Illustration by Michael DeForge
ScrolldenPeng Eric Guo, Will Xu, Bowen Wang, Annabeth Gao, Yuki Hou, Ryan Zhang, Evelyn Fang, Ellie Zhuang
Scrollden - Trailer
+In one or two sentences, describe the main themes present in your game.
Scrollden is a cozy home-building game where players nurture mythical creatures from Shan Hai Jing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), forging friendships with once-wild spirits and building a sanctuary together.
+What was the inspiration of the game?
What made your team decide to make this game specifically?
We were inspired by Shan Hai Jing’s rich mythology, where fearsome beasts and ancient spirits are reimagined as companions with deep backstories. We wanted to create a game where players could befriend these creatures, discover their lore, and interact with them in meaningful, personalized ways.
+Were there difficult moments when developing the game? What led to those difficult moments? What did you learn from it?
One major challenge was scope creep and frequent pivots. As an ambitious team, we were constantly aiming to create a fully immersive and rich experience. But, as the game scaled, it became easy to lose focus. We learned to prioritize small, meaningful interactions and mechanics that deliver emotional impact without overextending the team.
+Were there features you had to remove, and if so, what were they and why were they removed?
We originally planned for a fully stylized 3D art style, but ultimately transitioned to a hybrid of 3D, Live2D, and 2D assets. While the pure 3D look was visually striking, it wasn’t sustainable within our timeline and resources. Shifting styles allowed us to maintain visual charm while staying on track.
play this game on itch.io
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Bilibili - @卷中坞Scrollden
Rednote - @卷中坞Scrollden