The Axis Unseen is an upcoming heavy-metal indie horror game where you, the player, must hunt down and catch monsters from folklore across the world. Singlehandedly being made by ex-Bethesda developer Nate Purkeypile, he leverages his decades of industry knowledge to work on this passion project.
As we had an opportunity to speak to Purkeypile regarding The Axis Unseen, we asked him about his experience, his workflow, and the game. His answers were insightful and gave us a peek into the veteran developer’s mind.
The Axis Unseen and Its Unique Leveling Mechanic
When we sat with Purkeypile, we asked him about the unique leveling system he’d implemented into the game. The way to levels is by accessing altars and fast-traveling through gates you find without diving through numerous menus.
He explains that one of the most important pillars for him when designing the game was having as little UI as possible.
He’s played many games where too much time was spent “fiddling around” within the game’s menus, which wasn’t very exciting.
It’s fine for some games, but I wanted to make something that was just designed to draw the player into the world and have them explore it and experience it.
Essentially, immersion was the goal, and a minimal UI was the way to achieve it. But how does this work in a game where you’re walking across a large map and you’d like to know where you are or are trying to get back to a specific area?
How Purkeypile Adapts Around His Design Choices
With The Axis Unseen having many core open-world RPG mechanics like maps, waypoints, and quest markers, one must wonder how a minimal UI style can be achieved when these features are typically managed through menus.
Purkeypile replies:
Instead of relying on maps, since it is an epic metal game I instead use gigantic landmarks that you can help use to orient yourself. Like the mountain that is ~2 miles tall. So it’s a lot harder to get lost.
Since so many games rely on maps to guide their players, Purkeypile feels that these titles lack in level design and landmarks, making it more difficult for players to navigate unless they rely on the map. “It’s a crutch,” he says.
He continues, revealing that he’s recently added a new arrow type called a “Spirit Arrow.”
When you shoot this, you can look through wherever the arrow goes. So you can get a birds eye view of where you are or scout ahead.
In terms of quest markers, Purkeypile says that players would mostly just need to get a new power or reach a weapon or magic altar that can be pinpointed easily thanks to their obvious visual effects. So, instead of staring at a map or minimap, just looking and exploring around you would suffice.
What do you think about Purkeypile’s approach to The Axis Unseen‘s UI? Is it enough to help players navigate the world? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
