How to Create an Impressive Game with Limited Resources – Using Nobody Wants to Die as an Example

Table of Contents:

• A Brief History of Nobody Wants to Die
• Gameplay Beyond the Walking Simulator
• A Cutting-Edge Engine and Tech Tricks
• Remote Voice and Music Recording
• A Belated Arrival

A Brief History of the Development of Nobody Wants to Die

The game concept was developed by the gaming industry veterans who founded Critical Hit Games. The first prototype of the detective game was created in 2018 by Grzegorz Golem, a producer and game designer who had previously worked on projects at Polish studios Can’t Stop Games and Fuero Games. He later brought in his school friend, 3D artist Andrzej Marszałek, known for his characters in games such as Lawbreakers, Rage 2, and Get Even. Initially, the friends expected to complete the prototype in just a few months, but soon realized that the initial work was not satisfactory. As a result, they decided to start development from scratch.

Grzegorz approached his friend and former director, Artur Jaskulski, to convince him to join the team. Artur has over 25 years of experience in the gaming industry and has led the creation of various projects, including browser and mobile games, as well as MMORPGs such as Mimesis Online. Thus, the foundation of the new studio was laid through the collaboration of three experienced specialists. In addition to their responsibilities as co-founders, Grzegorz took on the role of lead game designer, Andrzej became art director, and Artur assumed the role of project producer. This experienced team is ready to create unique and engaging gaming products.

The final version of the prototype was completed in late 2019. While the final vision of the gameplay and overall concept evolved throughout further development, the creators noted that the prototype already clearly expressed a noir aesthetic and the atmosphere of a dystopian future. The prototype included one of the detective investigation episodes, which is the main gameplay, and its duration was approximately ten minutes, not counting additional exploration of the location. It was this version that the development team demonstrated to potential partners during negotiations.

Negotiations with publishers and investors became more challenging due to the pandemic. Despite increased user interest in games during isolation, many companies did not know how to adapt to the new conditions, which hindered investment in projects, especially from lesser-known studios. However, the co-founders of Critical Hit Games also noted positive aspects. With exhibitions and conferences canceled, the developers were able to conduct business meetings and negotiations remotely. The studio's first investor was Google, which was then actively developing its Stadia streaming platform, which later ceased to exist.

Despite the quarantine conditions, Critical Hit Games managed to form a small team consisting of employees working both in the office and remotely. At the peak of the project's activity, the team numbered 28 people, and by the end of its development, there were 24 specialists.

During development, the studio received support from Epic Games through the Epic MegaGrants program, as well as from the Polish Ministry of Culture. The game was published by the German-Austrian company Plaion. The received support allowed us to significantly improve the quality of the project and expand its capabilities, which positively impacted the final result.

Gameplay that goes beyond a walking simulator

The team realized that scaling a project with limited resources posed a significant risk that could negatively impact the development timeline and the overall quality of the game. The developers noted that their initial goal was not to attract a mass audience. They were targeting a more mature demographic of players who typically don't have much time to devote to gaming due to work commitments. However, these players are willing to spend several evenings playing a captivating game with an engaging and deep storyline. Nobody Wants to Die offers approximately 5-7 hours of intense gameplay, making it appealing to a target audience looking for quality content in a limited time frame.

In addition to reconstructing events at the crime scene, significant attention is paid to the investigative process. Interaction with objects is accompanied by comments from James, to which Sarah sometimes responds, remaining in contact. The game's locations, although isolated in terms of movement, do not distract the player from the main plot. Players rarely consider such limitations, as the game focuses their attention on the gripping narrative and dynamic action during the investigation.

The developers sought to minimize the disclosure of gameplay features before release to maintain intrigue and generate increased interest in the game. Therefore, gameplay was presented in an abstract form, as in the announcement trailer, or selectively, as in the gameplay trailer released shortly before the project's release. Let's evaluate how effective this approach was.

Critical Hit Games managed to significantly reduce the production costs of the pre-rendered cinematic announcement trailer. For this, the same locations and game assets were used as in the game itself. Objects were filmed from various angles, and the layout of some scenes was changed, which made it possible to create an attractive and high-quality trailer without additional costs.

Advanced engine and technical tricks

The dystopian world of Nobody Wants to Die is inspired by many famous works of fiction. The developers drew inspiration from mid-20th-century film noir, as well as the work of American writer Raymond Chandler. Key sources also include the games BioShock and Observer, as well as the cult film Blade Runner and the TV series Altered Carbon. The studio's art department, led by Andrzej, sought to create a visual style that would reflect a cinematic aesthetic, thereby raising Nobody Wants to Die to a new level of performance quality.

After the release of Unreal Engine 5, the developers realized that the new engine technologies could significantly increase the game's potential. The transition to the new version required approval from the publisher, as it could significantly impact development timelines. To convince the partner of the feasibility of the changes, the team created a small but impressive prototype. The project was migrated to the fifth version of Unreal Engine in mid-2021, and the new graphics capabilities proved to be very important for improving the visual quality of the game.

