June 18th, 9:00 AM. Chris's bedroom, now resembling a low-budget horror movie set (minus the actual horror, hopefully), was the scene of intense concentration. Empty energy drink cans had formed a protective barrier around Max's coding station.
"Prototype time!" Chris announced, his voice a mix of excitement and apprehension. "Let's bring this nightmare to life…in a very basic, very preliminary, very…unpolished way."
Max, already deep in the Godot editor, was wrestling with the first-person controller. "Movement first. WASD, mouse look… Should feel smooth, responsive, but also…a little clunky? To add to the tension?"
Tyrone, surrounded by reference images of abandoned buildings and unsettling interiors, was blocking out the initial area of the research facility. "Think…claustrophobic hallways, flickering lights, lots of…shadows. We need to make the player feel…uneasy, even without any enemies."
They spent the next week in a focused sprint, translating the detailed plans of the GDD into a tangible, playable experience.
Progress & Challenges:
First-Person Movement & Interaction: Max, after much Googling and head-scratching, managed to implement a basic first-person controller. The player could move around using WASD, look around with the mouse, and interact with objects (doors, light switches) using a simple raycast system. It wasn't perfect – the movement felt a bit stiff, and the interaction was clunky – but it was a start.
Challenge: Making the movement feel both responsive and slightly unsettling. They wanted to avoid the smooth, effortless movement of a typical action game.
Level Design: Chris and Tyrone collaborated on building a small, playable section of the research facility. They used Godot's 3D tools to create a series of interconnected hallways and rooms, using simple box shapes and placeholder textures. They focused on creating a sense of claustrophobia and disorientation, using tight spaces, sharp corners, and limited lighting.
Challenge: Learning Godot's 3D workflow. They were used to 2D sprites and TileMaps; working in 3D was a whole new ballgame.
Sanity Mechanic: Max implemented a basic sanity system. A variable tracked the player's sanity level, decreasing over time and dropping sharply when the player encountered "scary" events (for now, just a sudden loud noise triggered by a proximity sensor). As the sanity level decreased, the screen would subtly distort, and the colors would shift towards a sickly green.
Challenge: Finding the right balance between subtle and noticeable effects. They didn't want the sanity effects to be too distracting, but they also needed to be clear enough to communicate the player's deteriorating mental state.
Sound Effects: Tyrone scoured the internet for free sound effects: creaking metal, dripping water, distant whispers, flickering lights. He integrated these into the environment, creating a basic soundscape that added to the atmosphere of unease. Max helped him trigger sound effects based on player actions and proximity.
Challenge: Finding high-quality, royalty-free sound effects that fit the mood of the game.
Enemy AI (Rudimentary):
As a stretch goal, Max attempted to implement very basic enemy AI. He created a simple cube that would follow the player if they got too close. It didn't attack, it didn't have any animations, it was just a…creepy, following cube.
Challenge: Godot AI, because they still didn't know anything about it.
Playtesting & Feedback (June 24th):
They gathered around Chris's computer, their hearts pounding with a mixture of anticipation and dread. Chris took the controls, navigating the dimly lit hallways of their prototype.
The Good:
Atmosphere: The combination of the claustrophobic environment, the limited lighting, and the unsettling sound effects did create a sense of unease. Even without any actual enemies, the prototype felt…creepy.
First-Person Perspective: The first-person view was immersive, drawing the player into the world.
Sanity Mechanic (Potential): The subtle visual effects of the sanity mechanic, while basic, did add a layer of psychological tension.
The Not-So-Good:
Movement: The first-person movement felt stiff and clunky, making navigation feel awkward.
Interaction: The interaction system was basic and unreliable. Sometimes the player could interact with objects, sometimes they couldn't.
Visuals: The placeholder textures and basic lighting made the environment look…well, basic.
Enemy AI: The "creepy cube" was more comical than terrifying.
Performance: Sometime it's lagging.
Review & Progress:
Chris: "It's…a start. The atmosphere is definitely there, but the movement and interaction need a lot of work. And we need to replace that creepy cube with something…actually scary." He felt that they need to learn more on 3D.
Max: "The code is…messy. But it works (mostly). I need to refactor the first-person controller, improve the interaction system, and…learn something about AI." He need to learn more about 3D.
Tyrone: "The environment has potential, but it needs a lot more detail. We need proper textures, lighting effects, and…more unsettling details. And we need to replace that cube with something that will actually make people scream." He's ready for the next process.
They were far from finished. The prototype was rough, unpolished, and barely functional in places. But it was a start. It was proof that they could create a 3D environment, implement basic first-person controls, and even create a (very basic) sanity mechanic. They had a long way to go, but they had taken their first steps into the darkness. And they were ready to keep going.