Developer’s Log, Chapter 2: Building the World of Argus
The world isn’t just a backdrop in The Advent — it’s a living, breathing entity with its own secrets, mysteries, and logic. In Chapter 1 of this Developer’s Log series, I shared the journey of tackling indie RPG development head-on: the hurdles, the inspirations, and the reasons behind building The Advent. Now, in Chapter 2, we venture into the beating heart of the game: the planet Argus.
The Vision Behind Argus
Argus didn’t begin as a 3D map. It began as a feeling — a mix of wonder, alien beauty, and ancient power. Its landscapes are shaped by both the sci-fi future and the mythic past, echoing the forgotten civilizations of Earth while imagining something far beyond. Argus is a world created by the Hydrackians, an ancient species with a complex legacy, and every rock, ruin, and biome tells part of their story, ones meant to be discovered by humankind.
Designing this world meant blending the familiar with the strange. Lush forests glow with bioluminescent life. Valleys surrounded by steep cliffs whisper forgotten names . Great machines lie dormant in deserts carved by time and deep caverns buried for ages. It’s not just about what players see, but what they feel when they walk through Argus.
Tools & World-Building Workflow
Building Argus meant assembling the right toolkit. Unity paired with Atavism forms the backbone of the game’s world infrastructure. MicroVerse has been instrumental in shaping and populating terrains, allowing for modular and layered environments. Visual Engine provides the vegetation rendering needed to give Argus its surreal atmosphere, while Enviro3 brings day-night cycles and weather patterns to life.
Some of the choices were also about trade-offs. Early reliance on spline-based zones gave way to global vegetation systems to balance visual fidelity and performance. Amplify Impostors help with performance across vast zones. And to keep the world immersive and dynamic, we implemented ambient audio zones, power node logic with Luminoy crystals, and a context-sensitive UI system (VChip) that allows the world to communicate with the player.
Building for Player Experience
A beautiful world means little if it doesn’t feel alive to the player. From the outset, design choices centered on experience. Temple Q Valley, for instance, isn’t just a scenic location; it’s a place of tension and story. Players move from serene biomes into ancient warzones, with lighting, music, and environmental cues guiding them.
The player’s journey begins in Base Camp Z5, a zone designed to strike a balance between mystery and clarity. It’s where they first touch the world of Argus. Everything, from wind zones to volumetric fog and lighting, is tuned to affect how players emotionally engage with a scene. The buildings and features in Base Camp are straight out of the book, Children of Arla.
Creative Challenges & Breakthroughs
Not everything worked the first time. The Luminoy power grid system, which controls the solar arrays and power logic, went through multiple rewrites. Rendering pipelines (especially switching between Built-In and URP) caused visual bugs that forced key decisions. Getting dynamic lighting and foliage to behave properly in different zones without killing performance was a steep learning curve.
But these challenges revealed creative opportunities. Modular design philosophies let us scale content without breaking immersion. NPC interaction systems and ambient audio loops now adapt based on player proximity and story progression. Every limitation became a tool for better storytelling.
What’s Next
With the world of Argus taking shape, the next chapter will shift focus to character realization and how NPCs, factions, and playable characters are being brought to life. We’ll explore dialogue systems, animation workflows, and how lore is embedded into the people who inhabit Argus.
For now, thank you for being part of this journey. Wishlist The Advent on Steam, follow our progress on the blog, and if you have thoughts or questions, I’d love to hear them.
From the Creator:
I’ve spent years building worlds in my mind. Argus is the one I decided to share. Each time I step into the editor and see a glowing mesa under alien stars, I’m reminded that this isn’t just about finishing a game — it’s about realizing a dream that started with a single, vivid vision decades ago. More on that soon.
Until next time,
Alan
Content Disclosure:
This article includes content generated with the assistance of AI tools.
