Psychological Horror/3D Platformer Devlog - NEW Levels and 1ST PERSON MODE! - Indie Game Devlog #17

In this #devlog I show my process of making scenes in unity and my level design. This goes from the concept art stage (quick sketches) to the fully fleshed out game mechanics and objects that are completely playable.
I also put a lot of emphasis on polish and game feel! There's a new tutorial 1st person game mode that's added as well!
I use Unity, Playmaker, and Blender 3D to make my indie game, called Toby's Topsy Tale which was funded on Kickstarter. It is a psychological horror 3D platformer with Lovecraftian elements (which means inspired in part by the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Super Mario).
These dev logs are meant to serve as a way for me to track progression as I work towards my dream of being a solo indie game dev. Game design is hard but it's easier with such a great community! I'm hoping it won't be long before the game is ready to launch on Steam!
For the record, I make my games with no coding (using playmaker which is similar to Bolt) and with no school or formal education in game design, meaning I'm entirely self taught. I only express this because I'm hoping it makes you realize that no matter what YOU can make video games as well!
This is hopefully of interest to people who play games as well as those actively pursuing their indie game dev journey and those who have an interest in someday learning how to make games!
Keep up the motivation!
Speaking of which, make sure you LIKE and SUBSCRIBE! Here's the link to my Discord if you're interested!
/ discord

[@shaunfarley7087]

Really enjoying this series. I feel like the outdoor scenes doesn't meet the same quality as the interior scenes. The interior scenes lighting and texturing look real high quality. But outside, not so much. The skybox looks over exposed, which maybe a style choice, but it comes across as a mistake. The terrain is very flat allowing the player to have infinite sight lines. Having more hills between pathways and trees blocking the player's line of sight will allow the player to feel like they are exploring the world. The world feels a bit empty. For example looking out from the islands to the horizon the world looks empty. Possibly add islands in the distance to make it feel like you are in a world

[@Selrisitai]

This is one of only two criticisms I have with the game.

[@lightningjules658]

hey! really missed your logs, glad to see this and hopefully more frequently from you :)

[@3gnomesgames909]

Hey, thanks!

[@mm123gchannel9]

Really nice seeing how far the project is going. One thing I would recommend would be to change Toby’s shadow into one that’s always under him instead of the one that always changes depending on the lighting. I recommend this because a drop shadow can be a useful tool for platforming as it gives the player a good sign of where they fall on a platform, which avoids the struggle of having to take leaps of faith when jumping.

[@PixelPicklez]

you could maybe replace the teleporting with a jump pad or cannon, that launches you up there, the way you get up could also be thematicly accurate with the corrosponding level.

[@sebastienmorin1858]

Okay, first of, I'm discovering your channel, I really enjoy your content: it's humble but well produced and articulated, and with great motivation in most videos. And the game idea and implementations are cool, good job so far! I wanted to make one, tiny, very easily adjustable suggestion about your character run animation: speed it. Like 10-20 folds. It looks super slippery as is, and I think that, even without remaking the animation at all, just by speeding it up to give it some oomph it will look more energetic and more connected to the ground. OR Slow it more, so that it looks like the character is skating on the ground. One way or the another :D

[@nevy4489]

first time your video has showed up in my feed, as a solo dev, this have been super fun to watch! really intriguing!

[@3gnomesgames909]

Thank you! I'm glad it popped up!

[@SykikXO]

the psychiatrist's desk made me feel like its supposed to be a 'a bad past experience that you hate/trying to forget'. i love how the game is coming together. i hope you have a extremely productive 2024. thankyou for you amazing content.

[@3gnomesgames909]

Thank you!

[@PixelPicklez]

Holy crap, he uploaded!

[@zayniacgames]

I like the jump glide! Fun to move quicker through levels.

[@3gnomesgames909]

Thank you!

[@Bighaid91]

HE BACK!!!

[@DillonBoucherDesigns]

Found the series two days ago. May or may not have binged the whole thing.

[@3gnomesgames909]

I'm glad! Thank you!

[@Selrisitai]

Really just two criticisms: Like ShaunFarley said, the outside still kind of feels a little empty. The textures, skybox and viewing distance combine to create a kind of "beginning stages of a game before I actually fill it out" feeling, or like when someone makes an intentionally bad game and doesn't do certain things so that it feels incomplete? Anyway, my second issue is the running animation. He still feels like he's skating around awkwardly. I understand he's a cookie, so his mobility is limited, but he also glides and backflips, so I don't think that's a great justification. I think a nice SKIPPING animation would be PERFECT for him, thematically, and it would probably feel a lot better than his bow-legged skate he does now.

[@Eclipsegamedev]

I like the new ideas for a horror game , a few indie games I've seen follow the same idea.Your trapped in a "spooky area" and 6you have to escape before a "spoopy monster" gets you.I'm aware most horror games aren't like that , and there is still descent games . But seeing feels like a nice and unique concept

[@3gnomesgames909]

Thank you! I knew I wanted to do something more unique- I'm glad you like it!

[@MtxLk]

Welcome back :) we missed you

[@3gnomesgames909]

Thank you! Much appreciated!

[@coneman844]

yooo the man is back

[@A4Effort_5]

That ending bro 😂 BTW is the grass world thing the new hubworld cuz i thought the kitchen was the hubworld

[@3gnomesgames909]

Thanks 😂 And It's not a new hubworld. It's more of a safe space inside the hubworld

[@LetsSmiley]

I absolutely love the series. Playing Super Mario 64 always was a lot of fun but it also had that.. eerieness to it. Especially in the hub area. Im realy lookin forward to this. And btw. do you already have a musician for the project?

[@3gnomesgames909]

Thank you! And yes, I do. The music for the game was composed over a year ago already actually

[@Hiiminactive]

Looks cool and everything but personally don’t see the horror element?

[@henveee]

ninjabread man vibes

[@abigailfoster5491]

*Promosm*