RetroSpace News

[h2]Hey, cosmic voyagers![/h2]

It's been a long time since we've posted a new dev blog, but luckily that's because we've been busy.

It's no secret that we're still looking for a publisher to help grow the team and speed up development, but until we find the perfect partner, we're still moving forward at a steady pace.



We successfully introduced the game to a whole new audience at the Reboot Develop Blue festival, where we received a lot of valuable feedback, but fortunately, a large majority of players were very happy with what they saw and experienced. (basically everyone) This confirmed that we are on the right track.

Meanwhile, we have achieved several important milestones. We've now surpassed the 30,000 Steam wishlist mark (which is amazing, thank you!) and we have over 10,000 followers on our primary social platform, Twitter (some people call it X)



But let's talk a bit about the progress of the project and our plans:

We've laid all the foundations for the project. We've started to develop an entirely new enemy behavior system and have put a lot of emphasis on making gunplay and combat of all types much more punchy, fun, and enjoyable.



This means new animations and updated models, but we also improved a lot on the effect of the guns on the environment and how the opponents react to them or any other impact (electricity, fire, gas, explosion, etc.)



Meanwhile, the story is being written, new characters and models are being created, and the world becomes more and more alive and real. We put a lot of emphasis on level design, and making sure that every element of it supports the perfect immersive sim experience.



We've also released a brand new trailer showing the game from the Janitors' perspective. It gives us a little more insight into our hero, the possibilities for players, and of course a good dose of the game's humour.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

About the future...

We're currently working to make sure all systems in the game are stable and as perfect as possible, while we're working hard to prepare for a possible Early Access release. We'd like to go down this route because it allows us to involve as many players as possible in the development, get your feedback and get very valuable input on all the things we need to improve to make the game really complete and unique.

Before the early access, we may also organize playtests, but we'll be sure to let everyone know about this in good time so that no one who is seriously interested in the game will miss out.



So the future is full of work and hope, and we can reassure everyone that development is progressing and accelerating as never before. We hope you'll stay tuned, and spread the word because we need as many janitors as we can get!

If you want more regular updates, follow our Twitter page, where we post fresh, new, and meaningful content on a weekly basis.

- The Wild Gentlemen

The hero of our story is a “simple” janitor. A worker who just wanted a normal day at work when something went wrong. The ship derailed and by the time he woke up, the Aurora 5 had sunk into the total madness of space-time.

He must use all his skills and abilities to get out alive, or better still, steer the ship back on course.

[h3]Before anything else, watch our educational film on the subject:[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]So, who are the janitors, you ask?[/h2]

The janitors are trained to keep the city-ships clean and tidy while most of its inhabitants sleep in deep stasis. Janitors are maintenance and cleaning staff in one, trained to work quietly and invisibly, using secret passageways or hiding in the shadows, so that their work never disturbs sleeping or awake passengers.





[h2]Equipment and skills of janitors:[/h2]

As chaos erupts, our hero must utilize the very skills that made him an effective janitor.

One of the most important pieces of special equipment janitors have is the A.U.C.S helmet, which not only tells them their current duties, vital signs, and equipment status, but also the surrounding light levels, and therefore their visibility. It is an essential tool in the eyes of every janitor.

Although janitors can do their job without a helmet, the Aurora Board does not recommend ignoring it (but you can do so if you want to)



Although the janitors mostly hide in the shadows and travel by secret passages, some of them, once the madness has taken over the ship, rely on the power of weapons and mutations rather than hiding.

In such cases, they use homemade gadgets - in addition to Mutamod(s)™ - or weapons from the defense forces, or, in a desperate emergency, their primary tool: the power wrench!

[h2]The power wrench:[/h2]

The power wrench or the “board-allowed multifunctional, heavy-duty, extendable maintenance tool” is the janitor’s best friend. This handy tool is suitable for a wide range of tasks and can be outfitted with a variety of accessories. Although there have been cases where a janitor has used the tool in self-defense, it is important to remember that a power wrench is not a weapon! And using it as a such, especially against a passenger, is a serious offense and will result in immediate off-ship teleportation.



