Hello TIG!
I’m Stu Maxwell, I work as a VFX artist on Gears of War during the day and an indie dev at night. I found out about TIG recently, as I was trying to get more eyes on my project and collect valuable feedback. Stumbling upon a community of engaged, hard working devs, all ready to share their ideas and help each other out is a fantastic find! Anyway I decided that only good things can come from being part of this, so here’s my first post and a little bit about what I’ve been working on.
After 3 years of plugging away, I’m close to the finish line with my game,
Shape of the World. It’s a first-person explorer designed to be a serene place to relax in as you explore a world that fills up with colors, strange creatures and procedurally populated plants.
I’m working closely with Brent Silk on the music and sound design, as sound central role in creating the right ambience. Here’s a sample of his work:
Sample 1Sample 2Here is the sales pitch (basically, what I’m putting on the steam page for now). Feedback more than welcome!
Without you, will the forest still come alive?Shape of the World is an exploration game where a rich and colorful world grows around you, a
relaxing and interactive escape about getting yourself pleasantly lost. Your presence is the driving force behind the procedurally populated environment as you establish permanent monuments to mark your journey.
Game FeaturesFirst-person explorer:Wander in relaxing and surreal environments that beckon you to explore, hinting at distant landmarks and encouraging you to delve deeper into the woods.
Amble, swim, drift and fly at your own pace: no ticking clock or perils laying in wait will prevent you from enjoying your journey here.
Play with an organic and mysterious ecosystem:Interact with curious creatures, ephemeral flora, and grand monoliths.
Your actions will alter the world you discover in vibrant and unexpected ways, leaving you wondering what will happen with each path you forge and every hollow you stumble upon.
Procedural population: The forest only materializes around you when you get close, and it regrows in a new way each time you pass. The compellingly colorful world shifts continually into new biomes and moods. What will you find when you retrace your steps?”
A dynamic soundtrack that responds to the player’s travels:The music evolves along with the visuals, providing an enveloping aural experience to match your psychedelic journey and completely immerse you into the world.
Well, I do hope the concept resonates with you! In any case, here are the mandatory links if you wish to follow to be updated on the progress, release date, or even just learn a bit more about the project.
Links: TwitterFacebookSteamI plan to update this little blog with a few posts on the tech that I’m using behind-the-scenes. That way I hope that I can contribute my little piece to TIG, while hopefully getting a bunch of feedback from you. On that subject don’t hesitate to reach out, I would really appreciate an honest opinion from another dev and am happy to get back to you on any questions you might have for me.
Take care,
Stu.