I’m Richard, 33 years old, married, and living in Vienna, Austria. I work as a technical director for a media production company. I’m drawn to things that have a technical foundation but also allow for a lot of creativity. That’s why I love photography, playing guitar, programming, and of course, developing my own game as a hobby.
Lumina Veil is a survival horror game with a modern-day twist! There wasn’t a single moment when I had the exact idea for the game, but Silent Hill 3 has definitely been a big inspiration. I’ve always admired how cool Heather is as a protagonist. She’s tough, determined, yet still very human and relatable.
Because of my work in live broadcasting and video production, the idea eventually formed to create a game with a horror content streamer as the main character, who get’s caught up in a game that blurs the line between reality and fiction. I wanted modern controls and visuals, but with design elements from older horror games. For example, you have to manually select the correct key from your inventory to unlock a door. You can read the tag on the key to figure out which one it is. It’s a bit slower than most modern games but more methodical and satisfying.
At the same time, your character can switch quickly between melee and ranged weapons and dodge instantly, making the controls more responsive than in older titles.
I started working on Lumina Veil during the COVID pandemic. I really struggled with the lockdowns. Without going into politics or science, I wondered what would happen if a completely new disease appeared. Something that is totally new and wasn’t even thought to be possible, forcing total isolation? That’s the “real world” in which the streamer character in Lumina Veil lives. Isolation has become the new normal, and escaping into virtual worlds is the only form of freedom. But for our protagonist, those worlds begin to collide.
The most important technical challenge I had to figure out was allowing the player to switch between the streamer character and the in-game character at any time, while still having the character in the game on screen. In Lumina Veil, you sit in front of your computer and see the game on your screen. When you interact with the game window, you enter it. It’s essentially a game within a game.
Using Unreal Engine, I was quickly able to build a prototype and implement other important features, like level streaming when opening doors. There are also many assets on the marketplace, some even for free, that really help speed up the process as a solo developer. I’ve used Unreal Engine since the first Unreal game. I made maps and mods for Unreal Tournament back in the day. While Unreal Engine 5 is vastly different, it still feels familiar.
Since I’m working on Lumina Veil alone in my spare time and I’ve chosen to release it for free, I have a lot of freedom in how I approach development. The biggest challenge has been finding a balance between working on it in a professional and yet casual way. It’s a hobby, so I don’t want to burn out, but I also want to create a great game.
I had a habit of working long hours late at night to finish “just one more thing,” which eventually impacted my health. I was basically working two full time jobs. I’ve since set boundaries and structured my workflow more efficiently. Progress is slower now, but I’m in a much better place mentally, and I have more time to review and refine the game.
One thing I often read from young game developers (and many creatives) is that they “pour everything they have” into their project. I’m not saying you shouldn’t, many amazing games exist because passionate people gave it their all. But this mindset can quickly also lead to disappointment, often turning a loved passion into something you hate.
Players can usually tell when a game is made with love, but not everyone will care. Some might leave negative reviews or harsh criticism. That’s why it’s important to step back occasionally, gain perspective, and find balance. It’s okay to love your work, just don’t let it overwhelm you.
Definitely check out Lumina Veil on Steam! The demo is already available, and I’ll keep updating it until all the chapters are complete. Let me know what you think about the game and its story. My favorite thing is chatting with players about their experiences and the thoughts they had while exploring my work.
-Richard
❤️
