This first developer diary (Devlog) from Dunkwart Studios introduces the game "Barnaby," a planned diorama-style puzzle adventure. The developer, who normally creates English-language content, is presenting the project's progress here in German for linguistic reasons.

Game Concept and Design

"Barnaby" is not an open-world game, but rather focuses on self-contained diorama-style scenes. The current representation shows an unfinished harbor scene, where collisions and transitions between areas still need to be adjusted. Originally, all elements were modeled in a single scene, which made it difficult to place collisions afterward. In the future, transitions are intended to be designed more logically to facilitate exploration.

The ship's cabin is the most advanced area to date in terms of visual design. It features a detailed interior with a bed, action figure, lamp, palm tree, sink, and toilet. Lightmaps are consistently used in interior areas to achieve more appealing lighting. The cabin simulates the interior of a ship, the front of which is obscured by a hatch in the harbor scene, resulting in subdued lighting. A rotating lighthouse in the exterior view is highlighted as a cool visual element.

The game is designed around puzzles that require finding and moving objects. A wobbling object is already present, but its function is not yet clear.

Technical Implementation and Features

Lighting and Graphics

The lighting in the ship's cabin is "baked light," meaning the light information has been pre-calculated. The developer has left the settings on "High" as they could not detect a significant difference between "High" and "Ultra." The graphics options also allow for a "potato" setting for less powerful systems. Volumetric fog is considered an important graphical element for the atmosphere.

Inventory and UI System

The game features an inventory system where batteries serve as the main currency. Other items are also present. Pressing the "L" key opens the user interface (UI), which is still in its prototype stage and requires revision. When picking up an item, such as the flashlight, it is displayed in the inventory. The representation of held items, like the flashlight, is not yet optimally solved, as the hand models and animations are from Mixamo, requiring adjustments to the hand pose to grip the item correctly.

Quest System and Save Function

The quest system is a central component of the game. An initial example quest with the character "Grantelbart" has been implemented. The player must find a battery to help Grantelbart. As a reward, the player receives a "Torstenfisch," which is intended to be fished later. The game includes a save function that secures progress, including completed quests and inventory items.

Modular Architecture and Tools

The entire game is built with a modular architecture. The quest, inventory, and object systems are all data-driven. This allows for flexible expansion and customization.

World Map and Quest Studio

A proprietary add-on called "Dunkwart Framework" has been developed, which is intended for use in future projects as well. This framework includes a world map tool that visualizes the connections between different worlds and scenes as nodes. The real highlight is the Quest Studio, which allows the developer to easily create and manage new quests and their dependencies. New quests can be assigned specific IDs and linked to the completion of other quests. For example, a new quest can only be unlocked once the quest "Eine Batterie für Grantelbart" (A Battery for Grantelbart) is completed.

Object System and Scene Integration

The object system allows for the definition of various interactive elements such as items, chests, doors, levers, signs, sliding blocks, or decorations. An example is "Omas Sofa" (Grandma's Sofa), which is classified as "Wackeldeko" (wobbly decoration) and automatically assigned a Static Body. This object can then be integrated as its own scene into other areas of the game, such as the harbor scene.

Outlook and Goals

The developer plans to release "Barnaby" in 2027. A short-term goal is to participate in the "PS Let Game Game De" Showcase with a trailer. A presentable version of the game is to be completed by the end of next year. The next devlog will showcase further innovations and progress.