Sources of Inspiration
When choosing the setting for our game, we were captivated by the unique culture of the Yakut, their mythology deeply intertwined with nature, their faith in spirits and deities permeating every aspect of their lives. Here is how we conveyed it in our game and introduced the players to their culture:
- Spirits and gods. The game’s narrative features dangerous spirits — abasy, icchi, ghosts of the past, and powerful deities, all of them impacting the protagonist’s fate.
- National symbols in design. From the user interface to entire settlements, our game strives to reflect the patterns and motifs characteristic of northern Yakutia.
- Distinctive characters. Players will meet an olonkhosut (epic storyteller), a shaman, hunters, and other unique locals.
- Authentic regional fauna. The types of animals and fish you can encounter — or hunt and fish for — are based on real fauna of the Yakut region.
- Specialized tools. We introduced the kuyuur, a traditional instrument for lake fishing. As you progress, you’ll also discover other everyday items used by the Yakut people.
- Visuals of key characters. When designing the looks of our characters, we combined realistic historical details (clothing, gear) with elements of Yakut tradition.
Early In-Game Effect Concept:
Real Historical Roots
While developing the storyline, we became intrigued by the story of Pyotr Fyodorovich Anjou, a navigator and polar explorer who made a significant contribution to the exploration of the Northern Sea Route. Parts of his biography formed the basis of our game’s plot: in 1821, he set out on an expedition to find the legendary Sannikov Land, which he also references in the game’s story.
As you play, you’ll also uncover details about local settlements and real historical events, recording them in your personal journal.
Early Character Concept:
Early Stages of Development
World Map: Openness or Sequence?
From the outset, we aimed to create vast northern locales and faced a central question: should we allow the player to roam freely from the start (a fully open world), or introduce stricter narrative constraints?
Ultimately, we decided to preserve freedom of movement. Want to head to Kotelny Island from your very first hours of play? Go for it! But be prepared for tough challenges if your dog sled team isn’t sufficiently upgraded yet. At the same time, the story unfolds in a sequential manner so the narrative atmosphere remains coherent and immersive.
Early Map Concept:
Sled Dogs — More Than Just Part of a Team!
We devoted special attention to choosing sled dog breeds, aiming to include real ones (even some now extinct, like the Gilyak Laika). It was important to us that these dogs weren’t just an extra feature. In the end, some of them became fully-fledged characters with their own personalities and backstories.
Another task was designing the management of the sled team: we went through multiple iterations, refining the controls and tweaking how dogs react to obstacles, so they can’t dash off a cliff. The dogs can subtly adjust the sled’s direction if you drive too close to an edge. As a result, handling the sled feels both realistic and enjoyable.
Snow Everywhere!
“The Northern Path” is set against the backdrop of the Arctic, so the look and feel of snow is especially important.
During prototyping, one of the critical questions was whether to keep dynamic snow physics, allowing the sled and each dog to leave realistic tracks. In the end, we decided against it.
The reason was simple: we wanted to focus on smooth gameplay across large expanses, without overburdening the system.
After testing various approaches, we settled on a uniform snowy surface — atmospheric and pleasing to the eye — where points of interest stand out clearly.
Early Snow Versions:
Conclusion
Thus, step by step, the vision for “Northern Path” took shape: from the rich legends of the Yakut people and Anjou’s historical background to practical considerations in game design and optimization.
Thank you for keeping up with our updates! If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments. Your feedback helps us make the game even better!