The Forsaken Ruins
Project Info
Role(s): Game Developer
Team Size: 1
Timeline: Feb 2020 - May 2020
Engine & Tools: Unity (C#), Wwise
Tags: 3D, Action, Adventure, Atmospheric, Horror
Updated: Apr, 2026
The Forsaken Ruins was my Final Major Project (CGP602) for my undergraduate degree in Computer Games (Indie) at Southampton Solent University, created under my online game developer persona, Self-Made Games. Inspired by first-person horror titles such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010) and Alien: Isolation (2014), and drawing visual inspiration from the dungeon environments of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006), I set out to create a game built around four core pillars: AI, Level Design, Puzzles, and Sound Design.
In the game, you take on the role of a prisoner trapped within a dungeon-like ruin where survival depends on using your surroundings to your advantage. Whether throwing objects to clear obstacles, blowing open prison doors, or smashing items to create distractions, every decision matters. With unknown threats lurking in the shadows, the goal is simple: escape the ruins alive by staying one step ahead and out of sight.
Alongside a written report, the project was awarded full marks (100/100), bringing my undergraduate degree to a close. Another important milestone was releasing The Forsaken Ruins on Steam, making it the first project I had ever published on the platform and a significant moment in my game development journey.
On this project, I worked as a Game Developer, focusing on the four main pillars: AI, puzzles, level design, and sound design.
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For the AI, I developed three separate monsters: the Gremlin, Grootslang, and the Warden, each built using behaviour trees. Every creature had its own behaviours and stats, which helped make encounters feel varied, tense, and unpredictable for the player.
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I also programmed a range of gameplay systems and events. These included puzzles such as placing the correct skull on a pedestal, random encounters, scripted events, a chase sequence, and a stealth mechanic that allowed players to avoid threats by staying hidden.
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For level design, I designed and built four distinct environments, each with its own lighting style and gameplay considerations to help create atmosphere and guide player movement through the space.
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For sound design, I integrated the Wwise audio plugin to bring the game’s audio to a more professional level. This included implementing 3D spatial sound with attenuation, as well as using random containers to add variety and subtle differences to sound effects.
I also documented the development process on my YouTube channel, Self-Made Games, where the project can be viewed in more detail. For marketing, I captured high-quality in-game "beauty shots" for the Steam page and oversaw the creation of the launch trailer, making sure it highlighted the game’s core features and atmosphere.
After submitting the project as my Final Major Project, I continued working on the game for a further six months to help stabilise the build and move it out of Early Access. During this time, I expanded the narrative by adding collectable notes that players could piece together, alongside improvements to the journal system and several gameplay mechanics.
Follow the project’s progress and latest updates through the development blogs here.
I learned a great deal from this project across each of the four pillars I set out to explore. One thing that stood out to me most, however, was the level of discipline it required. I was able to take the project from an initial idea through to a published Steam release within a relatively short timeframe while also balancing other modules, writing reports, and producing devlogs for my YouTube channel.
Balancing Ambition and Focus
If I were to start the project again, I would likely focus on a single pillar and aim to demonstrate that discipline at a more professional level. As it was, I felt the need to continue contributing additional time even after the project was published, applying finishing touches and expanding the narrative experience for players.
In hindsight, the project may have been better suited as a tech demo rather than a full game attempting to explore so many different ideas at once. Even so, The Forsaken Ruins taught me a huge amount and ultimately helped me grow into a more well-rounded developer.
