Devlog: The Journey of Creating The Bereft Home
The Beginning: A Shared Vision
On December 22nd, 2024, Sarah and I, two game development students, embarked on an exciting journey to create The Bereft Home. It all began with an idea—a story inspired by the resilience of humanity during World War II. Sarah envisioned a peaceful narrative, while I leaned toward horror. After a long discussion, we found common ground, blending emotional storytelling with a somber post-war setting. My primary inspiration came from Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning, which profoundly shaped the game's theme.
By the end of that day, we finalized the concept, created the GDD, and set up the project. Initially, we decided to use Unreal Engine to craft a detailed and immersive environment.
The Early Steps: A Rocky Start
The first day saw me implementing the locomotion system and sketching a basic layout for the game. Despite progress, it was late, and we wrapped up for the day. The next morning, Sarah took charge of the interaction system in Unreal Engine, while I focused on writing dialogues to convey the emotional core of our game. Sarah also scouted for amazing art assets to complement our vision.
However, things took an unexpected turn. Due to slow internet, I couldn’t fetch Sarah’s changes from GitHub, which stalled our progress. We hoped for better connectivity the next day, but the issue persisted. That’s when I proposed switching to Unity. Unity’s smaller project size and my existing programming tools (like an interaction system and door mechanics) made it a practical choice.
Switching Engines: A Bold Move
Transitioning to Unity was a challenge, but it allowed us to regain momentum. I implemented the first-person controller and interaction system, while Sarah improved the controls and meticulously placed assets in the game world. She textured and set up the environment, creating the perfect foundation for the story.
Meanwhile, I voiced Viktor’s dialogues while Sarah recorded and contributed her own. Together, we integrated these elements into the interactions Sarah had placed. As the environment took shape, I worked on game design, ensuring the narrative’s emotional weight was reflected in every element. Sarah rearranged objects, effectively taking on level design, while I polished the concept.
Building the Core Mechanics
We then tackled the game's pivotal choice system: should the player die or choose to live again? This system tied the game’s narrative arc together. Sarah also proposed the addition of cutscenes to elevate the storytelling. I created two cutscenes that conveyed the desired emotions. With Sarah’s feedback, I refined them to perfection.
The game was now playable, but there were still bugs to resolve and features to refine. I developed the UI functionality, while Sarah designed the UI to match the game’s aesthetic. She also handled the HDRI, post-processing, and lighting—her work significantly improved the game’s overall feel.
Final Touches and Launch
The final week was all about polish. Sarah created a stunning logo, banner, and game page, while we both tested the game thoroughly. Despite aiming to release on December 31st, a few delays pushed the launch to January 2nd, 2025. The game was finally live!
Reflections
Creating The Bereft Home was a journey filled with challenges, creativity, and collaboration. From struggling with internet connectivity to switching game engines mid-production, every hurdle taught us resilience. This wasn’t a game jam project with a preset theme—it was our personal challenge to create something meaningful in a short time.
While the game has some optimization issues that we’re addressing, the journey itself has been immensely rewarding. Working with Sarah has been a fantastic experience, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together.
If you haven’t played The Bereft Home yet, check it out—we’d love to hear your feedback!
TL;DR: The Bereft Home was conceptualized, developed, and launched in just a few weeks, combining Sarah’s artistry and level design with my narrative and game mechanics. Despite technical setbacks, we created a game that reflects our passion for storytelling and determination to overcome challenges.
Released: January 2nd, 2025
Status: Live on Itch.io.
Thank you for joining us on this journey! 😊
Get Bereft Home
Bereft Home
Be the eyes of a sole survivor returning to his empty home
Status | Released |
Authors | Sajjad Chandio, Sarah |
Tags | 3D, Dark, pakistani, Story Rich, War, World War II |
Languages | English |
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