So, what is the story? Part 1

Pavel Yuruts — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:14:20 +0000

Day 2

Previous article was about my intention to create a game - why and what. A high-level overview with some key objectives.

Today, I just started working on the story.

I want it to be a fantasy world filled with magic and mystical forces. Why? Simply because I like it. I wouldn’t say it will be a typical fantasy (but who knows). There will be no dragons or silver-haired ladies riding them with Jon Snow behind :)

The main storyline is about a hero who must save the world from, let’s say, a pandemic - one caused by an ancient evil.
This ancient evil has awakened and started poisoning the world. The hero must find a way to defeat it.

Okay, that’s enough details for now; otherwise, I might drown in them. Just the main idea with a few key points.

I have the main hero, the final boss, and the world itself. Probably some NPCs along the way.

Hero

The main hero is a human — a man with a sword. He knows some spells, but his current level doesn’t allow him to use them effectively. He has to develop his skills through exploration.
No one knows anything about him (me nether), but he is the chosen one. An ancient prophecy foretold his arrival:
"..." (need to come up with it).

The Evil

It is a spirit that escaped from its prison. It had been trapped in a parallel universe but found a way to break free and enter this world.

The World

The game world is similar to Earth but is located far away in another galaxy.
The evil spreads corruption, infecting the inhabitants. Some become sick and start behaving like zombies, joining its army. Most survivors have either gone into hiding or fled from the contamination.

Lore

The hero is alone. He gains power, abilities, and knowledge throughout his journey.
He can craft weapons by earning points.

The NPCs are zombies. There will probably be some intermediate bosses.

Stay tuned!

p.s. please feel free to leave a comment down below about the story, post any ideas, become the part of this story :)

A long journey starts here

Pavel Yuruts — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:55:40 +0000

A new year brings new ideas, and guess what? I suddenly got the urge to create a game. Do I know what kind of game? Nope. Do I have any experience? Also nope. But I do have ambition and a burning desire to make it happen, so that counts for something, right?

I have multiple goals. First, I want to learn how to make games (yes, I know there’s an entire universe of genres, styles, and mechanics, and no, I still have no idea what I’m doing). Second, I’d like to explore new aspects of web development. The only thing I’m certain about? It’s going to be a browser game. And last but not least, I wouldn’t mind earning some passive income from my games—just enough for a couple of fancy coffees per month. Ambitious? Maybe. Unrealistic? Most likely. But hey, dreaming is free!

Also, I’ve never written articles before. This is my grand debut. I guess I’ll write this series as a diary, documenting my journey, struggles, and occasional existential crises along the way.

Why Metroidvania?

My biggest inspiration comes from Hollow Knight. The first time I stumbled upon this game, I was hooked by the reviews, the intricate world, and the gameplay mechanics. The fluid movement, the rewarding sense of exploration, and that hauntingly beautiful atmosphere—what’s not to love?

Now, I know what you're thinking: “Dude, Metroidvania is NOT the easiest genre to start with.” And you’d be absolutely right. It’s insanely difficult for a beginner. But here’s my reasoning—while creating a full-fledged, feature-complete Metroidvania is a Herculean task, building a small, single-level prototype? That sounds doable. I don’t need to recreate every pixel-perfect mechanic from the greats; I just need to lay the foundation.

Why a Browser Game?

Because I know JavaScript. Simple as that. Learning game development is already a big challenge, so why complicate things by diving into a completely new tech stack? Sticking with familiar tools makes the learning curve a little less steep and keeps my motivation high.

As for the specific technologies and frameworks, I’ll cover those in later articles—once I actually figure out what I’m doing.

What About the Story and Setting?

Good question. I have no idea yet. That’s something I’ll be exploring in future posts. I know that the story is supposed to be the backbone of any good Metroidvania, so I won’t just wing it. But for now, let’s just say my brainstorming sessions are... chaotic.

What Do I Expect from This Journey?

Game development skills – learning to turn an idea into an actual, playable game.
Coding improvements – because even though I know JavaScript, I’ve never used it for games before.
Game design knowledge – figuring out how mechanics, level design, and progression work together.
Storytelling – this is both my weak point and my guilty pleasure. I love the idea of crafting a world, but I also know I suck at it. Time to fix that.

The Struggle is Real

Time is my biggest enemy. Between work, life, and procrastination (let’s be real), I have very little of it. But while I have motivation, I need to just start.

As for success? I won’t measure it in downloads, likes, or revenue. Success, for me, means finishing a working game. No game-breaking bugs. No half-baked mechanics. Just a complete, playable game with real potential.

That’s enough rambling for today. Time to take the first step.

To be continued…

DEV Community: Pavel Yuruts