THE CORVID CROWN
Project Type
Action/Adventure Puzzle Game
Date
January 2025 - Present
The Corvid Crown takes inspiration from traditional isometric view, action/adventure and puzzle games, including Deaths Door, to provide an enjoyable experience with an enticing storyline, challenging combat and complex puzzle encounters.
This is a solo developer project in an extremely early stage of development. This page will be updated with major project developments and additional game information. Additionally, new blog posts will outline a full list of project developments and any changes to the project timeline.
The Corvid Crown follows the journey of a travelling owl mage from the distant land of Corvellan, that has taken on a commission to slay the corrupt king and bring peace back to the lands of Thalowyn. Players will explore a variety of different environments, each with their own difficult challenges, puzzles and boss fights to eventually reach the kings castle and put an end to his tyranny.
Project Brief
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
LEVEL DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTS
The Corvid Crown features six current levels in development with potential for new levels in the future. Shown below is a description of each level and a preview of early stage level design workflow.
Every level blends a healthy variety of enemies and mix of puzzles to create a fun and challenging experience. The levels are designed to provide players with plenty of combat and puzzle encounters with stunning scenery and environments to admire in the downtime between these encounters.
Additionally, each level will usually bring something new to the table, whether its a new combat, exploration or puzzle mechanic (or multiple), that the player will learn and adapt to use in different scenarios.
Level One: Witherham Ruins
The ruins of an old settlement overlooked by the rubble of Witherham Castle. After conversing with locals in Willows Rest, the ruins become the first stop in the travellers journey.
During this level, players will face a fast-paced, mildly chaotic introduction to game combat mechanics and will start battling their first foes before facing a deadly boss at the end of the level.
Level Two: Gloomthorn Grove
A large stretch of mystical woodland home to indigenous forest tribes that have managed to safeguard themselves from the corrupt kings grasp. Many experienced travellers avoid this region and advise against traversing this dangerous woodland that is home to many mysterious threats and traps.
This level features a variety of mythical forest creatures with a new level-specific gameplay mechanic that adds an extra layer to exploring levels.
Level Three: Fogshore Marsh
The flooded lower-land of Gallowspire that used to home a small castle village and cemetery. Due to dense layers of fog, visibility in the marsh is heavily reduced, requiring the player to be more aware of their immediate surroundings and hone their reaction times to deal with new threats as they reveal themselves.
Players can use a new combat mechanic to make exploration of this zone more approachable. In addition, this level will feature a range of new foes and environmental challenges.
Level Four: Blackfeather Dungeon
The damp dungeon that resides underneath Gallowspire. Criminals are sent here as punishment and many meet their end in the dark, gloomy halls and cells of Blackfeather. Many travellers have entered the dungeon without emerging, as can be seen in numerous diaries and wall etchings that serve as warnings to future travellers.
This level will have a bigger focus on combat and the player may be required to endure constant waves of enemies.
Level Five: Cinderfang Abyss
A deep underground relic of Thalowyn's past. This stretch on underworld abyss is home to the lost kingdom of Cinder Fang that was once though to be myth. The traveller will face a range of unknown enemies and encounter mysterious threats and challenges while traversing Cinder Fang.
This level will feature a larger focus on puzzle mechanics, while also keeping the player on their toes with frequent, challenging combat encounters and difficult boss fights.
Level Six: Gallowspire
The final stop on the travellers journey and the large corrupt fortress overlooking Thalowyn with countless gothic spires and thick stone walls. The corrupt king sits at the top of the fortress in the throne room guarded by numerous elite guards.
Gallowspire will introduce the final gameplay and combat mechanics while blending mechanics introduced in previous levels to create a true test of skill.
Players will start their journey by traveling to Willow's Rest, a coastal village that was established after the invasion of the kings forces into the surrounding lands of Thalowyn. The inhabitants of Willow's Rest all worship the great Willow Tree and are constantly taking in new stragglers that are trying to escape from the kings grasp.
Here, players will find aid in the local villagers and can learn more about the events leading up to the King's corruption of Thalowyn.
Additionally, during their journey, players will uncover Hearthrest, A large, hollow tree dwelling that appears to exist on a different plane of reality. Hearthrest will serve as the players main hub and will be a safe haven where players can trade, warp to each region of Thalowyn and converse with the inhabitants to learn more about the story.
Above is a small look at the level design workflow I carried out while this project was still a University portfolio piece. As can be seen, I took a simple block out, with colour-coded symbols to plan the layout of enemies and puzzles, and created a straight-forward level in Unity, that just focused on the layout, environmental assets and aesthetics, without the combat and puzzles.
While this level demonstration still needs many updates and potential overhauling to meet new project guidelines, I believe it still serves to generate a general understanding of the environments and aesthetics the player can expect to see while exploring the various levels of The Corvid Crown.
LATEST PROJECT DEVELOPMENTS
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