Welcome to Amygdala;
In this post, I will provide some useful information to you before you purchase the game. I highly recommend taking all this information into consideration before making a purchase.
Amygdala is developed with Unreal Engine 5, version 5.3.2 to be precise, and uses Lumen, a dynamic lighting system proprietary to Unreal Engine 5.
I will summarize this information on the Steam store page, but reading this post is still highly recommended;
🛠️ Optimization Note: An Independent Journey
As an independent developer, I've aimed to create a unique and engaging experience, but I would like to openly address an important aspect: the limited optimization of "Amygdala".
The challenge of being a solo developer is both fascinating and demanding, but it inevitably comes with its own set of limitations. Optimization requires time and resources, and working independently means I must balance development needs with my limited availability/resources. Lack of optimization can be reflected in aspects such as loading speed, performance across different platforms, and other technical details.
Every piece of feedback I receive is invaluable and helps me identify areas that require priority attention. But still keep in mind that there won't be much post-launch support. Certainly any gamebreaking bugs will be fixed as soon as possible, but after the first 2 months of launch the title will no longer be supported with updates;
This is because I want to move on to other projects taking advantage of what I learned with Amygdala.
Your support and understanding in this journey are crucial. I am grateful for your patience and the opportunity to grow together. The road may be challenging, but with your support, I am confident we can overcome hurdles and deliver an increasingly better experience over time.
🛠️ Optimization Note: Graphics setting
Amygdala comes with 3 levels of graphics, information about them below
"Nightmare" Setting in Amygdala: it is a graphics setting that offers greater visual fidelity with lighting effects calculated in real time and a high level of detail, significantly impacting performance.
"Default" Setting in Amygdala: it is a setting that offers the graphical gaming experience as intended.
"Performance" Setting in Amygdala: it is a graphics setting that offers a graphics experience with less detail (particularly on the lighting side) giving more advantage in performance.
To enjoy the game as imagined, the "Default" setting is recommended
In the graphics settings you can mix these aspects, but it is recommended to choose a fixed one for everyone;
The "Performance" setting in Shadow Quality could drastically change the visual appearance of the lighting, given by the change in shadow rendering in game, appearing more "foggy" and darker.
🛠️ Optimization Note: Tested configurations
As mentioned, being an independent developer I don't have the resources to be able to test the title on multiple configurations and get the best out of them, so I was only able to test the title on some friends' configurations;
Configuration Tested:
1. Configuration
Resolution: 2560x1080 / 1920x1080
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
RAM 32GB
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Setting "Default": 50/60 FPS
Setting "Performance": +60FPS Performance Setting
2. Configuration
Resolution: 3440x1440
CPU Ryzen 9 7950X3D
RAM 2x32GB DDR5 6000MHz C32
Galax RTX 4090 Hall of Fame
Setting "Default": 50/60 FPS
Setting "Performance": +60FPS Performance Setting
3. Configuration
Resolution: 2560x1440
CPU AMD Ryzen 3600
GPU NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER
RAM 16GB
Setting "Default": 20/30FPS
Setting "Performance": 30FPS
As you can see the game is very heavy even on high configurations.
If I have the chance I will try to provide a demo benchmark test, so as to actually try before buying.
I apologize in advance for the poor optimization of the title, but I hope you appreciate the transparency.
🎙️ Note on Voice Production and Localization: An Independent Solution
I want to share some crucial considerations regarding voice production and localization in Amygdala.
As a solo independent developer I don't have the budget and tools needed to pay professional voice actors for such an amateur title as Amygdala. However, to improve accessibility and reach a broader audience, I've adopted innovative solutions that, while they may have some limitations, aim to provide an engaging gaming experience.
For dubbed voices, I've utilized an advanced voice synthesizer. This decision was made considering limited resources
Despite the differences, I've worked diligently to ensure that synthesized voices are clear, understandable, and positively contribute to the immersion in the gaming experience.
During the development process, some voice actors contacted me, even with some tests, but unfortunately, not having the necessary budget to hire them, the idea was no longer taken into consideration.
The text localization was done with automatic translators.
Thank you for your understanding
If Amygdala ever manages to have a reasonable economic impact in the first few months, I will redo the dubbing of the game with a professional voice actor & traslators.
🎨 Art: Creature & Assets
I would like to point out that no AI was used to create monsters or other visual elements.
All designs are original designs by Antonino Truisi (Me) as a creature artist. I have also worked on other titles in recent years and my distinctive aesthetic is the strong point of Amygdala.
All the monsters and creatures present were created by me starting from the concept up to the final 3D model. As well as some specific animations.
I also created over 200 characters present on the Unreal Engine Marketplace as assets for all developers;
Here you can find my works:
ArtStation
Unreal Engine Marketplace
Some environment elements, sound elements and some animations are purchased third-party assets used creatively for the composition of something as unique as Amygdala.
That's all, I hope this post can help you make the right decision before buying.
Thank you so much if you support!