The Sci-Fi Horror Game "Routine"

A Long Development Journey: The highly anticipated sci-fi horror game "Routine" has finally been released after a thirteen-year development journey filled with many challenges. Developed by Lunar Software, a small three-person team led by Aaron Foster (Art & Design Director) and Gemma Hughes (Associate Artist & Lead Designer), "Routine" was initially described as offering a unique vision of a tragedy unfolding in an abandoned lunar base, focusing on providing players with a highly immersive and realistic gameplay experience.

Diegetic Design Philosophy

Game Quality First: From the outset, Aaron Foster prioritized delivering a high-quality game over adhering to strict release dates, which explains the project's long duration. The game is now available on Steam and Xbox, and has impressively maintained its core design.

Immersive Experience: "Routine" features a deep "diegetic design," where there is no traditional health bar or heads-up display (HUD), and no on-screen tutorial texts. Instead, players must pay attention to and interact with every detail around them, creating a profound sense of living within the lunar base environment.

The CAT Tool: The Cosmonaut Assistance Tool (CAT) is a prime example of this unique diegetic approach. This multi-functional, 80s-inspired electronic tool can be used as a weapon to fire electrical pulses at hostile robots, or to access the game's internal menu through a terminal screen with a projector—there are no traditional "Start" or "Esc" buttons to reach the main menu.

The Development Journey: From Concept to Challenges

Project Beginnings: Development of "Routine" began after Foster left his job as a 3D environment artist at Eurocom due to burnout and creative dissatisfaction. Initially, Foster envisioned "Routine" as a walking simulator akin to "Dear Esther." With programmer Pete Dissler joining, more complex systems could be implemented in the game.

Team Formation: In 2011, Foster, Dissler, and Hughes founded Lunar Software and moved into a shared apartment. They were later joined by Mick Gordon, the renowned composer and sound designer for games like "Prey" and "Doom," to craft "Routine"'s intricate soundscape.

Development Difficulties: A period of smooth production ensued, but the game slowly began to lose focus, with many elements added without improving the overall experience. A 2016 release date was announced, but the team failed to meet it. Health issues and depleted savings led to a halt in development, with Foster and Hughes relying on financial support from Hughes' parents.

Revival and Technical Enhancements

Raw Fury Intervention: In 2020, a glimmer of hope appeared when Raw Fury, which had been shown a prototype of a different bounty-hunting frog game, expressed interest in reviving the "Routine" project. Foster described this second iteration as a remake of their own game before it was ever released.

Technical Updates: Many assets were rebuilt from scratch with the transition from Unreal Engine 3 to its latest version. The team also borrowed texture design technology from "Star Citizen," and lighting was embedded directly into levels, giving long, dark corridors a natural and realistic illumination. The game's interface, such as the need to point the cursor at a terminal screen to close doors, was inspired by "Doom 3."

Persistence and Dedication

Team Resolve: Hughes stated that they "couldn't live in a world where Routine wasn't released," while Foster, who was 26 when the project began and is now 40, cited dedication and persistence as key reasons for their continued development of the game.

Additional Game Information

Release Details: The sci-fi horror game "Routine" was set for release on October 20, 2022. The game offers a complete experience on Steam and Xbox platforms, receiving generally positive reviews, with critics praising its innovative diegetic design and immersive atmosphere. (Source: IGN, 2022)