Dev diary - Seven: Cthulhu and Gamedec! One week!

First, we have this incredible mix. Never would I imagine – not even in my deepest dreams – that I’d combine Lovecraftian horror with cyberpunk. Both genres have distinct elements (and believe me, I could go on for hours about that), but they’re also so profound in popular culture. And then there are the settings of Cthulhu and Gamedec - both established universes. How do you even begin to pay homage to all of that? Well, let me tell you a secret, friend. The clown was the link (oh yes, you heard me right).

The clown was actually an idea from our creative lead, and thank the Old Ones for that because it ties everything together. So, let’s be honest here – clowns are generally creepy. And does anything say “creepy clown” better than King’s Pennywise (hint: probably no)? When you think about Lovecraft’s Cthulhu and King’s Pennywise, you begin noticing similarities. Both are eldritch creatures, both prey on fear; both exist beyond time and space. Need I go on? …Was that a “yes”, friend? Well, so what do you see in your mind’s eye when you think “Cthulhu”? If you answered with “tentacles”, then we think alike. A clown. With tentacles. Yes, Gamedec has that now. And, of course, every good character needs a backstory. Our backstory had to fit the cyberpunk Gamedecverse. So, the clown became a hacker who let loose a dangerous virus in a virtual and, at that point, everything spun out of the clown’s control.

The virus was one of the first things that just instinctively came to my mind when I started drafting the story. I knew that I needed something which would help me deliver a theme very important to Lovecraftian horrors – that uncovering the unknown and its horrible truths slowly leads to insanity. So, you have a virtualium – a digital world populated with players and enpecs – a hacker – the clown – and a virus. And the virus is dangerous. It’s on the loose. It infects players. It knows things. It shows things. Things which were, which are, which will be. Things which might be, which shouldn’t be. Horrible things. And one knows not what is true and what is false anymore. And it drives one mad, slowly but surely – especially the clown. Sounds Cthulhian, doesn’t it? And if you are among the ones who played (or finished) the main story of Gamedec – you may have a guess why the virus knows so many things. But this will have to remain only a guess, friend. I am not revealing its secrets – they will await you in the virtualium it infected.

Speaking of virtualium, the gritty world of Twisted & Perverted seemed to fit perfectly with a Cthulhian-like story of a clown and a virus. It is there where you may find them. It is also the place where you first meet some memorable characters from Gamedec main story – like Ken or Trepanator – so it would be a shame not to use the opportunity to have those characters involved (and they very much are involved). They make the story more believable – as if it was always supposed to be there. If it wasn’t for Twisted & Perverted with its already established characters, I believe the story would have felt disconnected and out of place.

Also, gameplay-wise, I knew it all had to be easily accessible to both new and veteran Gamedec players. The goal was so that everyone could enjoy it almost right off the bat. Twisted & Perverted worked with that assumption as it’s part of the main game’s first case. But you still may ask, friend: what does a detective solving cases in virtual worlds even have to do with all of that? How does a gamedec fit with a Cthulhian story of a clown and a virus? Well, your job will be to help, of course. To learn the virus’ symptoms. To find the infected. To contain the outbreak. And it’s only up to you whether you uncover all the mysteries.