Project
My Long Term Project
Home is Not Far Away
Home is Not Far Away is a project I am currently working on with a small team. It is a 3d open world survival crafting game with exploration aspects. You play as a little potion-maker girl in a handcrafted world with soothing visuals and calm sounds.
In this project, I am the team lead, as well as visual lead, programmer, and main game designer. It is still in its early stages of development. The release is currently planned for late 2027 or early 2028.
Identity of the Game
I want the players to feel at ease and cozy when playing Home is Not Far Away. I made sure to design the visuals and general gameplay aspects with this goal in mind.
Although you might be wondering what this game is about. It is about two things: The most mechanically distinct one is elixirs! It is a survival game, sure, but the most rewarding and invovled aspect you will be foraging for is potions.
There are all sorts of elixirs and each of them will do something different depending on whether you drink it or throw it. For example, throwing the "Shrink Elixir" will make large objects that wouldnt otherwise fit in your backpack pickable and drinking it will make items in your backpack weigh less.
Your Home Comes With You
You don't live in a house. Not a stationary one, anyway. You live inside (on top of???) a giant tortoise!
You can ride the tortoise to anywhere on the map. Naturally, you are never too far from your home. However, there are some places he is too big to go into like thick forests. This creates a dynamic map where you have to choose where to park the tortoise and go on foot.
Just like you, your turtle companion also gets hungry, so don't neglect him. If he is healthy and happy, he may even let you grow some mushrooms on his mossy back!
Night Atmosphere
Everything is nice and all, but the world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. You are a little girl and the darkness is scary. You need to go back home before the night falls.
At night, creatures called "Nightstealers" emerge. You don't know what they look like, only that they are like sweeping shadows that hit you, steal a few items on your pouch, and vanish, all in a split second. They keep stealing your stuff until there is nothing left to steal. At that point, you don't want to know what happens.
Development Notes
I will explain some of my design choices here. However, this website is still a work in progress, so I am still considering where to put them. Feel free to contact me on contact tab and ask any questions you might have.