Behind The Scenes of The Ballad Of The Thulhu Epic MegaJam!

Creating a any game can be a monumental task for any person or team. The Ballad Of The Thulhu is no exception. This blog post takes you behind the scenes of this this project, exploring the creative process, the challenges faced, and the innovative solutions that brought this game jam to life.

The Concept and Story Development

The concept for The Ballad Of The Thulhu began with a simple idea: taking inspiration from Lovecraftian themes and turning them into something more whimsical and atmospheric rather than purely horror-driven. Instead of focusing on cosmic terror, the story centres on a small Thulhu who simply wants to enjoy a peaceful night playing the organ. When their sheet music is scattered throughout the mysterious Fungi Forest, the journey to recover each page becomes the heart of the adventure.

This approach allowed us to create a world that feels strange and otherworldly, while still maintaining a charming and light-hearted tone that encourages exploration and curiosity.

The Development Process

The Ballad Of The Thulhu was created during the Epic MegaJam 2025, meaning the project had to be designed and built within a week. Rapid prototyping in Unreal Engine allowed ideas to be tested quickly while keeping the focus on delivering a complete and playable experience.

Conceptualization

The first step in our journey was brainstorming and conceptualizing the core elements of Thulhu. This included defining the game's narrative, characters, and gameplay mechanics and game loop. We pitch quick ideas and refining the vision within the first night of development.

Prototyping

Once we had a solid concept, we moved on to prototyping. This phase involved creating a basic version of the game to test gameplay mechanics and gather feedback from testing. Prototyping is essential as it allows us to identify potential issues early on and make necessary adjustments. Spolier a week isnt engough time to get all the issues!

Production

With a successful prototype in hand, we entered the production phase. This is where the bulk of the work happens. We were both focused on at the time:

• Building the main level: Designing and constructing the various environments players will explore with block outs at first.

• Character Development: Creating our unique character with distinct personalitie and abilities.

• Implementing Mechanics and Core Loop: Programming the gameplay mechanics that will drive player interaction within the game.

  
  

Designing the Visual Aesthetic

The visual style we made was to make the world feel mysterious yet inviting. A palette of deep purples combined with glowing orange highlights creates a dreamlike atmosphere, helping guide players through the strange and magical world of the Fungi Forest.

World Design

The Fungi Forest level that was the main level for the game jam was designed to feel organic and layered, filled with unusual shrooms, glowing lanterns, and winding paths. The environment was made to help guid players through platforming challenges as they search for the scattered music sheets.

Visual Effects

Visual effects such as glowing lanterns/shrooms and atmospheric lighting help bring the Fungi Forest to life. These elements enhance the game’s purple and orange colour palette while creating a magical and immersive environment for the player.

Sounds and Music

Music is central to the game’s narrative. As players recover scattered sheet music, they help restore the Thulhu’s lost melody. Ambient sounds and subtle musical tones help reinforce the mysterious atmosphere of the forest.

Overcoming Challenges

Every game project from solo dev to AAA faces challenges, and The Ballad Of The Thulhu was no different. From time constraints to scheduling conflicts, we both had to navigate various obstacles, on very little sleep as well. During a week-long game jam meant working under tight time constraints while still delivering a complete and polished experience. Features had to be prioritised carefully, and ideas often needed to be simplified so they could be implemented quickly. This fast-paced environment encouraged rapid problem solving, creative decision-making, and a strong focus on the core gameplay that made the project successful.

Our Vision for Thulhu

We want Thulhu to not just be another game; we want it to be an experience that aims to immerse players in a richly crafted world filled with mystery, adventure, and deep lore. Our vision for Thulhu includes:

• Engaging Storytelling: Players will embark on a journey that challenges their perceptions, leading to multiple endings based on their choices.

• Stunning Visuals: Utilizing Unreal Engine's capabilities, we aim to create breathtaking environments that draw players into the world.

• Dynamic Gameplay: The game will feature a mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat, ensuring that players remain engaged throughout their adventure.

Testing and Feedback

Testing is an ongoing process throughout development. We like to conduct regular playtests to gather feedback from players and make improvements. This iterative approach ensures that we are creating a game that resonates with our audience, if you have any input please reach out to us.

What Players Can Expect

As we continue to develop Thulhu, we want to keep players informed about what they can expect from the game. Here are some exciting features we are working on:

Lore and World-Building

Thulhu will feature a deep lore that players can uncover as they progress through the game. We are crafting a world filled with myths and secrets that will encourage players with more levels that what the demo had, the next level will be "underground".

Unique player movement Mechanics

Regarding player movement. We wanted to try something different for a side scroller where instead of a simple WASD input we experimented with allowing the player to move in and out using the mouse side to side movement, which also aids players in observing their surrounding as it rotates the camera. At first it may take a little getting used to but once you get used to it, it should feel quite satisfying.

Community Engagement

The support and feedback from the developer and player community played an important role during and after the Epic MegaJam. Sharing the project, watching others play the game, and hearing their reactions helped highlight what worked well and what could be improved. Events like the Epic MegaJam bring together a passionate community of creators, and being part of that environment made the experience even more rewarding while helping shape the future development of The Ballad Of The Thulhu.

The Future of Thulhu

With the support of the community and hopefully Epic Mega Grant, we are excited about the future of Thulhu. Our goal is to create a game that not only entertains but also resonates with players on a deeper level. We are committed to delivering a high-quality experience that reflects our passion for storytelling and game design.

Final Thoughts

The Epic MegaJam was an incredible opportunity to experiment, create, and push ideas forward in a short amount of time. What started as a small jam project has quickly grew into something that resonated with players and ultimately led to winning the Army of Two category. The experience has provided a strong foundation for the future of The Ballad Of The Thulhu, and development will continue as the project evolves into a more polished and expanded indie game.

mysteries of existence. What will you discover when you watch it?

Thank you for your support, and we can't wait to share more about Thulhu in the coming months!