WORLD BUILDING: WHY IS THIS ROBOT SMOKING? (CREATING A BRAND) #DEVLOG

Sometimes, atmosphere and world-building don't get the appreciation they deserve. Today, I wanted to show you step-by-step how I integrate the details I add to enrich The Long Way Home universe into the story.

From the very first day of development, my vision for this universe was for it to feel lived-in, a bit messy, and real. Sometimes, creating that feeling requires nothing more than a tiny, weird detail.

1. STEP 1: IS THAT A ROBOT SMOKING OVER THERE?

It all starts with a simple idea. If you step out the back door of "Barnard's Place," located on an asteroid orbiting Barnard's Star, you'll run into a robot taking a smoke break. Why does a machine smoke? Is it trying to mimic humans? Or is it a programming error?

How animations are created:

[dynamiclink href="https://youtu.be/twuVBNmJc7k"]

1. CREATING THE BRAND

If this robot is smoking, that cigarette needs a brand. There's nothing interesting about it smoking a random cigarette, but if it prefers a specific brand, things change. This brand needs to feel like it belongs to this universe. Futuristic or traditional? Electronic, organic, or something hybrid?

Simple sketches laying the foundation:

1. ADAPTING IT TO THE UNIVERSE

Creating the brand isn't enough; I need to scatter it everywhere I can find in the galaxy to make it "real." An article on the Galactic News Network or an advertisement airing on Galactic Radio... Slowly, the brand integrates with the universe.

Check out the video to hear the ad airing on the radio:

[dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLQHwuTFeIE&feature=youtu.be"]

Also, the products need to physically exist in the universe. Therefore, they must be purchasable from vendors, advertising brochures should be found lying around, and you should even be able to buy a poster of the brand and hang it on a wall in your own ship.

Brochure and item logo design:

Products purchasable from merchants:

Emberline Poster on a wall in the player's ship:

Poster hanging on the bar wall (top right):

1. ENRICHING VIA DIALOGUE

Of course, showing it isn't enough; having in-game characters mention the brand occasionally and having it appear in different dialogues are key details that make everything feel realistic. In the video below, you can find a snippet of the dialogue you can have with the smoking robot.

[dynamiclink href="https://youtu.be/fddeCVRuI-0"]

IN SUMMARY All these small details might seem quite insignificant, and it's very likely that players might miss them entirely. However, these details come together to form a universe, making it feel much larger than it is.

That is my primary goal with The Long Way Home project: To create a universe where anyone who wishes can get lost in it.

Safe travels to everyone.

Cihan Kuzu