Dev Diary #4: Throwing

Hi everyone, and welcome to Dev Diary #4 for Never's End!

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ I'm Ryan, the game director.

So far, I’ve talked about many aspects of the game, from its inspirations and core mechanics to the art direction.

This time, I’d like to walk you through another system that ties everything together: throwing.

In Never’s End, every system is built around freedom, expression, and creative solutions. That philosophy even extends to something as simple as throwing an object. Whether you’re hurling a finely balanced spear or a freshly cooked steak, throwing is a core part of how you interact with the world.

If you can pick it up, you can throw it.

That includes weapons, tools, food, bottles, logs, skulls, and even your clothes.

There are currently around 190 items in the game, and we’re still adding more. Each of them behaves differently when thrown. Some soar gracefully through the air; others tumble clumsily but hit like a truck. The fun comes from discovering what each one does and combining them in unexpected ways.

• Axes and hammers pack serious weight, doing heavy damage on impact.

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• Knives and spears are designed for range: accurate, and deadly over long distances.

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• Food can be thrown too, but you’ll need to fetch it if you want to eat it later. Apples are easier to throw far, while a large piece of meat can slow an enemy by removing some time on impact.

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• Logs are so heavy that they can’t be thrown far, but they hit hard enough to shove enemies on impact.

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• Bottles and bombs will break on impact, creating subsequent effects:

  • Broken bottles splash whatever was inside — water douses flames, while oil creates slippery puddles or spreads fire.

  • Each type of bomb has different consequences in a small area. Fire bombs will ignite. Smoke bombs create a blinding cloud. Explosive bombs deal concussive damage.

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The material of what you throw is also important! Items made of cloth or wood will ignite if they are thrown through an open flame, letting clever players weaponize even the most innocent items.

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The physics of throwing uses the same system that governs projectiles shot from a bow. Your position, height, and line of sight all matter:

• Partial obstacles, such as a bush or a barrel, might intercept the item’s flight path.

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• Throwing from a high vantage point greatly increases range.

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When every item can be a tool or a weapon, the boundaries between systems start to blur, and new strategies often emerge. We want to give you the tools to experiment and discover new tactics that we might not have even considered!

This is all for today's deep dive into throwing.

Will you toss your weapon when you’re out of resources, sacrifice your hat to set an enemy on fire, or hurl a giant steak their way just because you can?

We can’t wait to see the creative ways you’ll throw items in-game!

As always, be sure to hop onto our Discord, subscribe to our newsletter, drop a comment below, and follow us on our socials for more updates and fun content!

Thanks for reading and following along with the development of Never's End. See you in the next Dev Diary! - Ryan