My Journey to Create a Fusion Game

Hey there! I'm Joe, and I've been working tirelessly on an exciting game called Sundermead. It's a passion project that combines the best elements of beloved titles like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and even Skyrim. After dedicating over two years to its development, I'm thrilled to share my progress with you.

Planning for Early Access:

Before I release Sundermead into early access in a couple of months, I have plenty of tasks on my plate. But let's talk about one recent improvement that has made a significant impact on gameplay: the third-person mode.

Enhancing the Third-Person Mode:

As you may have noticed in the gameplay footage, Sundermead is primarily a first-person game, but I wanted to offer players the option to play in third-person as well. However, I quickly realised that the third-person mode I had initially implemented was far from satisfactory.

To address this, I took inspiration from games like Assassin's Creed and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. In these games, the camera can orbit around the character, and the character turns to face the camera's direction when movement is inputted.

Implementing this new setup seemed like a daunting task, but it turned out to be surprisingly straightforward. By adding a parent node to the camera and redirecting mouse input to it when switching to the third-person mode, I successfully unlinked the camera from the character's direction.

Getting the character to face the correct direction took a bit more effort, but I managed to find a solution. I won't bore you with all the technical details, but let's just say it involved some clever coding and a bit of trial and error.

The Results:

The end result is fantastic! The third-person mode in Sundermead now behaves just as players would expect, making the game more immersive and enjoyable. With a simple press of the C key, players can seamlessly switch between first-person and third-person perspectives, giving them more freedom to explore and experience the game world.

Adding Historical Details:

Now, let's dive into the setting of Sundermead. It takes place during the migration era when Germanic tribes embarked on epic journeys across Europe and settled in different regions. In Sundermead, players assume the role of an Anglo-Saxon sent to the island by the Germanic god Woden to establish a new settlement.

Given this historical backdrop, I've been incorporating various historical details into the game. Villagers in Sundermead now share snippets of actual history, and I've introduced authentic items, lore, and mythology to enhance the immersive experience. One such item is a helmet based on the famous Sutton Hoo helmet, discovered in 1939 near the village of Sutton Hoo in Norfolk.

Modelling the Helmet:

I took on the challenge of modelling the Sutton Hoo-inspired helmet, aiming to capture its intricate details and inscriptions. While staying true to Sundermead's unique art style, I carefully recreated the helmet, including elements such as depictions of the god Woden.

Obtaining the Historical Item:

To make the game even more exciting, I introduced a formidable wolf boss that players must defeat at the end of the mines. Once victorious, players will be rewarded with the Sutton Hoo-inspired helmet, along with a sword based on another artefact found at Sutton Hoo. It's a thrilling addition that adds depth to the gameplay and ties into the historical theme.

Creating a Comprehensive Fandom Wiki:

Recognizing the need for a comprehensive item guide, I embarked on a quest to develop a Sundermead fandom wiki. With over 200 items in the game, manually creating such a resource would have been incredibly time-consuming. However, I stumbled upon Fandom's API, which allows for automatic page creation.

Using PowerShell scripts as part of my continuous integration (CI) pipeline with GitHub Actions, I devised a process that generates wiki pages for each item. These pages contain valuable information about crafting, buying, selling, and more. I'm excited to share a video explaining the process if there's enough interest from the community, so let me know in the comments!

Conclusion:

Although Sundermead is not yet available to the public, the progress I've made so far has been remarkable. The improvements to the third-person mode have elevated the gameplay experience, while the addition of historical details adds depth and authenticity to the game world. Furthermore, the automated fandom wiki ensures that players will have access to a comprehensive resource to enhance their Sundermead journey. I can't wait to share more updates with you as we approach the early access release.

Thanks for joining me on this adventure, and if you're interested, feel free to check out the Sundermead wiki linked in the description.