Tezcatlipoca – More on Development & Version 1.03
Hello, dear players.
I’d like to share with you the most important changes in this new version, along with some reflections on the future of the game.
Main Changes
– Mandatory Mary Summoning
Starting with this version, summoning Mary’s spirit is now required in order to leave the school.
Why this change?
Some players were able to progress through a large portion of the game without summoning her, which made the experience less engaging—especially in the early hours, where only the “Skullies” appeared.
To maintain tension and increase the challenge from the very beginning, summoning Mary in the school is now mandatory.
– New NPC: Mister Iniestra
Mister Iniestra has hidden himself inside the school. If you’re playing on an advanced save file and return to this area, you’ll need to find him—alive or dead—in order to leave. Otherwise, you’ll be trapped!
(Please report any issues with backwards compatibility; every time I add something, there’s a risk of breaking something else 😅).
Gameplay Adjustments
Reduced the stun duration when being hit or surprised by small enemies.
Fixed a collision in Becky’s house that allowed players to clip through walls.
Expanded the crouch/uncrouch collision areas to avoid serious bugs on systems running the game at low FPS.
Added 3 new random “scares” in certain areas (mostly sound-based). More will be added in future versions.
The Future of Tezcatlipoca
I’m still polishing details of the game. I’ve been going through some difficult emotional and mental moments, but that doesn’t mean the project is abandoned.
My intention is to keep adding content that makes the first half of the game scarier and more engaging.
In that sense, integrating Mary as an enemy so early on feels like a big step in maintaining constant tension. It might not be obvious at first glance, but Mary is actually my favorite specter in the game.
Inspirations Behind Tezcatlipoca
The main inspiration for the story was, without a doubt, Silent Hill 1. I always felt it told a simpler, more grounded story in a godforsaken town—just like Tezcatlipoca. A sect that performs sacrifices to summon their god… that became the foundation.
Mixing that concept with a small town in Mexico made the outcome feel very natural. Aware of my limits as a writer, I also leaned toward the tone of the early Resident Evil games: less seriousness and more of a B-movie vibe. Even the crushing doors that open and close on the player are a little reference to the famous “Jill Sandwich” line… or in this case, a “Minerva Sandwich.”
Sadly, I never played Alone in the Dark, which might be the game most visually similar to mine, but the idea of making Tezcatlipoca low poly came from Ashen, a gorgeous soulslike built entirely in that style.
The storytelling and NPC interactions were inspired by Dark Souls. For me, it’s the simplest way to handle characters without the need for elaborate cutscenes or complex animations during dialogue.
As for literary influences, the clearest one is Lovecraft. I’m a big fan of The Call of Cthulhu, though personally I prefer stories like The Outsider. Cosmic horror has always fascinated me, though I’ll admit I’m not a big reader in general.
And of course, the biggest gameplay influence is Haunting Ground: a game where combat barely exists, but you explore a hauntingly beautiful castle full of memorable enemies and atmosphere.
I still have a long way to go in terms of level design, but in the future I’d love to create something closer to the classic Resident Evil style, especially that intense combat I loved so much in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.
I hope you enjoy this new version, and as always, thank you so much for all your support.
And well… I hope you have a great time playing Hollow Knight: Silksong, which is a much better game than mine! 😆