The visual style of Nobody Wants to Die received positive reviews from journalists at Digital Foundry. They noted that, despite the isolated nature of the game world, it contains many dynamic elements and high-quality assets. Critics also highlighted the use of Lumen technology, which utilizes various ray tracing techniques to implement global illumination and reflections, significantly improving the game's visual appeal. At high graphics settings, realistic light reflections are visible, making it easy to discern surface materials, whether a marble floor or a leather chair. Mirrored surfaces also clearly reflect the contours of a room, creating a sense of depth and spatiality. This level of detail significantly improves the overall perception of the virtual environment and makes interaction with it more natural and engaging.

Large-scale scenes with a dynamic city atmosphere create the illusion of a vast open world, despite the fact that character movement is limited by the plot. The Nanite technology used in the levels allows for a significant number of triangles to be displayed on the screen, but a close inspection of the scenes using a free camera reveals many simple yet effective artistic techniques. These techniques not only enhance visual perception but also emphasize the atmosphere of the game, making it more immersive for players.

The window frames of the skyscrapers use Interior Mapping technology to create a realistic perception of space. Crowds of people are represented by animated sprites, which adds dynamism to the scene. The background is formed by superimposing multiple translucent planes with an emitting effect, which adds depth to the image. The white gaps between the buildings are decorated with glowing oblong structures, emphasizing the atmosphere of a bustling metropolis. Together, all these elements create an impressive illusion of active life in a futuristic city.

During gameplay, you'll notice numerous details that, while not resource-intensive, effectively perform their function. For example, the windshield wipers on the protagonist's car animatedly "erase" the texture of raindrops from the windshield with each movement. When the wipers are raised, the texture reappears, leaving a temporary semicircle. Such small details significantly enhance the immersion in the atmosphere of a rainy evening in a future metropolis. These nuances make the gameplay more realistic and exciting, creating a unique sense of presence in the virtual world.

Many claim that the appeal of our game is due to the use of Unreal Engine 5. However, this is not true. Nobody Wants to Die has an impressive visual style thanks to the efforts of our talented and dedicated team who worked on the project. Using a cutting-edge engine does not guarantee the creation of stylish and modern graphics. It is important to note that the success of a game depends on the professionalism and creativity of the developers.

Grzegorz Goleń, lead game designer and co-founder of Critical Hit Games, shared his views on the future of the gaming industry in an interview with the Granaliza channel. He discussed current trends in game design, the importance of innovation, and the impact of technology on game development. Goleń also spoke about his studio's projects, emphasizing how Critical Hit Games strives to create unique gaming experiences for users. The interview highlights key aspects of the creative process and provides insight into how game design professionals are adapting to the rapidly changing world of video games.

Currently, many indie developers are actively using character model generation technologies, and one of the most popular is the free MetaHuman from Epic Games. However, the Critical Hit Games team did not use this tool on a regular basis, as their game concept initially did not require a large number of characters. To create the effect of a lively crowd in the background, they decided to use sprites, which is a more rational approach, as mentioned earlier.

Arthur Yaskulsky noted that during the development phase, MetaHuman showed less outstanding results for games, especially in terms of optimization. This technology was originally focused on creating animations and films, which makes it more suitable for pre-visualization of scenes. However, the tool has proven useful for developers, facilitating the transfer of animations, including motion capture, and facilitating the creation of supporting characters that play a vital role in investigation scenes.

During development, the co-founders encountered a number of technical difficulties, particularly in managing the physics processes in the game engine. One issue was that, due to manipulation of timing parameters, characters could unexpectedly leave the game scene. This situation was exacerbated by the fact that the animations activated by the player using the reconstruction tool depended on their current location in the game.

Focusing on modern technologies, the developers decided to release the game exclusively for next-generation consoles and PC. This choice was made because most players have already migrated to newer devices, making it economically unfeasible to create versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Furthermore, developing for older consoles would have required forgoing many graphical enhancements, which could have reduced the appeal of Nobody Wants to Die on the previous generation. Thus, focusing on new technologies allows us to maintain high-quality graphics and gameplay while attracting a new audience.

The team sometimes had to find alternative solutions and employ various tricks, many of which were finalized at the last minute. For example, during the investigation of the Icarus airship incident, if a character was at the site of the destroyed bar and then used the reconstruction device to rewind time, they could become stuck in the reconstructed bar due to object collision. This highlights the challenges developers face when creating interactive scenes and the importance of carefully crafting mechanics to avoid such issues.

Collision-related issues only became apparent towards the end of the production process. In such situations, the developers began using forced character teleportation from the area with the reconstructed structure. Grzegorz notes that such measures are not particularly elegant, but when there is insufficient time to create a more advanced collision system, such radical solutions are necessary. This highlights the importance of thoroughly testing and optimizing gameplay early in development.

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The game could have looked significantly better with a larger team, additional resources, and the ability to implement a project with a higher budget. However, this concerns the scale of the project, and not the stylistic decisions that Andrzej and his team worked on. A higher budget can improve the graphics and other aspects of the game, but the creative approach and unique style that were established during the development process remain key.

