Devlog #15 for 0.3.0.0 - More Than Just New Horses

Looking Back at Our Journey

Hello everyone!

Game development is a funny thing.

When you work on something every single day, it's easy to focus on what's next. There's always another feature to build, another animation to polish, another bug to fix.

Recently, we took a moment to look back at everything we've accomplished since we started developing Unbridled.

To be honest... we surprised ourselves.

What started as a solid foundation has gradually evolved into something much bigger. Almost every major system in the game has been expanded, rebuilt or completely redesigned along the way.

Today we'd like to share some of the biggest milestones we've reached together.

Building Better Horses

Image of new vs old

Our horses have always been at the heart of Unbridled.

Over the course of development we've completely rebuilt their animation system, allowing for smoother movement, more natural transitions and far more expressive behaviour.

Whether they're grazing in the pasture, interacting inside the stable, performing advanced dressage movements or clearing a jump, our goal has always been the same:

To make every horse feel alive.

We've also introduced thirteen (+ a secret) unique breeds, each with their own proportions, movement and personality, making every horse feel different both visually and while riding.

But what makes our horses truly unique is how these breeds are inherited. Rather than simply choosing one breed or another, a horse's appearance is shaped by its genetic makeup. A horse that is 50% Arabian and 50% Fjord won't look entirely like either parent, it will naturally blend characteristics from both, creating a truly unique individual. This allows for an almost endless variety of horses, where every new generation can inherit its own distinctive look and identity.

Every Horse Tells Its Own Story

One of our biggest goals has been to make every horse feel unique.

We've dramatically expanded the variety of coat colours, markings and breed-specific features available in the game.

Different mane styles, tails, feathering and genetic traits allow players to discover horses with their own individual appearance instead of seeing the same combinations over and over again.

It's these little details that help make every horse feel special.

From left to right - Quarter Horse, Andalusian, Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Shire, Fjord Horse

From left to right - Haflinger, Clydesdale, Mustang, Dutch Warmblood, Marwari, Friesian

Making Riding Feel Better Than Ever

As our horses improved, the riding experience needed to evolve alongside them.

We've reworked the controls, redesigned the jumping system and introduced adapting to slope, allowing horses to naturally react to the environment beneath them.

Dressage has also grown into a much deeper experience with dedicated movements, training modes and progression that make practising both rewarding and enjoyable.

Every improvement has been aimed at making riding feel intuitive, responsive and immersive.

Creating a More Living World

The world around our horses has changed just as much.

We've rebuilt major areas of the campground, improved stable environments, added new vegetation and introduced a dynamic weather and seasonal system that changes both the atmosphere and the landscape over time.

These improvements aren't just visual, they help make the world feel like a place that's constantly changing and worth exploring.

Rebuilding the Core Experience

Some of the biggest improvements are the ones players may not immediately notice.

Behind the scenes we've rebuilt many of the systems that support everyday gameplay, from inventory management and equipment to stable management, harvesting, dialogue and save systems.

While these aren't the most eye-catching additions, they create a smoother, more reliable experience throughout the entire game.

Countless Improvements Behind the Scenes

Development isn't only about adding new features.

Throughout the project we've continuously optimized performance, refined existing systems and polished hundreds of details that all contribute to making Unbridled a stronger and more enjoyable experience.

Many of these improvements are invisible on their own, but together they make a world of difference.

Updated Roadmap

Alongside this Development Log, we've also updated our roadmap to provide a clearer overview of where development currently stands and what we're focusing on next.

As the project continues to grow, we want to be as transparent as possible about our progress. The roadmap gives you a snapshot of the features and improvements we're actively working on, while our Development Logs will continue to take a deeper look at the work happening behind the scenes.

Looking back over the past year, it's incredible to see just how much Unbridled has evolved. This Development Log highlights many of the new systems, features, environments and improvements we've implemented, and it's easily our biggest development update so far.

Moving forward, we'll be updating the roadmap more frequently and continuing to share regular Development Logs to keep you informed every step of the way.

Thank You

Looking back reminds us just how far Unbridled has come.

And while we're incredibly proud of everything we've accomplished so far, we're even more excited about what's still ahead.

Your feedback, encouragement and patience have helped shape this journey, and we're grateful to have such a passionate community following the game's development.

Thank you for being part of it. We'll see you in the next development update.

Closing remarks

If you'd like to stay up to date and be the first to hear all the latest news, we highly recommend joining our Discord server, that's where we share updates first!

Follow our progress live on our public roadmap:

>> View the public roadmap here <<