Searching for Solid Ground
Some decisions in game development aren’t really about design. They are about choosing between what you love and what you can actually prove.
From the start, I’ve wanted to build more than just a game. I want to create a believable world that could exist on its own, even without a player there to see it. That means starting with a simulation: the environment, the architecture, and the logic of daily life. The "game" part comes later.
I’ve always been deeply drawn to the Middle Ages. There is something about that period that feels raw and visually striking, but the deeper I looked, the more I ran into a problem: uncertainty. We know a lot about the medieval world in broad strokes, but when you zoom in, things get blurry. So much of it is interpretation. If my goal is to build something grounded, that level of guesswork starts to work against me.
Because of that, I am moving the setting forward to the mid-17th century. This is a time where history becomes more tangible. We have better records, surviving structures, and written accounts that show how towns actually functioned. It gives me a solid foundation to build on.
It was a time of massive tension. You have the shift of power, changing trade routes, and the "old ways" starting to crack. People felt that pressure.
The witch trials in Ribe weren’t just isolated events; they were symptoms of a society under extreme stress. Superstition, religion, and personal conflicts collided in a way that turned neighbors against each other. To me, that isn't just history. It's a fascinating look at human behavior.
So, while I’m leaving behind a time period I love, I’m gaining a world I can actually ground in reality. Hopefully, that makes the final experience much more immersive.
Bridging the gap between 1677 and the present. This map from Resen’s Atlas Danicus is a cornerstone of my research. By aligning this historical perspective with modern GIS data, I can ensure that the "digital ghost" of Ribe is built on a foundation of authentic 17th-century cartography.