[h2]The cult of the wrench:[/h2]

Sadly, in the chaos after the incident, an organization of renegade janitors and civilians called the "Brothers of the Wrench" emerged. This illegal grouping uses the power wrench not only as a weapon, but worships it as a sacred object that holds the combined power to both build and destroy, and as such, is the solution to all problems. What exactly they mean by this is anyone's guess, but the radicals of the group are growing in strength and currently control most of the engineering section of the ship.

The Aurora Board of course strongly dissociates itself from the organization and its methods or narrative!



[h2]The janitors' oath:[/h2]

Janitors are not just ordinary workers. They are all highly skilled and highly dedicated individuals who have accepted the job with the knowledge that they will probably never see the new homeland of mankind as the slumbering passengers will. Yet they are dedicated, knowing that only with their help will the ship stations eventually reach their destination, hundreds of years away.



The janitors are not just laborers, but a brotherhood, a tight-knit fellowship, bound together forever by a common purpose, and a shared creed. (and a very strong conditioning program)

So... are you ready to be one of them someday? Will you undertake perhaps the hardest job in the world for the greater good, for the survival of humanity? It's up to you...



Wishlist RetroSpace, spread the word, be awesome, and stay funky!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2067820/RetroSpace/

The Wild Gentlemen

[h2]A ship takes off...[/h2]

In January 2023, exactly one year ago, we announced the RetroSpace project. We didn't know what to expect when we unveiled our funky, groovy, crazy and surely surprising (yet strangely familiar?) trailer.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We wanted to come up with a game that was completely new and bold, yet somehow nostalgic, something we'd never played before but felt like we still knew from somewhere. Perhaps in an alternate timeline, RetroSpace has emerged as a rival to Half-Life and System Shock 2? Who knows?



In any case, our debut trailer gave us an explosive start! And on our social sites (especially Twitter, which some people now call X...) we produced numbers that we still can't believe to this day, because we never paid a single space-dollar for advertising.





Do people just love what we do? That's it? Well... Yeah. Simple as that. Which is nice!

[h2]WHAT HAVE WE DONE???!!! (in 2023)[/h2]

First of all, once we announced the game, we were very keen to make development as open as possible.





Not only do we give you a behind-the-scenes look at development, sometimes with hilariously lame and janky devroom videos, but we also often ask followers for their opinions on very serious design decisions.



Ragdoll or animated death? Interactive or static map? Endless hoarding or inventory system Tetris? Whatever the question is, the most important thing for us is to make the game you want to play! (as long as it matches what we want, of course... Muhaha!)

[h2]Behind the Art[/h2]

It was also important for us to show how things are made and how they end up in the game. So we often showed the amazing works of our artists from the first sketches to the final product.











[h2]...some things just happened to us[/h2]

Then, as the year went on and more and more of you followed us here on Steam and on social media, the requests and offers started to come in.



We were lucky enough to be featured at RealmsDeep 2023, IGN-hosted Fear Fest, and the Indie Horror Showcase, to name a few, but we also made it to the top of PitchYaGame. These are all fantastic achievements that we couldn't have dreamed of at first (not even under stasis!)

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

At the Indie Cup, we received 3 major nominations, Critics' Choice Award, Most Promising Game Award, and Most Anticipated Game Award. And that's groovy as hell! If all this wasn't enough, we were even mentioned by the one and only Charlatan Wonder in the year-end Immsim round-up.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Finally, we summed up the big achievements of the year, and we were surprised by what we saw. We were like... Funk! Those are some serious numbers, man!



[h2]Okay, so... what's to come?[/h2]



Oh, my, If you only knew, my friend...
2024 will be the year of RetroSpace! What can be expected? A public demo? That's for sure. But if all goes well, maybe an Early Access release too! A Kickstarter? That's also likely. Or... maybe much, much, much more! (wink, wink)

A lot of the work is still to be done, we're just getting the rockets fired up, and we all know how deep the black hole's ... ... ... hole is (or we don't, but maybe the game will tell us that too). Anyway... you can't imagine how grateful we are that with your help we've been able to achieve all this.



