Prototypes, Dead Ends& How the Core Team Nearly Gave Up

Devlog 003:

Prototypes, Dead Ends&  How the Core Team Nearly Gave Up

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In those early months, everything was trial and error. Prototypes. Sketches. Scrapped builds. Endless experimentation with mechanics and ideas. The process was frustratingly slow, but it was necessary a messy, chaotic journey to discover Firva’s true heart.

Without a full team, all we could do was build simple prototypes. But even the best prototype is just a shell unless it has a story worth telling.

We wrestled with the same big questions every developer faces:

• Does the story grow from the gameplay, or should the gameplay grow from the story?
• What about the market? What kind of stories are actually acceptable or wanted?
• How would we even publish this thing?

It was these late-night questions, echoing in our minds, that slowly shaped our thinking and ultimately led us to create the first Firva demo. 

After Taliman: Clarity, But Still No Heart

After the Taliman, the team finally had a clearer vision of what Firva could be, but we still lacked a core narrative the “why” behind the game.

Reza knew what kind of story he wanted to tell: a dark fantasy, something bold and memorable. But how to actually tell that story remained a mystery.

In the final days of Taliman, our team grew by two:

• Ahmad Talayi (Technical Artist)
• Mohammad Shahabi (Writer)

Mohammad, stepping in as our writer, was handed a stack of scripts from previous freelance writers. But he was determined to create a dark fantasy world that was entirely ours, infusing Firva with his own ideas and voice.

Ahmad, meanwhile, began as a technical artist but quickly became the creator behind many of Firva’s most iconic set pieces.

With the expanded team, everything seemed possible. Here’s how we were shaping up:

• Reza – Project Lead
• Sorush – Lead Developer & Programmer
• Ahmad – Technical Artist
• Peyman – Art Lead
• Mohammad – Writer

With only a handful of team members and even fewer resources, we made a pact to focus on one thing: Making something tangible. A concept demo something we could actually share with others.

But just as we were gaining momentum, disaster struck. Peyman, our Art Lead the person responsible for Firva’s unique visual style decided to leave. His departure was understandable. He wasn’t satisfied with the pace of progress, and with Reza also busy with other projects, Peyman felt the time was right to step away. So, in August 2022, he left the team.

For a moment, it felt like this could be the death of the project. Peyman had given Firva its distinctive look. The demo we’d been preparing was built around his vision.

After his sudden departure, we were left with a choice: surrender, or push forward. We chose to continue.

We still had a story, we still had art assets Peyman had created, and most importantly we still had the will to keep going.

This was a turning point. The team made a bold decision: Lean fully into the cinematic aspect, finish the demo, and push for its release.

Soroush stepped up to take on the role of Project Lead. Mohammad became the Director, guiding the narrative vision. Ahmad took the helm for development, pulling together everything we had.

Together, we finished what we’d started.

And finally, we released the first public demo for Firva.

Looking back, the journey through prototypes, setbacks, and changes in the team wasn’t wasted effort. Every dead end taught us something. Every frustration pushed us to ask deeper questions about what Firva could be. And in the end, it was perseverance the decision to keep going that helped us find Firva’s true heart.