Dev Diary #2: Fishing

Welcome to our second Dev Diary, where we dive into the world of DREADMOOR to give you a look behind the scenes of what we're doing and how the world that we're building works.

Today, we're looking at one of the core mechanics of the game, Fishing. However, we are not going to look at it from a game mechanic side, but from what we aim for on an emotional level.

For those who want to try out the fishing to see what it's like mechanically, we run regular focus tests where we invite our community members to playtest the game.. If you are interested, please join our Discord server (link) and let us know that you'd like to be in the focus test group.

Fishing in DREADMOOR

In most games, fishing is a moment of peace, something to break the chaotic fast-paced action, or, in the more cozy games, it can be something to help you with cooking, while giving you a different sort of (relaxing) challenge.

In DREADMOOR, fishing is anything but that.

At first glance, fishing might seem familiar. You cast your line, wait, observe, and react. There is a rhythm to it and, at first, you'd be forgiven if you thought that it was almost meditative. After all, you're on your trawler, surrounded by nature, on still water that moves gently, the world around you is quiet, and for a brief moment, it feels like you are in control.

But this is DREADMOOR, that calm is deceptive.

Fishing in DREADMOOR is not a side activity, and it's not something one does to relax. Ultimately, it is a fight for survival, not just to get what you need to survive, but also to survive the activity itself.

Not Just a Pastime

Resources in the Submerged Lands (the name of the world in DREADMOOR) are scarce, and survival depends on what you can gather, craft, and carry with you. Unsurprisingly, the primary way to sustain yourself in a flooded world is through fishing.

However, don't fall into the trap of thinking that fishing is just to sustain yourself; it also feeds directly into the game's progression, ultimately meaning that every catch has a purpose.

Why fish? What can you do with the fish that you catch?

Ok, this is part of the game’s mechanics, not emotions, but it is important to know. Fish can be processed into materials, components, and substances that unlock new tools, bait, and upgrades. Some of these are essential for survival, while others open paths to deeper exploration and new mechanics.

The Balance Between Calm and Danger

When you first set out to fish, it would start with a steady, almost calming rhythm. It is still a process-driven experience, and it rewards patience. But that is just the “overview” and the “calming” part is only true for the very beginning. Once the line has been cast, everything changes.

Catching, that is, reeling in the fish that bites your line, will require quite some effort (and focus). Even regular fish will resist, forcing you to react quickly and adapt to their behaviour patterns. However, the rarer, more dangerous fish will test your preparation, your equipment, and your timing.

Remember, the world of DREADMOOR is post-apocalyptic, and nature has mutated. So when you cast your line, what you catch may not be a regular fish; it might be something that sees you as the prey.

You won't find a predatory fish every time you cast your line, after all, they are smarter and rarer, but our aim is to make those encounters unforgettable. You will know, and you will remember those encounters.

Mutated Life Beneath the Surface

As fishing is core to DREADMOOR, not all fish are meant to be found easily. Certain species are extremely rare and will only appear under specific conditions, or during specific times of the day and night.

As mentioned above, our aim is to make the experience with the rare fish memorable to the point where not only do you have the emotions of fighting to reel it in, but even the process of finding one should come as a surprise, almost as if it were something you were not meant to encounter.

Another game mechanic section that is important for you to know: Why even go for these rare catches if they are so hard? The answer is that they are not mere trophies; they provide material that can alter how you approach the game, unlock new crafting options, and much more.

There is a Time and Place for Everything

Always remember where you fish matters, and when you fish matters even more. The further you move away from inhabited areas, the more unpredictable the waters become.

Safe zones in the Submerged Lands do exist, but they are limited in size, and the resources found there are often depleted. Sure, there might be some fish to be caught, but it would always be the "bare minimum", and survival needs more than the bare minimum.

This means that you will need to take risks, and that means traveling further from the inhabited areas, and also, at different times of the day and night.

Remember, it is not just “where” to cast your line, but also when. DREADMOOR has a full day/night cycle, and, as you might expect, the night is dangerous.

During the night, creatures become more active, the waters become more hostile, and visibility drops. What we aim for here is to make the player have a completely different experience between day and night.

So, for example, if a player is familiar with a fishing location during the day, should they return to it during the night, it would feel like a completely different place.

Being far from safety, surrounded by open water at night, is something else entirely.

We’ll leave you with this

Fishing in DREADMOOR is designed to exist between states that come in pairs:

• Calm and tension.
• Curiosity and danger.
• Reward and risk.

A lot of effort has gone into the detail of what you catch, what we want is for players' curiosity - not fear - to be ignited every time they look at the fish. But, at the same time, players should always know that something dangerous is lurking beneath the water’s surface. It may strike, and it may not, but they (the player) will never know for sure.

About DREADMOOR

DREADMOOR is a dark first-person horror fishing adventure game. Anglers explore both land and sea, fishing for a wide variety of aquatic creatures lurking in the depths of the treacherous waters, and fighting their way through a flooded wasteland filled with danger and mystery.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3629430/DREADMOOR

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