go on forever, talking about all the features this handcrafted dungeon has, from grappling hooks to secret doors, from boss fights to fishing with harpoons, from potion making to combining buffs with the stuff you eat. There are hammers, pickaxes, maces, ropes, hooks, swords, bow and arrows, backpacks, shields, water pouches, and so many more things. Be prepared to carry heavy weight sculptures, break vases, chase hidden critters, fix contraptions, find hidden secret messages, understand the behaviour of your enemies… and so much more.
Thanks for coming back here for the third time. Next post, I'll talk more about the story of other adventurers that you'll find bits and pieces while you explore the dungeon. No spoilers, I promise! xD
- Saulo Camarotti
Creative Director, Designer and Coder of DDD