The game is still planned to launch in October.
Ebb Software shared how weapons in the upcoming horror adventure Scorn go from concept to completion, revealed underlying themes within Scorn, and explained what role weapons play in the game.
The studio starts by explaining that weapons in horrors are different from the ones in shooters: ammo is scarce and runs out unexpectedly, something might jam, and limited inventory makes you think twice about what you do with your items. All of this invokes feelings of tension or discomfort.
The developers emphasize, "Scorn is by no means a shooter," weapons here serve as another way to interact with the world.
Creating Weapons
Ebb Software's Creative Director and CEO Ljubomir Peklar shared that after considering how technology functions in Scorn and how that can be applied to weapons, concept artists start working on the visuals.
Then, the 3D team creates a basic model with some basic animation rigging, makes adjustments, and proceeds to the high-poly modeling. Once completed, the model is passed on to the animation and VFX teams and then tested in the game.
The Role of Weapons
Peklar called the weapons in Scorn optional tools for progression. He noted that a player or character's behavior changes when they obtain a weapon, so he kept that in mind during development.
The weapons are intentionally standard in terms of functionality because, according to the director, adding recognizable gun types into the game can influence how players perceive them and how they are used. "It's always a delicate balancing act between the strange and familiar."
He also said that making a weapon usable, practical, and functional was particularly challenging due to the players' autonomy and their ability to decide when and where to use it.
The Ammo
Limited ammo is a way to prevent the player from becoming overpowered.
"Too much ammo and the experience would feel more like an action game. Likewise, the experience becomes far more one-dimensional and less interesting with too little ammo or none at all."
Development Update
In conclusion, the CEO reassured those who are waiting for the game saying the game is still on track and will be launched in October.
"Over the last month, our 3D team has finalized creating all of the remaining static meshes, so production is progressing well. They aim to have everything completed in June. Animation and VFX are currently our biggest focus, and the teams are busy ironing out bugs and finalizing everything. We're full steam ahead for our release in October and excited to be able to show off more of the game soon."
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