We are honored to have such a great community already! Keep on growing (or... ehm... mutating), and keep on loving RetroSpace as much as we love you, Janitors!

And never forget:
"In space, no one can hear you GROOVE!"

[h2]...the core design pillars of Retrospace.[/h2]

This dev diary will be a bit unusual, as we'll simply list - and explain a bit - the design decisions that form the backbone of RetroSpace's development and ethos. So here's the list, in no particular order of importance:

[h3]1- Don't take the player for a fool![/h3]
It is very important to assume that your player is an intelligent being with creativity and problem-solving skills. If they are stuck in a room for 30 seconds, don't poke their eyes out with a popup, quest marker arrow, or anything like that. Trust your players. They'll solve the problem and they will enjoy it much better than if you had given the solution to them right away.

[h3]2- Freedom and exploration are key[/h3]
In a game of this kind, don't take away the player's freedom for too long. Sometimes you can, and sometimes you should - because complete and uninterrupted freedom can also be overwhelming - but make sure that even in the most controlled parts of the game, the player has a basic freedom to do things the way they want.

Concept art for the garden area of the game

[h3]3- Horror can be funky and colorful[/h3]
Just because you're making a horror game doesn't mean everything has to be grey and dark. In fact! The bright and colorful parts can be particularly scary, especially since light - and its manipulation - is an important element of survival in our game.



[h3]4- Make your systems so that any simple encounter can end in something special and unique[/h3]
When designing combat and other general systems, the primary consideration should be to create organic, interesting, and unexpected situations.
It will cause QA hell? Probably...
Worth the suffering for the end result? For sure!"

[h3]5- No space zombies! you can do better than that![/h3]
Zombies are everywhere. Nothing against zombies, really, but surely we can think of something more exciting than that, right? That should be the main goal when planning your opponents. Make them unique, special, and as weird as possible. After all, even in classic science fiction pulp novels, crazier and crazier creatures scared the hell out of unsuspecting astronauts, instead of a hoard of generic space zombies. (If zombies are part of your narrative and/or gameplay, that's a different story, of course.)





[h3]6- Handholding is not cursed, but do not overdo it![/h3]
Excessive handholding can be extremely toxic and can seriously undermine the rule in point 1. Don't make your player look stupid. Of course, certain conveniences and assistive features are necessary, after all, it is not our goal to have the player get lost at every funkin' corner or have to draw a map on real paper with a real pencil (oh my god, no!), but the opposite extreme is even worse. Let's not clutter the screen with unnecessary UI elements and prompts and glowing sh*t, and let the player play the game - not the other way around...

[h3]7- Reward adaptation and creativity[/h3]
Has the player found a completely new way to solve a problem? Do not block it with invisible walls, or apply any other "punishment". In fact, try to reward his creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. After all, this is partly what the immersive sim genre is all about.

[h3]8- Let the players customize their experience[/h3]
Do some players want to play in No-HUD mode for extra immersion? Let them! Are they making it difficult for themselves? Sure, but it might make them enjoy your game more. Don't shut the player out of opportunities that can make your game a greater and more unique experience for them - and if it's not too much extra work for you as a developer, even better. That's a win-win in our book.

The No-HUD option will indeed be present in the game and the player can activate it by simply choosing not to wear the helmet, which is responsible for displaying most of the HUD elements

[h3]9- Stealth and combat should be equally effective[/h3]
It's all about balance. If you make one extreme strikingly easier than the other, you can spoil the player's experience even if he or she sticks faithfully (and willingly) to the more difficult option. Because all the while he'll be thinking "How easy would it be just to do this the other way... why am I bothering?"

Sneak behind the creature or start blasting? Both have their pros and cons...

[h3]10- No levels, but interconnected areas[/h3]
The more "classic" progression via a level-to-level approach is not for us. Let there be more and more areas opening up for a sense of progression, yes, but still have enough connectivity and freedom (and shortcuts, and side-ways) so that the player doesn't feel like they're moving from point A to B all the time.

