Forgive Me Father 2 News

Hello, Cultists!

It's the Byte Barrel team again, and we’re here today to shed some light on the Forgive Me Father 2's flashlight system. If you’re interested in how it was designed and want to learn more about the way it enriches the dreadful atmosphere of the game, then dive in.

Design and purpose explained

When designing the flashlight system, our goal was to fit it into both of the two main cores of Forgive Me Father 2: dynamic, action-packed gameplay and a horror atmosphere straight from the myths of H.P. Lovecraft. So, creating a tool that allows players to see in the dark is one thing, but delivering a system that connects these two worlds is an entirely different story. So how did we approach it?

The flashlight system is all about building tension and the feeling of dread, but also creating as immersive experience as possible. That said, we wanted to make the flashlight an integral part of the gameplay and not something that the player would use once or twice just to read runes scratched on a wall.

Another goal we set for ourselves was to make it satisfying and fun to use. From smooth animation with additional camera shake to sound effects that are not repetitive, but actually change depending on how long you charge the flashlight for.



Okay, but how does it actually work?

Much like the lantern in the previous installment, the flashlight is the primary source of light for the Priest in Forgive Me Father 2. It’s activated by pulling the cord, which spins a dynamo inside that powers the tool.

Each pull charges the flashlight for a short amount of time, allowing you to prepare for longer fights in a darker area or another round of exploration. The effect stacks up to a total of two minutes, but that’s not always enough during the longer battles - so don’t forget to refresh it if you don’t want to be left in the dark.



How does the flashlight enrich the atmosphere of dread?

We said before that the system is designed to connect the dynamic gameplay and horror aspects of the game, but let’s focus on the second one since that’s where the flashlight truly shines. Imagine it unexpectedly going off in the middle of the fight because you were too absorbed in fighting hordes of enemies and simply forgot to charge it. And did I mention that the arena was completely dark?

Another mechanic affecting the dark atmosphere of the game is the flashlight’s fading light, which begins to flicker when it's close to running out of power. With the diminishing light, the players’ field of vision is getting smaller and smaller, playing with their minds and making everything around them a potential threat. Oh, and don’t forget about jumpscares when a zombie or a cultist suddenly appears before you just after you activate the flashlight.



That’s all for now! Thank you for reading and make sure to get yourself a copy of Forgive Me Father 2 if you haven't done it already; and if you did, leaving a review of it here on Steam would be really nice! And remember to drop by our Discord whenever you want to chat with us and other players!

Oh and don't forget that you still have time to nominate Forgive Me Father 2 for this year's IndieDB Awards! This link will lead you there!

Until next time,
Byte Barrel Team

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2272250/Forgive_Me_Father_2/

Hello everyone!

The mightiest indie game awards are here yet again and we humbly ask for your help with the nominations!

Forgive Me Father 2 has launched into Early Access this year and thus it can be nominated for "Indie of the Year 2023"!

All you have to do to push the game through the first round is head to its IndieDB store page and click VOTE NOW on the shining green banner!

This voting decides if we make it to the Top 100 and if we do, we're going to need your help once more, so stay tuned! You can vote until the first round ends on December 10.

Thank you all for your support, don't forget to stop by at our social media accounts and join the official Forgive Me Father 2 Discord!

Hello Cultists!

It’s time for another DevLog, and today we’re here to talk about... weapons! In this piece, we would like to shed some light on the process of designing tools of destruction in Forgive Me Father 2.

When designing weapons for the sequel, we have that one little advantage over the first installment, which is players’ feedback. We want to take what we’ve learned from the exciting journey Forgive Me Father was, and once again give players the experience they deserve by creating weapons that are creative, look stunning, and most importantly, are fun to play.

Speaking of stunning looks, if you like the way we portray guns, enemies, environments and, well, everything, please consider nominating Forgive Me Father 2 for the Steam Awards in the Outstanding Visual Style category - details can be found here. But we digress; let's get back to all the things that go BOOM!

[h3]What can players expect from weapon design in the sequel? [/h3]

Forgive Me Father had some really awesome weapons, like a Spitter shotgun (the one covered in tentacles), which felt fun to use, looked badass, and sounded powerful. And when it comes to the sequel, we won’t settle for less. You can expect weapons to paint the room red and to produce tons of that sweet, sweet gore, and all of that with style — comic-style, to be exact.

We are trying to create an arsenal of balanced weapons that can be exchanged depending on your preferences and current needs. We want players to be able to use the weapons they like for more than just one level, to use them throughout the whole game if they want to. Let’s take a starting pistol, for instance. There are many games where well-designed pistols can be used for most of the walkthrough or even the entire experience, to take care of weaker enemies or just to finish the wounded ones.

In Forgive Me Father, variations of the same weapon archetype differ significantly. Some of them are designed around completely different play styles, so everyone will be able to find something for themselves. When one gun is perfect for obliterating Lovecraftian monstrosities in close combat, the other is better suited for landing a killing shot from afar, for example.



[h3]Here’s a sneak peak at creative process [/h3]

Concept:
It all starts with asking the right questions. What weapons would players love to see in the sequel? What is the purpose of this particular weapon? Is it Lovecraftian enough?

Our goal is to make every weapon unique and have a different vibe. Let’s say a revolver feels like it has weight while you hold it. It's ancient but reliable — it’s your old friend. On the other hand, weapons may look like the newest technological achievement (remember that it's the XX century) that has just left the production line. And let’s not forget about weapons straight from Lovecraftian horrors, covered by tentacles and powered by unknown forces. Lots of guns, lots of possibilities.

