My name is Edoardo and I am passionately working on the development of an idea for a game that I care a lot about: Beyond the Time . Right now, I am looking for people willing to collaborate with me to create a playable demo, which will help capture the attention of publishers and take this project to the next level.

Unfortunately, as an independent developer, I am unable to offer compensation for the work. I understand that asking for voluntary contributions is a bold request, but I hope that your passion for the project will inspire you to join me in making this little dream a reality.

Short description of the game

What is Beyond the Time ? Beyond the Time is an action role-playing game that combines exploration, dynamic combat, and narrative choices to deliver an immersive experience. Set in a world ravaged by magic and time, players are called upon to forge their own destiny as they uncover the secrets of the past and face the challenges of the future.

Tradition

Humanity, ravaged by wars over dwindling resources, sought refuge in fortified cities. These strongholds, designed to protect the population, became symbols of division. With the advent of magic, the cities became even more isolated, opening the way to a global threat: the Creatures.

When one of the cities was attacked by the Creatures, the humans discovered the potential of the "Saviors", individuals who could use magic to fight. But the war is far from over.

Demo content

The Beyond the Time demo will offer a look at the game's key features, focusing on:

1. The map

Players will explore Rift Forest, the starting city. Key locations include:

• Portal Zone : A circular plaza with "fixed" portals that lead to low and medium difficulty missions. Each portal generates procedurally designed biomes and layouts.
• Library : A place to find dictionaries to translate the language of the Creatures and other information relating to the world (bestiary).
• Forge : A facility for crafting, upgrading, and repairing equipment, which only breaks upon the character's death.
• Guilds : These are modern (fantasy) structures located in fortified cities, which play a central role in engaging players through structured quests that vary in difficulty and purpose. Each guild will have its own unique aesthetic and a distinct name based on its city, making each location unique. The quests we will be preparing for the demo will be low-level and will require tasks such as completing a specific number of portals or eliminating a certain number of creatures.

2. Basic mechanics

• Combat system : Fluid and strategic, with customizable abilities and enemies with different attack patterns.
• Character Progression : Players level up to unlock new abilities and upgrade existing ones.
• Character creation and classes : detailed character customization and class selection between three main archetypes (Mage, Warrior, Archer).
• Database : An integrated reference system that updates players on the world's quests, creatures, abilities, and lore.
• The Visual Goal: Create a visually immersive world with a realistic and meticulously detailed aesthetic. Every element, from the environments to the creatures, is designed to evoke deep emotions and engage players.

3. Portals and Dungeons

Portals are a major gameplay element in Beyond the Time , offering players unique and ever-evolving challenges. Each portal is a dimensional rift that leads to procedurally generated environments, ensuring that each incursion is new and unpredictable.

Types of Portals

• Low-level portals: Designed to introduce players to the game mechanics, these portals feature lower-level creatures and accessible challenges. Biomes are simpler but offer a glimpse into the exploratory potential of the game world.
• Mid-Tier Portals: With increased difficulty, these portals feature more advanced enemies and intricate layouts. Players must employ more elaborate strategies and utilize their full abilities to succeed.
• High-level Portals (not included in the demo): These portals feature challenging bosses and environmental puzzles. They offer the most coveted rewards, but require impeccable teamwork and preparation.

Procedural generation

Each portal generates unique biomes that change with each entry. Players may find themselves in:

• Misty Forests: Dense, labyrinthine environments with limited visibility.
• Crystal Caves: glittering but treacherous places, full of hidden traps.
• and more...

The layout features environmental obstacles, hidden areas, and lore-rich clues, adding to the depth of exploration.

Goals in portals

• Exploration: Players can freely explore generated biomes, discovering treasures, relics, and narrative clues.
• Dynamic Combat: Each portal is populated by unique creatures, whose attack patterns adapt to the difficulty level.
• Final Bosses: At the end of each portal, a boss fight awaits you. Each boss has a distinct set of abilities, requiring precise tactics and teamwork to overcome.

Thanks to procedural generation and a variety of biomes and enemies, portals and dungeons provide a fresh experience every time. Players are encouraged to revisit them to improve their performance, unlock new rewards, and discover hidden clues.

4. Clues: Uncover the Secrets of Time

Clues are pieces of information that guide players in discovering Unique Scenarios and unraveling the story of the world of Beyond the Time . They can appear in various forms:

• Cryptic texts: ancient scrolls, letters, or graffiti containing coded messages.
• Historical Objects: Artifacts and relics that reveal secrets of the past.
• Interactive structures: ruins or monuments that hide symbols and messages.

Discovery Mechanic

• Clues emit a slight glow or sound to attract players' attention.
• Players can scan them for a few seconds to record them into the database , where they can be analyzed later.

The importance of clues

Clues are not just narrative elements, but also pieces of a larger puzzle:

• Weaving the story: Each clue adds new layers to the overall plot.
• Challenging exploration: Leads to new areas or reveals hidden secrets.
• Create intellectual challenges: Some clues require decoding or combining to reveal their purpose.

Clues are an essential part of the Beyond the Time experience , engaging players in discovery, mystery, and strategic thinking.

5. Creatures and Bestiary: An Overview

The world of Beyond the Time is inhabited by unique creatures, each with distinct characteristics, behaviors, and evolutions. The bestiary serves as a crucial guide, offering details on every creature encountered during the journey.

Creature Types

• Humanoid creatures: goblins, higher orcs, and other intelligent species with complex evolutionary systems and strategic roles.
• Monstrous Creatures: Magical beasts such as dragons and golems, each tied to their own elemental powers.
• Undead Creatures: Skeletons and other entities animated by dark magic, often associated with necromancers.
• Titans: Exceptionally powerful giants, reserved for the most challenging encounters.

Bestiary and progression

• Accessible Information: The bestiary automatically records the creatures you encounter, providing details on their abilities, weaknesses, and habitats.
• Dynamic interaction: Creatures evolve and react to the world, making each encounter unique and strategic.

A rich and dynamic bestiary makes creatures an integral part of the gameplay experience, encouraging players to explore, fight, and uncover the secrets of the past.

Additional Information

If you like this idea and want to help bring this project to life, contact us via email ( edoardo.aringo@gmail.com ) or Discord (urotara).

Wondering what roles are available? Well... all of them! ;) I'm looking for concept artists, 3D modelers, programmers and sound designers.

Join me in shaping Beyond the Time !