Concept art for one of the hub areas of the game

[h3]11- Metroidvania-like progression[/h3]
There should always be a new goal (or more!) towards which the player is striving and which, by completing (or obtaining), will open one or more paths that he has seen before but which were closed to him.

Old (unused) wireframe plan for a level

[h3]12- Scripted scenes should be rare and really significant![/h3]
Scripted scenes can be very useful and can be either educational or just mood-enhancing. But they shouldn't be overdone, especially not in a way that takes control away from the player. The player should be a witness to them, but not - or not always - a participant. Even more so, the player should have the option not to look if that is what he wishes. That way the game will have a really free and ever-changing feel - of course, occasionally, and for REALLY significant parts (main narrative center-points) you can have a guided scripted scene where the player is just a spectator.

[h3]13- Safe rooms are cool![/h3]
No question! Since we use inventory, which is finite, we need to have an "island of calm" where we can rest, feel a little safe and unload the items we feel we might need later. Finding safe rooms and exploring around them can be an important element, or even the backbone, of many players' gameplay loops.



[h3]14- Make safe rooms modifiable[/h3]
This is exceptionally rare in survival horror games, so we would like to do it. With a feature like this, you can make your safe room feel a little bit more cozy so that it really has its very own feeling and style. You're on this crazy, broken space station but you also have a tiny place that's really quiet, really safe, and really yours. Players will love it (and of course, they'll exploit it - which is great!).

[h3]15- Make organic tutorials! no aggressive pop-ups[/h3]
Teach the player with clever guidance (both visual and narrative), small scripted scenes, posters, audio logos, etc. Don't poke his eyes out with a pop-up at every corner, because without even realizing why, he'll lose immersion and therefore focus.



[h3]16- Beware not to overstay your welcome! (a long game does not equal a better game)[/h3]
Too long a game length can result in the player losing interest, rushing to the end of the game because they want to get it over with, and perhaps even getting bored. Rather, build on the fact that once the game is over, he will want to play more and start again, perhaps this time with completely different player behavior.

[h3]17- Build on replayability from the start[/h3]
This applies together to point 16. From the start, design the game so that it actually makes sense to play it again. (and play it differently!) Have more options for everything, but also close off certain parts, following certain decisions, so that the player feels that their actions really have consequences - for that particular walkthrough. Players will wonder what will happen differently if they choose the other path at that particular point. In addition, randomizing certain items, loot, traps or enemy placement (in certain parts) can also be a great way to mix up the game's regular order, thus increasing replayability (not to mention challenge modes and game mutators).

[h3]18- Use a lot of indirect storytelling (via logs, notes, enviro, etc)[/h3]
A strong, good story can be the perfect backbone for a game. A hidden story to be discovered can make it even more so. In addition to the main story - some parts of which will be fixed, others optional - tell another story that the player, as an archaeologist, has to dig out from the details. Computer notes, environmental storytelling, audio logs, notes and emails, posters and graffiti, and even whole sections of a level can be the building blocks of a deeper story beneath the surface. Once the player discovers and starts to pick up the pieces, they will soak up all the details, and actively seek out these sources, forcing themselves for more in-depth exploration, which in turn means a more complete game experience.



[h3]19- Sometimes push the player out of his comfort zone but not too much and not too violently![/h3]
Players tend to get too comfortable with one style of gameplay, but they don't know what they're missing until they've had a taste of the other extreme. Sometimes try to push them out of their comfort zone a bit, so that after they've had to adapt to the new situation, they're free to return to their old style of play, or if they like what they've experienced, to incorporate the new things in their gameplay.

[h3]20- Make a game you LOVE to play and experiment with (then everything will be fine!)[/h3]
There is nothing to write about this. Yet this is the most important point...

We hope what you read was exciting and interesting, Janitors! We'll be back with more exciting information from aboard Aurora 5 soon!