Artur Jaskulski, producer of the film Nobody Wants to Die and co-founder of Critical Hit Games, shared his thoughts in an interview with the Granaliza channel. In this conversation, he discussed key aspects of his career, as well as his views on current trends in the gaming industry and cinema. Jaskulski spoke about the process of creating Nobody Wants to Die, emphasizing the importance of an original approach and a deep story. He also noted how his experience in game development influences the creation of high-quality content for films. The interview has become an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the intersection of games and film, as well as for fans of Yaskulsky's work.

In recent years, indie developers have increasingly turned to neural networks for various tasks, especially in the field of design. However, the Critical Hit Games team used such tools only to a limited extent, mainly to create the concept for the title cover of their game. The developers emphasize that artificial intelligence in this context demonstrates high efficiency, allowing for the creation of several different compositions with diverse elements. This helps to obtain a high-quality intermediate result, which can serve as the basis for the creation of key art for the project. Integrating neural network solutions into the development process helps accelerate the creative process and expand creative horizons, which is especially important for indie teams with limited resources.

Remote Recording of Voices and Music

In order to optimize the studio's budget, it was decided to abandon the Polish voiceover and use English as the basis. The game has subtitles in 12 languages. Jaskulski emphasizes that even this seemingly less expensive approach significantly impacts overall costs. Furthermore, organizing the translation process and integrating them requires significant time.

To select voice actors, the developers held casting calls on specialized platforms where professionals post their resumes. The main task was not only to find suitable voices but also candidates capable of conveying the chemistry between James and Sarah throughout the game. As a result, the roles of the two key characters were played by Phillip Sacramento and Keaton Talmadge. Interestingly, the actors had not previously met and lived in different parts of the world. Nevertheless, they managed to convincingly portray the interaction between the lone detective and the police dispatcher. All recording sessions were held online, with each actor recording their lines independently, role-playing with their partner via voice communication. The project's co-founders also participated in these sessions and made edits as needed, which contributed to the creation of high-quality audio content.

The musical score for Nobody Wants to Die was recorded remotely. Composer Mikołaj Stroinski, known for his work on projects such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Chernobylite, and Age of Empires 4, collaborated with the conductor of the Bulgarian orchestra Four For Music. The developers emphasize that remote soundtrack recording has become a common practice in the industry. The orchestral parts in the game are an improved version of Stroinsky's previously created compositions, which emphasizes his talent and creative approach to creating musical accompaniment.

Mikołaj agreed to participate in our project at the prototyping stage. Initially, he composed the music for the game using synthesized sounds, but without orchestral parts. We strove to better convey the film noir atmosphere with the music. Mikołaj suggested using an orchestra to enhance this effect. Given our approach to collaborating with experts in the field, we sought to find the necessary resources to implement this idea. The result was impressive.

Grzegorz Goleń gave an interview to the Granaliza channel, where he discussed important topics regarding current trends and developments in his field. He shared his opinion on key changes in the market, as well as the opportunities opening up for professionals. The conversation focused on new technologies and their impact on business processes. Goleń also shared his thoughts on the future of his company and how they plan to adapt to the rapidly changing market. The interesting ideas and insights expressed in the interview may be useful not only to specialists, but also to a wide audience interested in industry developments.

A Belated Arrival

Despite positive reviews from critics and numerous positive reviews from players, after the game's release, the negative consequences of a limited budget became apparent, especially in the marketing area. On the one hand, the game's trailers achieved significant popularity on YouTube, including posts on various gaming channels. The cinematic trailer has garnered approximately 1.5 million views, and the launch trailer has over half a million. On the other hand, it can be noted that the PR campaign was insufficiently effective, which may have affected the overall perception of the project.

If you search for information about the game online, search engines offer a limited number of pages besides reviews. Most of them contain little useful information. The exceptions are the Polish-language podcast Samograj w Trójce on Spotify and an interview on the Granaliza channel, which has garnered around 600 views at the time of writing. These resources can be useful for a deeper understanding of the game and its features.

Users have noted the game's lack of promotion, discussing it on Reddit. Many are surprised that a project developed by industry veterans for nearly four years has only made headlines a few months before its release. This raises questions about the marketing strategy and audience acquisition methods.

One participant in the discussion suggested that the lack of an active advertising campaign may indicate the publisher's lack of confidence in the upcoming project, which explains the game's lack of promotion. Other users noted the odd approach to presenting a cinematic trailer, which doesn't clearly define the genre or gameplay. Some were also concerned by the high price tag for the relatively short duration and the emphasis on a "graphical showcase." Potential buyers in the Steam community also expressed doubts. Overall, this game promotion strategy, which was only revealed in the spring of 2024, truly raises many questions and concerns.

A small indie team with experienced leadership has created an impressive, albeit short, title that will undoubtedly attract the attention of noir and sci-fi fans. This story demonstrates that with a professional approach, it's possible to develop a small, yet vibrant and memorable game, even with limited resources. However, it's important to remember that game development is a business, and it's essential to effectively present the product to users. That is, to convince them that the project is truly worthy of attention. Perhaps the Critical Hit Games team will take this important aspect into account when creating their next game.