The Farmlands have long awaited this day… and the day has finally come. The ruthless, barbaric Krug have invaded one of the Kingdom of Ehb’s most important territories, and now the farmers and those who reside in the territory need your help! From the minds of Massive Black / Room 8 Studios and Square Enix – take up your arms and meet Gyorn and other Dungeon Siege Heroes in the Farmlands experience from the Sandbox. Keep reading to learn more about the conception, design and production of this project. 

Conception

Our goal was to capture the essence of the original Farmlands from Dungeon Siege, evoking a sense of nostalgia while reimagining it with a fresh, contemporary vision. Rather than simply recreating the past, we set out to honor its legacy in a way that resonates deeply with players, blending familiarity with innovation. While our scenes may reflect the spirit of the original, they stand as authentic, distinct experiences, carefully crafted to weave a new narrative into the world of Dungeon Siege. Every detail was thoughtfully designed to bridge the past and future, introducing new elements that breathe life into the experience while staying true to its roots. In the comparisons below, you’ll see how we’ve seamlessly blended tradition and innovation, crafting a world that both pays homage to the classic and evolves it for a new generation.
The images below showcase the progression of our work, from initial concept to a fully realized environment. While some textures may be missing, what’s presented here represents the final implementation—a combination of level design, world-building, and technical execution that brings the project to life. Development was not a straightforward process. Structures were built, scrapped, and rebuilt to refine layouts, improve navigation, and ensure a cohesive world. This same iterative approach extended to quest design, character placement, and narrative structure, with constant adjustments made to achieve the best possible experience. Every discarded asset or reworked system contributed to the final product, reinforcing the core mechanics, player flow, and environmental storytelling. The result is a world that feels polished, immersive, and purposefully designed, shaped by the trial-and-error process essential to game development.
Development began with terrain sculpting while the art team created key assets. As the environment took shape, we integrated quests and narrative elements, staying true to the original Farmlands while adding new mechanics and design improvements. Early iterations emphasized vertical exploration, encouraging players to climb higher throughout the map. However, this approach didn’t fully utilize the available space. To improve flow and player engagement, we redesigned the layout—shifting to a circular progression system where players move from Point A to B, then explore alternate routes before looping back. The images below highlight this iterative design process, demonstrating our focus on spatial optimization, gameplay balance, and immersive world-building.

Throughout development, my role focused on refining core gameplay mechanics, optimizing level design, and enhancing player immersion. The project underwent continuous iteration, ensuring a balanced, engaging, and polished final product. One of the most significant refinements was the map layout, which evolved through multiple design passes to improve flow, navigation, and player engagement. I played a key role in evaluating terrain structure, enemy encounters, and environmental interaction to enhance gameplay pacing and spatial efficiency. Enemy placement and balancing were critical aspects of the design. Adjustments were made to enemy types, health, and damage scaling to maintain a progressive challenge while avoiding player overwhelm. A key shift in gameplay structure involved transitioning from an armed start to a progression-based system, where players begin unarmed and acquire weapons and armor through combat encounters and environmental challenges.

From a narrative standpoint, I worked on integrating iconic franchise characters, structured questlines, and dialogue interactions, ensuring the story remained cohesive and engaging. The experience culminated in a climactic boss encounter, reinforcing player progression, strategic combat, and lore integration. To heighten immersion, I directed the implementation of sensory effects, enhancing environmental responsiveness and player feedback. These elements worked in tandem to create a more dynamic, interactive world that reinforced the gameplay experience. The screenshots below showcase the final polished version, highlighting improvements in level structure, enemy balancing, and interactive storytelling, reflecting our commitment to design precision and player-driven engagement.

Please enjoy a complete playthrough video below! 

Back to Projects