Until then... don't forget to Wishlist the game and spread the word!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2067820/RetroSpace/

PS: Another part of our team is working on a fabulous (and fabulously weird) dark, noir adventure game called Chicken Police - Into the HIVE!, which is a sequel to our multi-award-winning previous title. If you're interested, check it out:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2362090/Chicken_Police_Into_the_HIVE/

- The Wild Gentlemen

[h2]Bánk: Writer / Designer - "They came from the void..."[/h2]

Mothmanaut was the first opponent we came up with, so it became a kind of mascot for the project. This is totally fine because it's a great and perfect description of the game itself and the kind of enemy philosophy we envisioned for the project.



The thinking behind it was to avoid the methods used in most science fiction horror. There will be no space zombies, no Alien-like creatures, and no Lovecraftian cosmic horrors. Well... there are traces of all of them, but in terms of look, enemy behavior, and overall vibe, we wanted something unique and memorable, something like what writers and filmmakers dreamed up in the golden age of science fiction before the 80s, before Alien or Star Wars hit the silver screen. That's how the idea of the astronaut turning Mothman was born, or botanists turning into flower-headed mutants, and so on. (of course, we were also influenced by later cinema, especially The Thing, to name just one)



With Mothman, or Mothmanaut, it was clear that we wanted something that was both creepy and weird, but still had something likable, or rather, pitiable. We were looking for a feeling that perfectly balances the two. We didn't want players to just see a hideous, disgusting monster that they reflexively want to kill. We wanted the player to both fear these creatures and in some ways feel sorry for them. If we can achieve that, we've hit the target.



These creatures will attack us, but if the player observes them and what they are doing, they will notice that they are looking for something. For each other? Old friends? Family members? Their old selves? We don't know. All we see is them wandering up and down the station, calling out in their own language, as if to someone or something they can never find. Tita (2D and concept art) did a great job of bringing this dual feel to the first designs, which Beni (3D models and animations) was able to perfect even further.

Now they tell us in their own words how they created the creature.

[h2]Tita: Concept art - "Sci-fi and folklore collide"[/h2]

Mothman is inspired by the 70s sci-fi genre. As he is a half-human half-insect creature, I
tried to keep these two main features in his design. I really like Mothman's folklore by default
so I wanted ours to look similar: big red eyes, black fur, some wings, and of course lots
of insect tentacles.



From these, I created the final version, and to make it even scarier I placed the mouth
vertically on the face and painted the clothes thoroughly with a lot of blood. Of course, there
will be many versions of Mothman in the game.



One of them is this over-mutated amorphous
mass, for example. You can only see its basic features of it, everything else is a runny
mess. The idea here was to show that the concept is completely different, that requires a
different kind of movement from its faster, two-legged counterpart.



[h2]Beni: 3D models and animation - "The devil is in the details - and the lack of them."[/h2]

Modeling the 'Mothmanaut' enemy was my first task on the project. I was given a detailed visual design from Tita, which I then had to reimagine in a style that was most reminiscent of the visual world between ps1 and ps2. (and late 90's, early 2000's PC games) To achieve this I tried to create it with a relatively low polygon count.



Due to its simplicity, the model itself was not very convincing, as most of the work consisted of texture painting. It was at this point that it really took on a personality and began to look more and more like a "real" Mothman. (If there is such a thing. Although many people think there is.)



Again, I worked on a smaller scale and ensured that the more important body parts, such as the head, got more detail. My favorite part about low-res textures is the inability to paint every little detail, so the player's imagination has to fill in the missing information.



After a little dirt, the first enemy was assembled and used as a template for the other character models in the game.



Check out the Artstation pages of Tita and Beni:

• https://www.artstation.com/tpizvor
• https://www.artstation.com/benituli

Follow us on Twitter for more in-depth game dev information:

• https://twitter.com/RetroSpaceGame

Do you think there should be similar detailed posts on creatures, locations, or gameplay mechanics in the future? If so, please let us know in the comments and of course share and spread the word about the game, which will help us a lot!

[h3]Thanks for your attention, we'll be back soon! Until then, don't forget to Wishlist Retrospace![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2067820/RetroSpace/

The Wild Gentlemen