thekindblacksmith

[thekindblacksmith]

The Kind Blacksmith animated Teaser Trailer

a branching path Visual Novel currently in development - a demo should drop in the span of 2025!

[thekindblacksmith]

i can be so normal about knights. come closer

[thekindblacksmith]

"penetrate" is not the most intimate thing you can do to someone or even in the top five. a recent survey actually ranked it at #74, far below fan favorites like tend wounds (#8) and betray (#3)

[thekindblacksmith]

DevLog 001 - Things are happening

Hi, hello, Dodd here.

Been a bit longer than initially intended to update but I wanted to have something to show for the next time I came on here.

First of all, super cool news:

A Programmer and a Composer joined my humble little project! I'm super stocked to have them freelance for me, it gives me a lot more space to work on assets, story and marketing.

The past two months we've been working on getting the first rough build together. On the surface the gameplay is not very complicated, so we already have the basic VN mechanics and the early top down gathering mechanics in place.

I've been working on the first in game art assets, The Blacksmith's portrait is fully animated at this point, plus the Knight is in progress. I also finished some of the early scene and Backgrounds illustrations plus some UI, so it's actually starting to look like a game, it's super exciting (and unnerving!)

Still a long way to go but with every little asset and mechanic done, it's looking a lil more achievable than before!

The Road ahead is currently focused on finishing all assets for Day 1 and starting to put together a teaser trailer to get some eyes on the game. A custom score for the trailer is in the works too!

If all goes well, The Kind Blacksmith will have a steampage and a trailer ready by February (and if we get super ambitious and lucky, maybe even a playable demo)

I'll keep you all updated and thank you so much for following my little passion project!

[thekindblacksmith]

DevLog 000 - Early design and the struggle of coding

Early animation tests for both BLACKSMITH and KNIGHT

Welcome to the first update!

I've started pre-production at the first of June, since then I've been focusing on my game design and early concept art. I finished the Game Design Document in the middle of July!

I've also set up the rough outline of the story and completed the Script for the first level. For now, the route is pretty simpel but I hope to branch it out more once I'm further in production.

On the 14.07.24 I started to move into engine. I chose Godot 4.2 as my enginge for a few reasons. It's open source, does not have predatory financing methods like *ehem* other Engines (looking at you, Unity) and I think it fits my needs. I don't need a high power enginge, when all I am essentially making is a Visual novel with a bit of added gameplay and an invisible relationship score.

BLACKSMITH with his dog Anja - early concept

The first week in engine was...rough, haha.

It is no secret that I am an artist and not a programmer. Coding is a big hurdle for me. I've dabbled in it before, but I believe I am not really built for it.

I first started out with the godot plugin Dialogic. Hoping that the plugin would take over the majority of coding for me. Which it did. But I had to realize that it is not as easily customizable as I want/need it to be. I ended up switching to Nathan Hoad's Dialogue Manager, which has already been a huge improvement! It's simpler and more flexible, exactly what I need.

KNIGHT and how the parasite/disease affects him - early concept

I am still in the early stages of setting up UI and character animations. Especially figuring out how to call the animations and emotions I need has been a bit of a struggle.

I hope to finish prototyping the UI and Visual Novel sections of the game by the end of July!

That is all for now :3

I am developing on my own but I am keeping my eyes peeled for a gdscript programmer to maybe help in the future with more complicated mechanics I myself cannot implement without help.

See ya soon, bye!

1 of 4 cures and how it could be administerd - early concept

[thekindblacksmith]

The Kind Blacksmith - Introductory

Welcome to the Kind Blacksmith Development blog!

The Kind Blacksmith is a branching narrative horror game - set in a medieval fantasy Kingdom - with queer characters and themes at its core.

This game is inspired by Titles like Pathologic, Pentiment and the Spirit Hunter Series.

~~~

You are the Blacksmith. Your Kingdom, once rich and flourishing, has been ravaged not only by war, but by an alien parasite. The parasite latched onto the jewelry of your neighbours. Their armor. Their tools. Unseen until the infected metals got into the chosen host's bloodstream. Slowly eating them up from inside, changing them.

You avoided infection, realizing early on that metal on bare skin was the culprit for the quick spread.

Now you are alone. Fending for yourself in the village you grew up in. Sometimes, wandering refugees pass your village. Sharing news of the war. Of the invaders in golden armor, pillaging and killing, making their way inland from to shore. You worry not. They too, would be ravaged by the parasite before they could come knock on your door.

To your surprise, there eventually is a knock on your door. A dark and tall Knight in beautiful golden armor, at least what is left of it, stumbling inside. Alone. Begging you to help him. You've seen the progression of the parasite before. You know he has not much time left. You could kick him out, let the sickness take its course. Or end his misery right there. But something in you takes pity. Maybe it's his pathetic crying. Maybe it's because you are lonely. Or maybe it's how the light reflects in his amber eyes.

Maybe you could fix him.

~~~

The goal is simpel. You have 6 days to homebrew remedies and heal the Knight. You gather ingredients and make cures to fix his four humors. You are not a doctor. You don't fully know what you are doing. But at least you have the journal of your late mother, who was a herbalist, to help you on your task.

While you try to find a cure, you will get the opportunity to interact and talk with the Knight. Depending on your choices, your relationship and story paths will change.

And there is always an option to end his suffering...

The game will be mostly presented in a Visual Novel Style, while the gathering section acts as a Top Down mini game to break the monotony.

I set up this blog to reflect and update on my development process along the line. I would love for you to join me!