Blackthorn
About
Blackthorn is a first-person horror game where players take on the role of Dr Leonard Pismel, who arrives at Blackthorn Manor after receiving a cryptic letter from a forgotten relative. As they explore the manor, they must uncover the truth behind their summons.
Project Info
Role(s): 2D Artist, Programmer, Level Designer, QA Tester
Team Size: 4
Timeline: Feb 2019 - Apr 2019
Engine: Unity (C#)
Tags: 3D, Adventure, Atmospheric, First-Person, Horror
Updated: Mar, 2026
Blackthorn was developed as part of the Software Engineering for Games: Methods & Tools (DAC531) module during my undergraduate degree in Computer Games (Indie) at Southampton Solent University. For this project, we were placed into small teams and asked to run a short D&D session. We recorded what happened during the session and turned those events into a playable game.
In Blackthorn, the player arrives at a haunted mansion made up of three levels: a basement, ground floor, and upper floor. As the player explores the manor’s rooms, they gradually uncover the game’s narrative, which ultimately leads to a climactic finale in the basement where the protagonist meets his demise. The finished project was presented to the rest of the class and assessed on how effectively we turned our original D&D session into a playable game.
My roles on the project included 2D Artist, Gameplay Programmer, Level Designer, and QA Tester. Roles were not assigned beforehand; instead, team members contributed based on the skills they felt most confident bringing to the project.
As 2D Artist, I designed the journal interface and crosshair in Photoshop. Then, as Gameplay Programmer, I developed core systems including interactive doors and windows with animations, a journal system, sneak mechanics, and raycast-based interactions. I also implemented saving and loading functionality and managed lighting and VFX to create a more immersive atmosphere.
As Level Designer, I strategically placed quest items and environmental props throughout the manor to encourage exploration and guide players through its rooms. Finally, as QA Tester, I collaborated with the team during playtesting, identifying bugs and tracking issues to ensure the game remained stable and playable.
As someone who sometimes finds it difficult to come up with completely original concepts, I found the D&D-driven design process particularly enjoyable. Using the events from our tabletop session as the foundation for the game gave us a strong narrative starting point and helped shape the overall direction of the experience.
I also felt confident contributing to areas such as programming and level design, and I was always willing to support my teammates where needed to help the project succeed.
Lessons in Scope
That said, I do think the horror genre elements became somewhat diluted as development progressed. Because many team members were juggling multiple responsibilities, the project gradually became a race to implement as many elements of our D&D session as possible before the deadline.
If I were to approach the project again, I would place greater emphasis on scope management. For example, limiting the environment to two floors and focusing on adapting only part of the D&D session could have allowed us to create a more polished and cohesive experience.