by I’m excited to share with you that, after months of intense work, many hours glued to the computer screen, overcoming numerous problems, and many refactorings of both code and ideas, I’ve reached a significant milestone in the development of my game. The first iteration is now complete, and I’m proud to announce that a playable demo is available here on my website. You can find it in the main menu, or you can access it directly by clicking on this link: GÄELITH PLAYABLE DEMO
Following the Project Design Document (PDD)
At the start of this project, I created a comprehensive Project Design Document (PDD) to guide my development process. This document has been my roadmap, helping me stay focused and organized during the development of Iteration 001. I’m pleased to say that I’ve completed almost all of the steps described for this phase, including:
- Basic character and stone movements.
- Joining special stones to obtain the key.
- Entry and exit effects for level elements.
- UI design and programming.
Adhering to this structured approach has been crucial in reaching this milestone, especially as an independent developer managing multiple aspects of game creation.
From the original PDD, sounds and special effects are still pending, but I’ve decided that it’s not yet time to dedicate effort to that facet. First, I need to further mature the fundamental pillars of the game.
If you’d like to take a look at the PDD, you can visit the corresponding blog post: The Project Design Document
Web Publication
In addition to the work involved in game development, I must also mention the time and complexity involved in publishing the game for WebGL and incorporating it into a WordPress website. The task of publishing, uploading to the server, and web editing hasn’t been easy, but now that this first attempt has been successfully completed, I trust that everything will be easier in future publications.
It’s worth noting that the web is not the final platform I want to target for the game, but I’ll try to publish playable versions so that it can at least serve as a medium to showcase the progress I’m making.
Current State of the Game
I am very proud of the progress made, but we cannot forget that “Gäelith, the Voice of the Stones” is still in its early stages. The current demo represents a proof of concept and a foundation on which I’ll continue to build. Here’s what you can expect from the demo:
- Basic gameplay: Experience the basic mechanics that will define Gäelith‘s journey.
- Preliminary world: Explore a small section of the game world, which will give you an idea of the atmosphere I’m aiming to create (I plan to make significant changes in this aspect).
- Basic narrative elements: Discover the story and the central mystery of the stones.
- Temporary models: Keep in mind that the current models are provisional. I’m currently working with dummy resources, focusing primarily on functionality rather than final aesthetics.
The Importance of this Milestone
Completing this first iteration is more than just a technical achievement. It’s a proof of concept that demonstrates that the core ideas of “Gäelith, the Voice of the Stones” are viable and attractive. It’s also a personal victory, demonstrating my ability to take a project from concept to a playable state as a solo developer.
Now I’m setting my sights on the next phase of development. My upcoming goals include:
- Refining and expanding the main gameplay mechanics (after testing this demo, I have in mind a different movement system, much freer)
- Developing more detailed and expansive levels (this is where level design and loading will come into play, aspects I haven’t addressed yet)
- Deepening the narrative and the development of the environment and characters
- Starting to work on custom art resources to replace the current placeholders
- Implementing more complex puzzle elements, fundamental to Gäelith’s journey
- Enhancing the audio experience with custom sound effects and music
- Adding special effects that enrich the gaming experience
Go ahead, try the Demo!
I invite you all to experience the current state of the game for yourselves. Your comments will be welcome. Any type of feedback will help me not only continue developing and perfecting the game but also improving my technical and creative skills, which is what this is all about.
A Personal Note
As a Unity 3D developer, this project is more than just a game: it’s a showcase of my skills, creativity, and dedication. “Gäelith, the Voice of the Stones” represents my ability to manage projects, solve complex problems, and bring a creative vision to life. Through this work and other examples that I will be uploading to the web, I hope to demonstrate my technical knowledge, creative capacity, and ability to combine both to create attractive multimedia content for the end user.
Finally, I want to thank you for your interest and your feedback, and I warmly invite you to stay tuned to the blog, and to continue helping Gäelith move stones from one place to another!
