Intro

Hey everyone, My name is Amy (I like to go by my middle name Marie online though), and I’m a programmer/artist from the UK working on a game called ‘Project Stormwatch’ - Currently its working title.

This is the first in a series of blog posts which I’ll be sharing updates about the game, behind the scenes, fiction ideas, worldbuilding concepts, and more.

Origin

Project Stormwatch actually began as an AI project (AI Algorithms, NOT generative AI) back at university, where I explored things like Dijkstra’s Algorithm, A* Pathfinding, Behaviour Trees and Utility Systems.

I was super proud of that project, and when I showcased it at a grad showcase, people really liked it! The reception I got at the grad showcase inspired me to expand it into a full game. I wanted an area to pour my creativity and passion into. Something which combined pretty anime aesthetics with complex system designs.

So, I recently dusted off the project, changed up the art style, and began to expand on the original systems, like adding more game modes.

Vision

Project Stormwatch is a story-driven tactical RPG about war, where you build up your army and progress through the narrative via battles and exploration.

Project Stormwatch will combine the strategic depth and captivating gameplay of Fire Emblem with more mature storytelling like in Baldur’s Gate 3 - I really would like to make a more mature Fire Emblem inspired game which isn’t locked to Nintendo consoles!

You play as the main character, which is yourself. I’m hoping to add in a character customiser! You’ll meet many characters throughout your journey, forming relationships (romantic or friendships!), and navigating really tough situations.

I’m keeping the story under wraps for now, but it’s something I’m very excited to share when the time comes!

Where It’s At Now

The game is playable, but still in very early pre-production, and buggy. There’s a rough gameplay loop that includes:

  • Explore Mode

  • Dungeon Mode

  • Battle Mode


The visuals are currently made up of placeholder assets, but over time, I plan to replace these with original or commissioned artwork.

For example, I’m working a lot with other artists, like @MintBreak, @elizesndwrld to get a few different perspectives on art style research so I’m not biased towards my own art style research!

I’m also working with some 3D artists like Olivia Mercik to get some outfit ideas together and figure out the 3D outfit development workflows.

Over time, my goal is to take on as much of the development as I can myself, commissioning only in areas which I struggle with, one of these areas may be 3D outfits for example; I will make this very clear though!

I’m funding this project myself while working full-time as a programmer, so all of this is worked on during my evenings/weekends.

Content Plans

Here’s what I’m thinking for the blog and community content:

  • Weekly dev blogs (probably every Sunday?)

  • Monthly development videos to showcase more visual progress.

I’m also thinking about releasing regular demo builds, in these demo builds, I’ll be focusing on showcasing the dungeons and exploration modes, with some hints at the narrative through a few side quests, a demo-chapter, and fiction posts on this blog.

Would that be something you would like? What ideas do you have? Let me know in the comments below! :)

🎮 Download Demo v0.0.1a

Download Project Stormwatch v0.0.1a Bug Report Form Manual

✏️ Changelog

  • Keyboard controls added
  • Debug UI controls toggle with controller/keyboard
  • Demo Battle disabled in this version