CyberVoid - NeoWeb 0.1

Greetings, cybernauts, welcome to yet another entry in our CyberVoid DevLog series.

Today, we delve into the fascinating journey of crafting the game's first chapter. What makes this even more interesting is our approach to the gameplay design – a blend of multiple mediums – each offering a unique aspect to the overall player experience.

The aim of the first chapter is twofold. Firstly, it's meant to immerse the player in the CyberVoid universe, laying the groundwork for the narrative. Secondly, it serves as a challenge that rewards the player with an access pass to the next chapter, represented by a Deck (NFT).

You might find it unconventional, but the first chapter is intentionally designed to be a bit perplexing. An adventure, in my opinion, shouldn't start with a complete understanding of the big picture. This initial phase of the game pushes players into the unknown, forcing them to explore the universe, embark on their primary quest, and unravel the many facets of their character.

A notable aspect of this chapter is the integration of OpenAI as an NPC. The use of AI isn't just a tech gimmick but a means to facilitate fast and dynamic interactions. As this allows us to change the context and have a completely different vibe.

Important: Some pictures/videos that you will see on NeuralAds are just placeholders, to give the overall vibe aesthetic that we want. We just included it for the sake of the demo test run.

Player Feedback and Adjustments

After having some friends test the game, I gained valuable insights that led me to reconsider certain aspects. The players fell into two primary categories - those accustomed to terminal operations, and those not. Interestingly, the former group found the game challenging due to their tendency to try operations that weren't implemented (essentially trying to use the Unix style for every command).

Initially, the terminal version was subtyped in DOS style. However, observing that most players were attempting a Linux-style approach led me to rethink this choice. The Linux terminal style indeed aligns better with the interaction vibes I aimed to create, and I realized it's the colour scheme that truly encapsulates the desired aesthetic, not the commands themselves.

Below is a quick playthrough of the first chapter. Based on feedback, I'll be making minor adjustments to prevent players from backtracking when they get lost - mostly about the AI interaction, as players currently need to retry multiple times without clear context on their next move.

Wrapping Up

That's it for this edition of our devlog. I'm thrilled with how CyberVoid is taking shape and am equally excited about the narrative experiences we're shaping.

One of the main reasons for writing these posts is to solicit your feedback. Your views and suggestions help shape CyberVoid's narrative and overall gameplay. So please, share your thoughts and suggestions.

Stay tuned for our next entry where we'll venture into the next chapter of CyberVoid, exploring the triumphs, challenges, and our ongoing process of refinement.

Until next time, keep exploring the void.