Dev Log

Part 1: Creating a Mechanical Prototype

With the GDD complete, my first priority was building a functional prototype to test the core gameplay loop, skipping art and sound for now. I implemented the player, twin-stick movement, basic attacks, health systems, and minion spawning. I have been surprised by how simple this process is in Godot. Given my background in Windows automation, I am already comfortable with C# syntax, so I chose that over GDScript. Everything is working well so far, even if it looks a bit ugly and flavorless at this stage. My next step is to evolve this prototype into something more polished like a vertical slice.

Part 2: Now we need flavor!

With a very basic functional prototype in place, the next step is defining the game's visual identity. I plan to create vector drawings for the in-game items, but first, I need concept art to guide the process.

Now, let’s see what we can create.

Solidifying the design of the player character, the avatar of a dark and corrupting god, is the natural first step. Since this character is the game's focal point, I want an aesthetic that immediately conveys horror and malevolence. However, the design also needs to be practical. It must be straightforward enough to translate from detailed concept art into clean, simplified vector drawings. I believe this concept strikes the right balance; it is visually interesting while remaining easy to adapt for actual gameplay assets.

With the avatar design finalized, it is time to move on to the enemies, currently depicted as simple red blocks. In Blightmarch, the player starts in a severely weakened state. After being defeated and banished for millennia, our dark god is only just reawakening. Consequently, we are prepared to face only the weakest of foes the world has to offer: the armed villagers.

Now that I have several concepts for our villager types, we can move forward. I plan to translate these into distinct in-game characters, each with slightly different stats and abilities to prevent gameplay stagnation. This variety should keep combat varied in the prototype stage, challenging the player to react to a changing mix of threats.

With our first set of enemies established, it is time to tackle the first minion design. To maintain the world's dark atmosphere, I envision this unit as a hastily reanimated corpse, unstable and swelling with void energy. Its function is simple: rush the nearest threat and detonate in a violent shower of magic and gore.

Here is a concept for the "Boil" minion's detonation. It captures the visceral nature of the ability, featuring a chaotic mix of dark energy, blood, and bone fragments.

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