Designing a Game Around Shadows! - SCHiM Devlog

In this video I talk about the origin and history of my indie game SCHiM, let me know if you like it or have future suggestions!
Wishlist SCHiM here: store.steampow...
Join the Discord: / discord
Twitter: / ewoud3d
TikTok: / schimgame
Instagram: / schimgame
All the music used in this video is by PKCH:
/ @pkchmusic

[@Koeninn]

When I was in primary school, with my best friend, we would only travel around on the shadows just like this! I can't believe you've made it!

[@King_andu]

Same

[@astronull8589]

childhood lol

[@Red.chicken]

Bruh you used to morph into a black glob and travel by jumping 6feet in the air into shadows...

[@King_andu]

@@Red.chicken me when the

[@an9l1c1sm6]

And now you are both cat burglars, what a coincidence.

[@derpydino35]

this is insane!!!!! reminds me of splatoon :0 everything looks so polished, and i'm overjoyed at the no HUD rule!! cant wait to see where you'll take it next

[@Tazerboy_10]

Yup

[@upsidedown-pug1974]

When I see this I think that you can do some really interesting perspective things cause of the simple art style like connecting two shadows that are far away from each other

[@tissuepaper9962]

Yes, they definitely need to play with the camera angles to get some really cool puzzles going.

[@waylonk2453]

I like that idea. Or perhaps including light sources which change position and then cast different shadows

[@DoorisJ]

I like that you broke out of the preconceived notion’s of what a game has to be/have. When an artist truly has unhinged say in their creation, is when you see a masterpiece.

[@remcoland]

This is so cool! I remember you showing this to us at university and it was already impressive back then. Nice to see that you're still continueing to work on this game. It's a shame that the teachers didn't see the potential of this game

[@silverblaize]

Sometimes teachers just suck like that. I hope he proves them wrong when he finally releases this game.

[@patakk8145]

I don't think it's as simple as them not seeing the potential. Maybe they just didn't see it fit to be replaced by game development, I don't know what kind of university he intended to go to. But I agree that they should've said yes, although he would've probably dropped out a few months later.

[@jackpayne8440]

You went to college to this guy?!

[@yassin_eldeeb]

"I've my own curriculum now" super relatable story 🔥

[@zevlander]

Now THIS is an indie project!!! So cool!

[@drstrudel353]

I love how inspiring and wholesome this video is when it’s only 4 minutes long

[@nathanp5877]

Wait, that was four minutes? I was so captivated it felt like 15 minutes

[@brandonejem8620]

I dig this game concept! I'm also color blind and often cannot tell red from green in games. The best games let me choose my color options because the presets don't always work for me. It would be cool if there was a moonlit level. With occasional cloud passes that allows free travel.

[@DOCHD20]

University certainly holds a lot of young talented minds back, I am glad you chose your own path, the game looks great

[@shixuo]

Even so completing it is a good idea

[@SS369]

Nowadays they’re being treated as facilities for indoctrination of blindly believing robots. I couldn’t agree more!

[@arun-it9gr]

The university doesn't hold back anything.. most people's minds are held back already and they join the university because it offers space for that mentality.. the techs he's using for the game, the math, the concepts.. all came from University..

[@shixuo]

@@arun-it9gr facts

[@theviniso]

University opens a lot of doors and is a great experience for most people. Dropping out was probably the right choice for him and for many other people, but for the rest of us graduating is the safest option.

[@paulie4450]

I remember seeing this game a couple of years back on Twitter, looks even better now!

[@davidadhi]

I love watching this game. How can he take my childhood imagination, idea and fantasy to something that I think is beautiful(sorry bad english)

[@olivergodfrey2005]

I love the style of this game, it looks so pretty. Your really doing something special with this game dude. Good luck with the designing man.

[@Ewoud3D]

Thank you very much!

[@ScratchOMatic]

MANNNN I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE THE DEVLOGS OF THIS GAME! This game looks like the best mad as indee game that could totally be a Nintendo switch game!

[@filippo6157]

The graphic is so soft and cozy! It really gives the idea of the childhood game

[@tonybrownlowe2272]

ABSOLUTELY LOVE the fact that even though your teachers were not so impressed you believed in yourself and stuck with it! Very INSPIRATIONAL!

[@emberwulfz6948]

This has such great potential and has a very catchy art style and core mechanic. Wish you the best of luck

[@spoonsweet]

So happy I got this recommended on my homescreen. A smooth devlog, an amazing project! You have already caught my attention with the art and title, and was a treat catching up to your story. Good luck on this project, can't wait to see what more you share with us!

