Barzakh: Star Gardener
An atmospheric TPS puzzle journey set behind the veil between life and death, inspired by The Little Prince and Eastern mysticism.
Making a game playable is not the same as letting a thought be experienced.
The story of a soul who survives a plane crash and steps behind the veil between life and death (Barzakh)... Barzakh: Star Gardener is an atmospheric journey where you collect lost stars and cultivate a garden in the depths of your mind while solving puzzles that bend physical reality.
Blending the innocent quest of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince with the mystical thresholds of Eastern philosophy, the only way out is to turn inward. Every mechanic encountered connects directly with the mystical lore of the realm.
Lumen Lighting & Mystical Atmosphere
Using Unreal Engine 5.5's Lumen dynamic global illumination architecture, I built a real-time atmosphere conveying the deep contrast between starlight and darkness.
Physics-Bending Puzzle Design
I designed environmental interactions that prompt players to rethink the physical world through puzzle mechanics manipulating time and gravity.
C++ Core Interaction Architecture
Physics interactions and puzzle triggers were written in pure C++ classes. Instant interaction with 100+ objects achieved without performance loss.
Star Collecting & Mental Garden
A modular state machine structure was built to track garden growth and star inventory in the mind.
HLSL Custom Shaders
Custom HLSL texture and atmospheric fog shaders were developed within Unreal Engine material graphs.
Scope Discipline is Essential
I experienced that wanting to expand philosophical narrative can stretch production time; a focused mechanic loop is more valuable than a massive map.
Puzzles Should Not Punish Players
I realized punishing puzzles broke player flow. By weaving clues into environmental aesthetics, I created a more organic sense of discovery.
Atmosphere Demands Disciplined Code
The importance of draw call optimizations and GPU profiling became clear to achieve harmony across light, sound, and camera angles in a single frame.
