DevLog #1: The Archivium – Concept to Playtesting in 1 Month

The Archivium began as a flickering concept, a blend of cozy horror and dark academia, an excuse to build a game around a haunted library. 

November 1st, the start of NaGaDeMon (National Game Development Month), marked the official dive into the creative abyss. The goal? Turn this concept into a playable soloRPG by the end of the month. I had no idea how deep and complex this project would become.

To start, I had trouble deciding what subgenre of horror I wanted to tap into, so I had a not at all smart idea: what if we took the World Truths concept from Ironsworn and create a system that lets the player decide from which subgenre their story should pull? 

I knew I wanted to write a game about dark academia and a haunted library. I also didn't want it set at a magical academy as I feel there's a lot of those to cover the craving already. So it had to be a regular university, but to tap into those horror vibes there had to be some aspect of magical realism. The inspiration came from media such as Ninth House, The Order, The Magicians, etc. And looking at the existing soloRPG genre, something that blends the atmospheric storytelling of Tangled Blessings with the mechanical elegance of Apothecaria. 

The Foundations & Pitch

Moodboard

The Archivium 

Cozy Horror meets Dark Academia in a narrative-driven soloRPG where you play a first-year student at an old, prestigious university. But instead of just hitting the books, you’ve somehow ended up as the night custodian of a secret society’s hidden archive. This place is ancient, full of forbidden knowledge, creepy artifacts, visitors you can't quite see, and books that might be alive, or a portal. Your job? To protect it, explore it, and maybe uncover its mysteries without getting too close to whatever’s lurking in the shadows. 

Here’s the twist: The Archivium isn’t a one-and-done game. It will be evolving! Each month, a new Codex will drop, adding fresh mysteries, strange encounters, and deeper layers to the story. So, every time you return to the archive, there’s something new waiting to be uncovered. Gameplay mechanics will be primarily card draw and prompt based. 

Considering implementing something where players can submit journal pages or notes of characters who didn't survive, which might end up tucked into the archive’s books for other players to discover in the future. Words of wisdom or caution from custodians that came before, basically. Basegame estimated around 30-50 pages, and the monthly codices around 20 each.

Inspirations

I wanted something that combined narrative-driven solo play, flexible mechanics, and thematic richness. The Archivium would focus on:

• Exploration: Players would step into the shoes of a new Custodian, tasked with maintaining and uncovering the secrets of an ancient archive.
• Mechanics: A card-draw and dice-roll system for prompts, with rules tied to health, energy, and the ever-present whispers of horror.
• Legacy and Mystery: Monthly expansions called Codices would add layers of complexity, offering new mysteries and subgenres for players to explore.

Building the Game

The early days of November were all about brainstorming and worldbuilding. I tackled the core mechanics, decided on four primary horror subgenres (Cosmic, Religious, Gothic, and Folk), and began crafting the lore that would underpin the game. The Custodian's story would unfold in phases, with a mix of downtime, early shift, and late shift gameplay, each phase increasing in intensity and danger.

One of the biggest challenges? Writing the numerous tables and prompts required for each subgenre. Each horror suit needed unique truths, prompts, and clues that tied into its themes while maintaining the game’s overarching mystery. Add to that a complex system of Influence and Resistance that dictated how the player’s journey would end, and the workload quickly ballooned.

The NaGaDeMon Crunch

By mid-November, I hit a wall. 

There were days when it felt like the archive itself was conspiring to overwhelm me. Creating tables for every horror subgenre and mapping out the game loop was more challenging than I anticipated. I debated cutting content—scrapping the Late Shift, reducing the number of subgenres—but ultimately, the vision for The Archivium was too compelling to compromise.

From Draft to Playtest

With the encouragement of the NaGaDeMon Discord server, I powered through. On December 1st, we officially entered playtesting with Version 0.1, an 84-page booklet. This version included:

• The Core Game: Rules, mechanics, and a foundational narrative framework.
• One Subgenre Appendix: Cosmic Horror, with tables and prompts tailored to its themes of vastness, madness, and incomprehensible power.
• Exploration and Clues: Several locations within the Archive to uncover during early and late shifts.

While playable, this version is far from complete. Much of the mystery and depth of The Archivium relies on the additional subgenres and mechanics still in development. But it’s a start, and it’s thrilling to see the game take its first steps into the world.

What’s Next?

The next phase of development focuses on polishing and expanding the game:

1. Completing the Appendices: Each subgenre (aligned with a suit of cards) will add layers of narrative, thematic richness, and replay value
2. Mementos and Quests: Developing a system for players to earn mementos, unlocking new locations within the Archive
3. Refining Mechanics: Balancing health, energy, and the Influence/Resistance systems to ensure a compelling gameplay loop
4. Playtesting Feedback: Gathering insights from playtesters to fine-tune the game and enhance its accessibility and engagement

Playtesting will be underway until the end of the year. Should anyone be interested in joining in, head on over to our newly created Discord server: https://discord.gg/MftaJTCZ