[@jameschristensen1658]

this makes me ridiculously happy and the colorblind bit is just even better

[@AchaiahLusoc]

I absolutely LOVE this idea and the execution as well is just mwah 😘 chefs kiss, i would love to continue supporting this game!

[@billmore6486]

This is insane. I was thinking of a videogame where you would travel only by shadows and you far exceeded it. Great showcase

[@stbuchok]

You could also have night time and there are street lights that flicker on and off in places where you need to collect things. You could have a timed version where the position of the sun changes as time goes on. Such a great concept for a game.

[@b4ux1t3-tech]

This is truly gorgeous. Excellent work. University is a great experience. It's also not for everyone. I'm so glad that you found your path yourself. There are a lot of people who end up feeling lost when the prescribed path that everyone seems to be expected to follow doesn't fit them. This game and your journey are an inspiration for those people. Myself included.

[@mrskwrl]

So cool and props on deciding to quit school to pursue this. Sometimes school just isn't the answer anymore.

[@Vit-Pokorny]

Oh I remember seeing this on one of the game dev subreddits quite a while back, its so cool.

[@UmbraResistis]

Engels / English: This game looks amazing, I love the style and colours and I like how you have to move around in the shadows. I would also immediatly guess that this is the Netherlands, even though there are no windmills because most of the Netherlands isn't with so many windmills. I am Dutch myself and it's such an inspiration to see such a great game made by a Dutch indie creator. Sorry if my Dutch is bad since I am horrible at translating from english to Dutch. Nederlands / Dutch: Dit spel ziet er geweldig uit, Ik vind de stijl en kleuren mooi en ik vind ook leuk hoe je moet rondbewegen in de shaduwen. Ik zou zelf gelijk gokken dat dit Nederland is, ook al zijn er geen windmolens want het meeste van Nederland is niet met zoveel windmolens. Ik ben zelf ook Nederlands en het is echt inspirerend om zo'n goed spel te zien die wordt gemaakt door een Nederlandse Indie Maker Sorry als mijn Nederlands slecht is omdat ik slecht ben in vertalen van Engels naar Nederlands.

[@Ewoud3D]

Dankjewel, leuk om te horen!

[@insignificantstudent5585]

This is so aesthetically pleasing and has such creative mechanics Simple yet so wonderfull

[@QuixEnd]

No way! Growing up I always wanted a game about looking out the window of a car. Not as relatable now, but id play all kinds of games in my head just staring out at the ditches, telephone wires and landscape

[@PETAAAGAMING]

This Introduction hypes me more up than the thought of gta 6. It is very creative. 10/10

[@bartlx]

The interesting thing about simple and visually appealing demos like this one is, that at the end of the day, when the hype has faded, there's still a chance that nobody wants to actually play the finished games, and that of course includes buying them. But you never know for sure. I played everything Playdead makes multiple times from start to finish. Good that you chose to stick with your idea. Good luck.

[@kllrnooooova]

KZbin recommendations are on fire recently! This is actually a really interesting concept that a lot of people can relate to.

[@ranitchatterjee5552]

I saw your game's gameplay in video preview and instantly clicked on it. The game concept is really interesting. If you can add missions to this game, I think it would turn to be one of the top grossing games.

[@balelei]

just a ball having to be in shadows and exploring while seeing other things happening while a relaxing music plays id like that game

[@dsfmdiya7500]

I’m Dutch and I want to be a game developer when I’m older, so this is really inspiring! I love the style and the whole concept and I wonder what it’s gonna look like as a full game (with maybe a storyline, music and I’m curious how moving on to the next level works) Ik kan niet wachten

[@SMABSYSTEMS]

Veel succes :D

[@CLOYO]

Ik kan ook niet wachten!

[@_Dalee_]

same

[@ryansamarakoon8268]

This is amazing!! If there's a deep story/progression like in 'inside' and limbo I'd instantly buy it. My imagination is already going crazy on who could be the enemy and what kinda puzzles you could incorporate

[@justsomeguy4422]

This is amazing, I had a concept of a character like this in middle school when we were learning Greek mythology. A character/being born in the shadows and can only move in shadows. The bigger the shadow however, also meant the bigger the beings power as well. Or in this games case the room of mobility.

[@Mistium]

wow. You just got a sub. Amazing visuals and cool gameplay mechanics. Looks like it could have a possibility to become a rage game tho

[@Ewoud3D]

Nice! the game will be forgiving, so no rage

[@unkerror8819]

Dang you nailed it , love the style good luck

[@Ewoud3D]

Thanks!

