21 days in. dev0.2.1.0. And this thing finally feels real.

This project started as a rough top-down prototype, and three weeks later it’s turning into something much closer to the game I’ve been imagining in my head for a long time.

I’ve been working on SIN | AI: Operation Ink-Line for about 21 days straight now — almost every day — bouncing between coding, art, and music, often in the same session. This is the first public devlog, so I want to set the tone early: this project is being built out in the open, wins and struggles included.

We’re currently at dev0.2.1.0, with the goal of having Alpha 0.1 ready before the end of December — a playable test build for early backers. No fancy graphics promises yet. Just a real, functional core loop.

The Big Shift: From Top-Down to Isometric (2.5D)

One of the biggest changes since week one has been the camera and presentation.

The very early version of the game was fully top-down. Functional, readable — but it didn’t quite sell the atmosphere or the physicality I wanted. About a week in, I made the call to pivot toward a slight isometric / 2.5D view, using pre-rendered 3D assets turned into 2D sprites.

That shift cascaded into everything:

• Collision shapes had to be rethought
• Depth sorting suddenly mattered
• Environmental props needed real volume
• Player readability had to stay tight despite the angle

It was absolutely the right call — but it wasn’t free.

Some of the screenshots attached to this devlog show that progression clearly:

• Purple background layouts from the very early prototype days
• The first attempts at isometric placement and collision
• The most recent shots showing the current visual direction

Seeing those side by side honestly surprised me. The game looks and feels very different than it did two weeks ago.

Systems Coming Online (The Unsexy but Critical Stuff)

A lot of this phase has been about foundations, not flash.

Right now, the focus has been on:

• Core movement and shooting
• Weapon stat handling (damage, fire rate, reload time, ammo logic)
• Early inventory slot logic
• Environmental collision and cover testing
• Debug visibility for systems that will break later

There’s still debug text on screen. There are placeholders everywhere. And that’s intentional. This phase is about making sure the game behaves correctly before it tries to look pretty.

If something feels slightly raw in the screenshots — that’s because it is.

The Reality of the Grind

Not every day has been exciting.

Some sessions were:

• Fixing alignment issues that only appeared at certain angles
• Watching collision boxes behave perfectly… until they didn’t
• Reworking systems I thought were “done” after changing one core assumption

There’s been a lot of “okay, why did that break now?” moments.

But that’s also how the project has started to feel solid. Each fix stacks. Each refactor reduces future pain. And slowly, the game is pushing back less.

Where Things Stand Now

As of dev0.2.1.0:

• The core gameplay loop is taking shape
• The visual direction is locked in
• The isometric view is working, not just theoretically but practically
• The project has momentum

This is no longer a concept. It’s a game in progress.

The immediate goal is Alpha 0.1:

• A playable test build
• No polish promises
• Focused on feel, flow, and survivability of the core systems

Once that’s in players’ hands, the real feedback loop begins.

What’s Next

Over the next stretch, the focus is on:

• Tightening combat feel
• Expanding interactions with the environment
• Continuing to stabilize systems under stress
• Preparing the first real test build for backers

If you’re following along now, you’re early — and that’s intentional. This game is being built step by step, and I want people to see how it gets there.

More updates soon.

Screenshots shown: Early prototype → isometric transition → current in-engine state

If you want to follow development more closely, join the Discord and keep an eye on future devlogs. This is just the beginning.

https://discord.com/invite/WmpF68gz7c