Multiplayer Dev Diary #11 - Toughts behind the lore

Hello raiders!

Welcome to another dev diary!
Among the many aspects of production we’re working on, there’s one we’ve hinted at in previous entries but never fully explored, until now. Today, we want to start introducing this topic: the lore. Please keep in mind that the images we show are still a work in progress.

There are still many details we’re defining, so please bear with us if this entry feels a bit introductory. That said, we wanted to offer you a glimpse into our creative process.

First and foremost, we aim to create a lore that shares key elements with our single-player project. This is crucial because we want to establish continuity. We want a shared universe between the singleplayer and multiplayer games. We believe our IP has the potential to evolve in various ways, but the elements we’re weaving into our worldbuilding will remain consistent across all our products. So, what are these elements?

Let’s begin with one of the core themes: sci-fi.

Even in the multiplayer game, we’re leaning into speculative science fiction, though not focusing on “hard” sci-fi elements. We’ve chosen to blend classic space opera with what we call transhumanist fiction, which involves technology that allows a person’s consciousness to control a spaceship. It’s the kind of speculation you find, for example, in cyberpunk fiction, combined with space battles, imperials, a vast universe, and violent conflict. Next, we have cosmic horror, which is woven into both the narrative layers of the game maps and the overall worldbuilding.

We’ve touched on this in previous diaries when discussing other aspects of the game. From a lore perspective, our goal is to create a universe filled with stories, all overshadowed by a constant, looming threat that drives the narrative forward and creates danger for you, the players.

What will you find in those ancient ruins?

The final piece of the worldbuilding triangle is the post-apocalyptic element. We’ve discussed this in relation to other game elements, such as level design, but from a lore perspective, the post-apocalyptic side (what we refer to as our “Mad Max” influence) centers around the concept of a “world in ruins.” This aspect completes what we might call the Haunted Space epic. After the devastation caused by the use of extremely powerful weapons, those who remain must survive in a harsh, unforgiving galaxy. The sense of conflicted societies, a theme common in many post-apocalyptic sci-fi stories, is something we’re striving to capture.

And that’s all for today! We’ll reveal more in future dev diaries, and we look forward to seeing you in the next one.

Keep in mind that you can follow our articles directly on X from our official page https://x.com/HauntedSpace_/status/1842212585535398249

Farewell, raiders!