Hello, darkness and insanity lovers, It's time for another monthly development update for Edge of Sanity! Right now, we are focusing on the mission design. That is the topic we will cover in the third episode of the development update. [h2]Starting from scratch[/h2] Designing each mission starts with a blank sheet of digital paper, which later becomes a block out. It's just a simple layout of the whole level, with fundamental elements and dynamic events placement. You might think that graphic designers are responsible for that, but our programmers are too. Take a look at the latest example: [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42848898/f26e8d273d65ccba77a5fe960080423c4e5fe6e1.png[/img] We've also been working closely with Joanna Maciejewska, our writer, who helps us to point out the essential elements of each mission, including the characters you meet, the locations you discover, and the choices you are about to make. Then it's the job of mission designers to make sure it blends with the rest of the level. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42848898/891400179242beb3a42dd923246751866e9a5d79.png[/img] After we have done the general level concept, we fill it out with monsters, interactive elements, and items. Then it's time to implement it in the game engine and start thorough testing. Finally, the other team members can play them carefully to avoid design bias. [h2]How are expeditions going to work in Edge of Sanity?[/h2] You start an expedition whenever you leave your not-so-safe camp set up in the wilderness of Alaska. These are 10-30 minutes long missions during which you risk your life to gather precious resources, find other survivors, or try to solve the mysteries of troubling events. You can expect the usual distinction between the main story and side missions. All of them are hand-crafted, but the main ones consist of detailed story elements, while the latter allows you to obtain precious resources for yourself and other survivors at the base camp. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42848898/08091df798001e8b0157453e3f3859b6873ceafd.gif[/img] You won't find any checkpoints during expeditions, so the closer you are to finishing, the higher your concentration should be. If you die, you need to start back from your camp. But you won't need to worry about missing a crucial item without which you won't successfully make it to the end - all the mission requirements will be visible on the map at your camp. [h2]Getting the atmosphere[/h2] After successful level testing, Karol, our art director, fills them out with assets. It's usually a mix of the ones made for a specific location + unique ones required for a distinct mission. He also makes sure that all the light sources blend with the rest of the elements. It is a critical factor during expeditions that will focus on the story rather than stealth or combat. Before considering a mission to be close to finalized, we also need to work on what players can see in front and in the background to create a compelling parallax effect. The tricky part is finding a balance between complete darkness and a location that is too bright and not frightening enough. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42848898/5c54c2bff723b9b8588a160cab8745c99d736148.png[/img] We also need to keep in mind that you can approach enemies in multiple ways, craft different items, and on top of that, have different levels of madness and sanity. Want some examples? Players with specific traumas might be able to craft a rope from a maggot's testicles. But again, we ensure that unlocking stuff increases your options, and you can fulfill your missions even with standard equipment. So this is it! We are very approachable, so if you wish to share all kinds of feedback or question, art style related or not, please consider leaving follow here and joining our Discord: We are grateful for all kinds of support! <3 [url=https://discord.gg/vixa][img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42848898/fda8f352ce8430761f15250aca2d98135e588d38.png[/img][/url] https://store.steampowered.com/app/1897110/Edge_of_Sanity/ Talk to you soon!