Art:
As soon as we get the idea of the weapon we want to make, the process of creating sprites begins. Based on everything we have gathered until now, our artist creates several drafts to finally pick “the one” together with our creative director. After that, we’re working on detailing the chosen variant. Some tweaks here and there until we achieve a version that matches our needs.

The process is quite simple, but it’s definitely better to show you how it actually looks, than go into detail in writing. Take a little peek at the Revolver’s concept graphic.



Animation:
Okay, so we have the looks, now it’s time to bring these weapons to life, and that’s when our animator steps in. The whole process revolves around making smooth and fun-to-watch animations while maintaining a distinctive comic-like feel. So, how is it done?

Weapon animations use a combination of two animation techniques: frame-by-frame and rig animation. In the sequel, we’re taking weapon animations to the next level by adding depth to them with custom-made camera movements for every weapon. The advantage of animating frame by frame is that you have total freedom over how the weapon looks or moves. Essentially, we combine the strengths of the two approaches, and as a result, we can make stylized and smooth-looking gun animations much faster.

Another thing completely new for us is creating reload animations, since there simply were no reloads in the first installment. Those of you who played classic FPS games from the 90s will understand. As the final step, we’re working on small but important details like adding muzzle flashes or their substitutes.



[h3]The final phase![/h3]

It’s testing time! As for the last part of designing weapons, we simply take them for a spin to look for glitches and possible defects. The testing loop looks something like this: gameplay-looks-gameplay-looks, and that’s until we’re completely happy with the results.

That’s all for now! Thank you for reading and make sure to get yourself a copy of Forgive Me Father 2 if you haven't done it already and if you did, leaving a review of it here on Steam would be really nice! And don’t forget to drop by our Discord to chat with us and other players!

Until next time,
Byte Barrel Team

Hello everyone,

The time has come again, Steam Awards are coming and Forgive Me Father 2 can be a part of them! It's only up to you, the players, our beloved community!

We believe Forgive Me Father 2 has a really unique art style and we are really proud of its visuals. That's why we would like to give it a shot in the "Outstanding Visual Style Category". If you agree, just check the box on top of this announcement and we will be one step closer to getting a nomination!

Thank you all for your votes and thank you very much for playing the game! We are lucky to have such an awesome community!

If you haven't checked the game out yet, you can grab Forgive Me Father 2 now at a 15% discount! The game is a part of the Fulqrum Publishing Autumn sale, so go ahead and check the sale out!



Don't forget to follow Fulqrum Publishing on their social media and join the Forgive Me Father 2 DIscord as well!


Buy Forgive Me Father Franchise bundle:
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/35903/Forgive_Me_Father_Franchise_Bundle/

Hello Cultists,

It's the Byte Barrel team again with another portion of juicy insight on the development process of Forgive Me Father 2! In one of the last DevLogs we wrote about how we create atmospheric environments in our game, and now it’s time to take an even closer look at one particular place, the cathedral.

Let’s start from the beginning. When designing one of the levels, Sanctuary, to be specific, we needed an object that would be the focal point of this place, its heart and soul. And what could possibly match the game’s lore better than a monumental cathedral decorated with Lovecraftian-themed accents?

We wanted the cathedral to be a structure that players simply couldn’t take their eyes off of, even during the fiercest fights. The first impression of the building is designed in such a way that when you go out into the courtyard, the building slowly appears before you. It's an absolutely stunning view and we'd like to show you how the cathedral came to life. Let’s dive into the creative process, shall we?



Design and Blockout

We knew we wanted to create a cathedral, but what next? The first thing we decided to do was pick an architectural style. After a long, long debate, we decided to go with the gothic style, represented by characteristic ribbed vaults, large stained-glass windows, and pointed arches.

Cathedral, with its scale and distinctive shape, is designed to be the player's main goal from the very beginning of the level, and at the same time, a landmark around which all the action and exploration take place. When it comes to the artistic vision, it’s supposed to be overwhelming with its monumentality and an aura of dread, so the cathedral is a place where the level’s atmosphere is concentrated in a single building.

With that particular goal, we started creating the first blockout, followed by many iterations, to finally achieve the version that would be fully satisfying while also perfectly matching the idea that we envisioned at the very beginning.





Creating textures and 3D models

As usual, the first order of business is looking for references. During the process, we isolate key factors that build the atmosphere in a given place and prepare textures based on the list of such objects. Then, when they’re ready, we create 3D assets to replace the previously prepared level blockout. While working on a level, we supplement the textures with missing details, create new models, and continually add more and more character to a given location until a satisfactory result is achieved.



Cathedral - interior sneak peak

Let's go inside now that we've covered pretty much everything from the cathedral's concept to its dark atmosphere and external design. When developing the interior area of the structure, we sought to create not only a visually stunning place, but also an exciting arena where the protagonist will battle eternal evil. What could possibly be more satisfying than blasting through hordes of possessed enemies in the light coming through the colorful stained-glass windows? Besides everything mentioned before, the place has much, much more to offer, including a dozen handcrafted assets like church pews, candelabras, and the majestic pipe organ.



That’s all for now! Thank you for reading and make sure to get yourself a copy of Forgive Me Father 2 if you haven't done it already and if you did, leaving a review of it here on Steam would be really nice! And don’t forget to drop by our Discord to chat with us and other players!

Until next time,
Byte Barrel team

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2272250/Forgive_Me_Father_2/