The Solo Journey: From National Inspiration to a Low-Poly World

I officially kicked off my solo game project about six months ago, but the true start happened long before the first line of code. Before diving into full development, I dedicated time to a visual experiment—a crucial step for sharpening my 3D modeling skills. My driving goal is to give this game a personal signature with a unique art style, even if it won't be on the same level as what a large studio could create.

Why Low-Poly Works

One of the first decisions I made was committing to the low-poly style. Frankly, it's a great art choice for a solo game developer with a limited budget. It allows me to create a substantial amount of content without requiring infinite time and detail. I'm gradually becoming more familiar with this workflow, and I recently modeled a simple 3D bow as one of my latest assets.

Reversing the Design Workflow

Character design is often a straightforward path: 2D sketch to 3D model. I actually reversed that process for my protagonist. It wasn't magic; I simply drew deep inspiration from history books and sketches I'd seen while I was out exploring the nation. As I traveled, those images naturally emerged in my head.

During my self-training period with Blender, I actively shaped those memories into my first character model—a tribal man. Only once the 3D model was complete did I create a 2D concept drawing using my own art. For me, this creative control is essential. I refuse to let AI steal the joy from my creative process.

After a lot of practice and exploration, I finally have a character ready for the project!

What's Next?

The work is constant, but the progress is exciting. I'm focusing hard on getting the core gameplay loops finalized, and I'm hopeful the demo could be coming out soon!

Stay tuned for more updates!