[@lolxd-lk3ct]

I love how just by going through the Internet you can find hidden gems like this, that I never heard of and found just by chance. The game looks great and I hope it gets alot more attention over time. Keep it up.

[@julelemaitre]

This is amazing, i always do this when i am passenger in a car ! Imaginining some character jumping and running only on shadows, from trees, other cars, structures I'm sure i am not the only one to relate to this

[@21leowheeler]

Beautiful, wish you all the best, i have a huge sense of pride in you even though i never met, and i hope i can follow my dreams as well as you do.

[@darkcognitive]

Great to see a very unique idea come to fruition, wishing you all the best. This is definitely one of the most interesting Indy game ideas I’ve seen in a while.

[@jojoviviator9258]

Congratulations on the slick devlog! You seem to have a good knowledge of appealing to an audience while also looking professional. As a fellow Dutchie, and geek, I will be following your progress!

[@QberBear]

Always brings me a smile when a fellow Dutch speaker gets popular :)

[@BlackPxL]

I'm glad that KZbin gave me this recommendation! As a designer who is passionnate about 3D illustration I would love to know more about your process for the art direction of the game and a making of of some assets 😊 The style is so unique ! Also the concept is very interesting. Wish you the best for this project!

[@sarcosmic6982]

Ahhh wow! I remember seeing this on Twitter or something last year and thinking it looked interesting enough to look at again later. Glad the YT algorithm did its thing! This looks so fun and nostalgic, and it’s cool how you chose to limit your palettes to work to your strengths and create your own style. You’re doing great!

[@pratapsinghgour2290]

Damnn this was so relaxing 😍 thankyou youtube for recommending this beautiful game dev... currently I'm developing a game for Brackeys GameJam

[@user-id3fc8qs7y]

It has a puzzle potential! Like the task to hide all lights by rotating and moving objects

[@mishakiperman321]

Respect nice to see something new in the game industry

[@jakubmasarik6781]

The style looks awesome. I must say I was imprest how smooth it looks. :) Good luck with the development.

[@snowpoint720]

No HUD is always a great idea when you can get away with it. It allows people from any country to enjoy them game without any translations. And for a game like this, really highlights the unique visuals.

[@RndThg]

This is a unique and a very well thought project! Don't give up on it. You'll make it!

[@steve_1507]

I really like the art style and the idea. Such simple but genius

[@RxptorX]

Ow! This is incredible, you need more subs.

[@William-Afton_jejcjschheiqx]

This is such a cool concept and art style I can’t wait to try this game out

[@infinitenex8165]

The style is very unique. Good job.

[@Laura-fr2wx]

I remember seeing this game on reddit! Big congratulations on your achievements so far, I look forward to playing it one day soon!

[@aaronperron]

I just learned a new word in Dutch. Can't wait to see what comes of this. 👍The Netherlands is one of the coolest countries!

[@azizkazimovlikes9069]

Dropping out is insane by itself but with this I think you might create yourself a whole new life . Hopping it goes well

[@codepeas]

University professors -.- I made a small game for my bachelor's thesis too. My professor didn't give a shit about the project. Even though he's the professor for 3d Modelling he hated VR and all he wanted to see was short story rendered pixaresc movies. Another group even got a Mocap system and two facial capture systems for their mediocre movie, that was like 60k euros. Those kind of professors just hate games for no reason and don´t understand how much work goes into development. The only reason I was able to use a University VR headset was because I got it from another professor who did me a favor for tutoring for a few semesters in his web programming class.

[@retsapb6319]

Everything about this game is gorgeous

[@thenewtronstylz1172]

I had seen this video before on a separate device, but I had completely forgotten the name after 10 months. I am so glad I found it again. This game is great. So glad to see it's getting recognition.

[@cattudoggu]

Such a simple yet novel idea!!! I love it so much 💕💕 looking forward to the development of this wonderful game, I wish you great success 💯

[@lilslugshot3033]

A very neat concept, the art style is sick and im looking forward to this project.

[@microdavid7098]

saw this on twitter. My mind was blown and I immediately retweeted. Here I am finding you on yt! Amazing

[@funmetjoel4327]

Erg leuk idee! Ik hoop dat je universiteit zal kunnen zien wat je bereikt hebt!

[@MegaNarwhalGuy]

I really adore everything about this game, looking forward to more videos about it!!

