Milestone 01

First version build process

1. Story and Worldbuilding

A game with only mechanics but no story—unless made by a god—can hardly be called a true creation.

From the beginning, I decided that “time” would be the core theme of my game. I wanted to make time not just a narrative element, but also part of the gameplay itself. But simply declaring “this is a world about time” would feel hollow without context—players need an emotional reason to care.

That’s when inspiration struck. I realized that time had already been an important theme in my own life.

During my three-year gap period, I often felt anxious about “wasting time” or “falling behind.” I used to wonder: If time could be reversed, would everything turn out better? Maybe that’s why I’ve always wished I could control time itself.

In Beyond the Ticking, the protagonist becomes trapped in the cracks between timelines—lost in an otherworldly realm. She wants nothing more than to escape, fearing that time continues to flow in the real world as she remains stuck here. The more time she spends in this world, the further she drifts from her former life and future.

For her weapon and combat style, I drew inspiration from my favorite MMO class during my gap years—the Dragoon from Final Fantasy XIV. Her initial weapon and combat mechanics are designed around a spear, symbolizing discipline, focus, and determination.

2. Combat Design

What kind of action game did I want to make?

Taking cues from Granblue Fantasy: Relink, I aimed to design intense, skill-driven boss fights that combine fast-paced combat with boss-specific mechanics.

If you’ve ever played Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft, you know this kind of design—fights that mix reaction-based action with puzzle-like mechanics requiring timing and spatial awareness.

Unlike Ninja Gaiden or Elden Ring, which emphasize speed, combos, or perfect dodges and parries, my vision was to balance action with problem-solving.

While dodging and blocking still exist, they are no longer the centerpiece. Instead, players must observe, think, and react—using the environment and unique boss mechanics to survive.

For example, in God of War (2018), Atreus often calls out clues during boss battles, reminding Kratos to use the environment creatively instead of relying solely on brute force. I wanted to bring that same dynamic element to my game: moments when intuition and observation become as important as combat skills.

This creates a rhythmic gameplay flow—periods of intense, reflex-based fighting followed by quieter, puzzle-like moments that test the player’s perception and timing.

Each phase of combat becomes a cycle of action → observation → reaction, keeping players fully immersed in both strategy and execution.