Hey folks! We’re in the final sprint on Sportal, which means less time for regular Steam devlogs lately. But today’s topic is just too good to skip—it’s been giving me the boost I need to share it with you. I’m putting this together after a full day of game‑building, so show some love with a comment or a like down below On that note, we’re down to just two milestones before launch! The game’s in an advanced stage now, and we’re deep into internal playtesting. From almost the very start, testers have been saying they expected a bit more of a sporty vibe. At first, we weren’t convinced—after all, we already had monsters and sports‑themed weapons. We didn’t think the action needed to take place in stadiums, or that the monsters had to run around in jerseys. That just wasn’t the core of the game. Or so we thought.
But after hearing the same feedback 5 or 6 times, we realized there was something to it—so now we’re slipping sporty elements in wherever we can. We’ve honestly fallen in love with the results. Sometimes it really does pay to listen to your players…
the mummy before we added the sporty elements:
mummy after they joined the party:
The new mummy now features:
A new texture that’s less realistic and more reminiscent of a sporty jumpsuit (the color also makes it pop against the grey‑brown backgrounds)
A baseball cap
A smartphone strapped to its arm
Knee pads
Elbow pads
A wristwatch
A sports number
Adding all those elements was a pretty complex and time‑consuming process. But we built a clever system that randomizes them—keeping things fresh every time you see the character.
We’ve got three cap colors, plus the option to wear them backwards. Same goes for the knee pads, elbow pads, watches, and smartphones—each comes in three variations. On top of that, the mummy can appear without a number and without certain accessories. Our system randomly mixes all these possibilities, so enemies never look like clones. The result? A game world that feels richer, more alive, and more authentic. Eventually, all enemies will sport these caps and accessories.
Just as important was creating the feeling that you’re playing inside a stadium or arena—taking part in a horror‑sports spectacle. Here’s one of the key elements:
The exit gate features sports‑style display screens that also double as progress indicators for your run.
The jumbotrons add to the eerie atmosphere, flickering ominously during gameplay.
The green ramps are designed to look like a modern addition from the mysterious organizers of the Sportal tournament.
The lights and railings help set the sporty vibe—while the spikes are environmental hazards you can also skewer enemies on!
The game features four fictional brands of sports weapons and apparel—so we created banners showcasing their names.
The ruined sports stands and scattered seats are the final accent.
One of the ‘Ruins’ environment levels seen from above in the Unity editor — placing all these elements was quite a painstaking process, but the result is worth it.
And here are some textures featuring jerseys and sports numbers. We think they turned out with a great vibe.
In just a few weeks we’ll be releasing a demo on Steam, so soon you’ll be able to experience our game for yourself. Testers say it’s very enjoyable and addictive — we hope you’ll feel the same way!
Thanks for reading! I’m heading back to work now. Today’s goal is to create a brand‑new level, as it turns out our plan for 5 different levels per environment wasn’t enough. They were repeating between tiers in the game, so we need 6 additional levels — and the release date is getting close!