[@WilliumBobCole]

Bruh I literally played this game in my brain as a kid, specifically on long drives, with the shadows along the road, from railings and trees and bridges, I mean it looked almost exactly like this in my head, only with the high fidelty graphics of real-life lol, this is so cool! 😁

[@mammon5312]

Your video was in my recommendations thankfully and your game definitely reminded me of that cancelled DreamWorks animation called Me and My Shadow. I was really interested in that film and now I'm subscribed to your channel because I wanna see the progress of this amazing game you made. Really interesting and fascinating concept. Hoping for more wonderful games made from you. Keep up the great work!

[@martinjacobsen5974]

Good luck on the road man. It's so thrilling to hear about people's road into the game dev world. Feels like I haven't even started yet.

[@riyuzen6594]

The concept, design are so good. Can't wait to play it

[@quantumpotato]

finally the algorithm figures out I want to see indie game dev. looks great mate

[@red_maniac8500]

Im blown away by this , very good job on this game truly a unique idea

[@gamesdisk]

This defo going to be on some peoples game of the year list once it comes out

[@victortruong2538]

That’s the most well thought indie game with very good game design and it looks very good !

[@johnkembergasi9580]

I watched this 5months ago and now playstation is happy to announce this game 👏👏👏

[@nari6892]

The concept of your game is so cool! I hope you will be more successful in the future!

[@tomatoviking3538]

This game is one of the prettiest games ive ever seen

[@everydaywestrayfurtherfrom9249]

I remember seeing this on reddit. Happy to see you still working on this game :)

[@madtrix8631]

I saw a Reddit post about this game a long time ago glad to see it actually being made !!!

[@VaibhavShewale]

i remember watching this clips somewhere, it looks intersting and fun!

[@ZeynoArts]

This is incredible, please carry on working on it

[@jomilliard]

This looks absolutely amazing. Great work, really.

[@KiemPlant]

First of all, this looks so good! Secondly, I love the fact that you dropped out, made me crack up a little when you said that. I like to say "always give up". If something doesn't seem right to do or you don't have fun whilst doing it it's probably better to just give up and do something different with your life. In your case it definitely was the right choice haha

[@satibel]

Personally I have adhd and already do that, the problem is that what is fun to me flips like every hour.

[@3333218]

I love the feedback animations, the animations on the NPCs (the cat, the running person, the swing!), and obviously the art-style!

[@jordanweir7187]

Fantastic idea for a game, and even better execution, amazing stuff

[@spoongang6002]

Fantastic!! I’ve been hyped about this game for awhile now. Can’t wait for a release :)

[@Ewoud3D]

Thanks :D

[@spoongang6002]

@@Ewoud3D are you currently accepting beta testers? if not it’s totally fine!! I’m just curious

[@Ewoud3D]

Not yet, but you can click the playtest button on the Steampage

[@spoongang6002]

@@Ewoud3D haha trust me I did that ages ago. Don’t overwork yourself / stress too much! Have fun and the project will come together eventually. Although I’m sure you don’t need me telling you that

[@Ewoud3D]

@@spoongang6002 haha thank you very much!

[@MrCrompz]

Amazing idea! I hope you carry this on!

[@jasonsimson3349]

this game is going to be a mind boggelling good project

[@datdamndog389]

I always used to do this on the playground. This looks lovely to play.

[@nerdherd007]

Good for you for following your dream! This game looks amazing and I'm glad you didn't abandon it for the conventional route. So excited to play this!

[@idjles]

This is real life in the Australian summer. No joke!

[@alfiegordon9013]

Holy shit how haven't I seen this earlier! This is awesome!!!

[@NatesFilmTutorials]

Sweet! Now we just need a game where you run, jump and swing while keeping up with the car your in while your looking out the window! :)

[@ank.elv.070]

This is honestly so great to watch

[@ciucinciu]

omg this is such a charming game! i bet this game will make you wealthy and people playing it satisfied and fulfilled

[@silverstar501]

youtube recommend this vid and only knowing this game by now the concept is wonderful looking forward to the game

[@reginamndii]

Damn, this looks amazing. As a person who started to learn game dev recently, this makes me glassy eyes. Hope one day i can create things like that too. You got a new subscriber 😄 Gonna take you as a model, thank you so much ! 💕

[@HairFollicle]

Have to say ur colour blindness was sort of a blessing bc the first thing i noticed was a simplistic colour pallet only 2 colours per scene which reduced alot of designing time and gave the game its unique art style. This looks like something i want to play on my phone in my free time

[@davidmc971]

I really like your idea and you created a really remarkable art style and interesting mechanics! I wish you great success and I'm looking forward to seeing the full release :)