Devblog #19. Visual Update: Genes, Mutations, and Interface.

Hello everyone.

In today’s devblog, I would like to step away from describing the internal systems of the game for a moment and talk about the visual update I am preparing for the next demo version on Steam.

The first versions of the game were built as a vertical slice of all systems. The main goal was to get the core gameplay working: movement, combat, dungeon generation, the gene and mutation systems, and the full game loop. Now that the core is in place, I have started working more on the game’s visual presentation.

In the previous update, I already worked on the look of the map: I removed prototype mountains and walls without proper textures, added river generation, created floor variations, and adjusted enemy placement.

In the next update, I plan to start bringing windows, mutations, and the Gene Map toward a unified visual style.

Genes.

In previous versions, genes were designed more like skill or item icons in RPGs. At the same time, two different systems were encoded through color: the background color represented the gene archetype, while the frame color represented the gene allele. I think this was somewhat difficult to read. The badges themselves were also small, flat icons placed on top of archetype backgrounds.

In the next version of the game, I reworked the visual structure of genes.

• I increased the size of the Gene Map window, which allowed me to increase the size of the gene slots as well.

• The icons for all genes and perks have been reworked in a unified style. Instead of a flat black-and-white image, I now use a more dimensional metallic symbol, with its color matching the gene’s archetype.

• The gene archetype is now represented through a circular frame made in the same style as the gene badge. This makes the archetype easier to read at a glance and removes the need to process three separate colors at once: badge, background, and frame.

• The gene allele, as the gene’s progression system, is now shown as a plate in the center of the gene. The number of filled segments immediately shows how developed the gene is. This makes it possible to understand the gene’s progression tier without memorizing frame colors, and also allowed me to remove the third competing color from the gene image.

I removed the situation where the player had to read the background, frame, and small icon at the same time. Now the gene is visually built around a single archetype color, while the allele is read as a progression bar.

Mutations.

I reworked mutations in the same style as the new genes. The icons are now dimensional metallic symbols, and the color and material of the badge match the frame.

I removed the numeric plate that showed mutation progression level. To me, numbers like 1-2-3 usually suggest improvement, not deterioration. Since a mutation is a negative trait, it now shows its severity through bone growths on the frame instead of a number. This allowed me to remove small text labels, and now it is immediately visible how far a mutation has progressed on the player.

Gene Map.

• In addition to the gene slots becoming larger and easier to read, I am also planning several updates to the Gene Map itself. An empty gene slot no longer looks like an item slot with a frame. It now follows the same visual style as the genes: a common background with a black frame.

• All slots now have visible connections to their neighbors. The player no longer has to guess which slots can connect and form chains.

• After genes form chains and create skills, the player can hover over a skill to see which chains created it. In the new version, connections between genes in highlighted chains become stronger and begin to pulse. This should make it easier to understand which specific genes formed the selected skill.

• I added a visual effect for placing a gene into a slot. When a gene is inserted, pulses spread from it into the newly formed chains.

Windows and Panels.

I prepared a shared visual style for all game windows and am gradually moving the game’s interface to it. This includes the Gene Map, Gene Lab, Adaptations, Character window, and others.

The prototype windows and panels were useful, but they have already served their purpose: they allowed me to design and test the core of the game. Now it is time to introduce a more unified game style.

This visual style also matches the frames of the minimap, Bio Scanner, and Field Dosimeter.

I am adding all of these changes not just to make the game look better. At this stage of development, it is important for me to improve the readability of the game and bring everything toward a unified style. This may require more than one iteration, but this stage already defines the direction: fewer prototype elements, more consistency, and more visual clarity.