#1 Project Introduction (Chained by Eternity)

Hey There!
Thanks for taking the time to read my devlog.
I would really appreciate any kind of feedback - whether it’s about the project, my programming, or even my writing style - it really helps! And if you just feel like chatting about game development or want to connect, feel free to reach out. You can find my contact info here

This devlog covers the development of my project, Chained by Eternity .


Welcome to my Devlog for [Chained by Eternity](https://www.david-burgstaller.de/project/chainedbyeternity/). Chained by Eternity is an ambitious project, and I want to take you along on my journey as I tackle upcoming challenges of game development. As someone who enjoys reading how fellow game developers solve their problems, I hope this devlog might be helpful or inspiring to others as well.

Intention and Goals

This project began during my job search after graduating from university. I applied to several game studios and, unsurprisingly, was rejected by most of them almost immediately. That taught me a hard but valuable lesson: no matter how much knowledge or experience I might have, it doesn’t mean much if I can’t show and prove it.

I cannot blame the studios or the current job market for rejecting me — honestly, I probably would’ve rejected my own application too if I had been in their position.

Looking back, I regret not realizing this sooner…

Nevertheless, it led me to start this project with three main goals in mind:

  • Showcase my skill to finally land a job in the industry
  • Learn more about game development, because I genuinely want to become one of the best — and I know I’m still far from that.
  • Document my progress - to have proof of my work, to deepen my understanding and maybe even help other developers who read this.

With these goals in mind, I decided to focus on delivering high quality — even if that meant cutting back on the amount of content. So instead of building a full game, I aimed for a vertical slice: a polished demo level with around 15 minutes of gameplay.

In my mind, it wasn’t enough to just create a game — I wanted to make sure it was a high-quality, standout experience. (Looking back, I might regret that decision.)

The game itself is a 3D top-down ARPG with Souls-like combat. The closest comparison would be No Rest for the Wicked. I chose this genre for several reasons, which I’ll explain shortly.

Why did I pick such a difficult genre?

First of all, I love RPGs — and passion is a valuable resource when developing games.

Secondly, RPGs feature several complex systems that deeply interact with each other. This makes them especially challenging for programmers, as it’s easy to end up with spaghetti code if things aren’t well structured. That makes it a perfect challenge for me — and a great opportunity to showcase my skills.

And last but not least, it’s a classic genre where I don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

Why Top-Down?

I’d love to develop a third-person RPG but I consciously decided against. In a third-person perspective, animations play a crucial role. Poor or mismatched animations are immediately noticeable and can make a game feel unfinished. Since I neither have the skills nor the resources for high-quality animations, I decide to go for a Top-Down perspective.

While animations are still matter a lot in a top-down view, it’s easier to hide imperfections. Cleverly placed effects and smart design choices can help cover limitations and maintain the game quality and feel. There is a fantastic GDC talk which talking about that: Dreamscaper: Killer Combat on an Indie Budget

Which Engine did I chose and why?

I decided to go with Unreal Engine for several reasons:

  • I wanted to program in C++, as it is a widely used language in professional game development
  • It’s a cutting-edge engine apable of delivering AAA-quality - and it’s free to use
  • Unreal offers powerful tools and features that make it easier to achieve high-quality results.
  • It has great documentation