I’ll post my logs for my first prototype development here! I’m aiming to made a rough vertical slice demonstrating the most difficult, cohesive and complex mechanics I want in This is Home, so I can show it off to a potential team.

Roadmap

Stage 1: Movement

• [ ] Movement System Why first? Every single system is experienced through movement. BCs rely on distance + entering/leaving volumes. Camera transitions rely on player velocity, stopping, hovering, hesitation. Shape sorter requires stable interaction, hovering and spatial readability. If movement feels off, nothing else will feel intentional.
  • [x] Restricted walking/parkour-walk
  • [x] Cooldown is readbale
  • [ ] Hover → interact feedback works
  • [ ] Temporary arrows/diegetic indicators appear correctly on nearby interactables.
• [ ] Camera System
  • [ ] Automatic FP ↔ TP transitions (based on 1-2 rules for a framework).
  • [ ] One transition method working reliably (eg. fog occlusion, camera lag)
  • [ ] One forced emotional camera moment ie. camera lags behind, forced pull-out into TP or paranoia-style framing
• 01/02/2026
• 02/02/2026 - 09/02/2026: Sprint System & Walk Speed

Stage 2: Blank Corner & Shape Sorter - Framework

• [ ] Blank Corner : collision box registering, player-avoidance FX, gravity and proximity change
  • [ ] One Blank Corner area only
  • [ ] Objects sway/jitter when entering proximity
  • [ ] Excitement scales with distance to POI
  • [ ] On “completion”, space visibly calms (even grayscale → colour is enough)
  • [ ] Surrounding area visually reconnects (lighting, saturation, FX easing)
• [ ] Shape Sorter : rotating 3D items in hand using mouse (tilting by dragging)
  • [ ] One 3D shape sorter object
  • [ ] Fully rotatable in-hand
  • [ ] One or two shape slots
  • [ ] Star/fizzle feedback when near correct slot
  • [ ] TP view during sorting for spatial clarity

Stage 3:

Stage 4:

Stage 5: Level Design - Greyboxing

Mechanics

• [ ] Blank Corner When the player enters the collision box for blank corners , objects and FX within the space sway and jitter in response, like it’s alive. When the player leaves, or gets further away from the POI (point of interest) (in each area, there is a concentrated point of interest, not always in the middle), the objects and FX return to normal (less excited). By completing puzzles (indicated by normal-looking objects ie. children’s toys), the space calms and colour returns, connecting the surrounding ‘normal’ spaces together.

BCs are POIs that ‘take-over’ the strongest connections of the player character’s childhood memories ie. kitchen, playground, school classroom, school coatroom, bedroom, a favourite restaurant, ice cream shop they visited often. - [ ] Create a visual flowchart for how BCs work - [ ] Concept art and UI illustration for BCs - [ ] Post-processing, or changeable material specific for BCs

• [ ] Movement System
  • [ ] Restricted walking ie. parkour-walk
    • [ ] Cooldown, Nearby “grab-able” objects when player hovers over using First Person gradually come up on either sides on the player screen if they are interactable [< O(player) >] *arrows or indicators appearing onto screen These arrows could change to something diegetic, like bold colours or grahics calling for attention ie. stars, sheep, glowing white to stick out from environment * the child imagining stuff