Happy New Year everyone!

What a crazy year 2025 was. Outside of my personal life, this was the year I decided to break out of my shell and start sharing the development of The Darkness Within. Because of that, 2025 was a truly great year!

I can’t express how grateful I am for the early support you are all showing me. It means the world to see the amazing community we have managed to build already. To receive such great support for a game that hasn’t even released yet touches me profoundly. It's incredible to see this project find people who believe in it so early on.

Because 2025 was so special, I want to share a retrospective on my journey as a developer.

Looking back at 2025

A lot has happened, and e verything you see in my renders, and even the story itself, has gone through multiple iterations. While 2025 was my breakout year, this story actually began in late 2024. I started by writing the first bits of the narrative and using very simple drawings I did myself to force myself to learn art. I wasn’t very good, so that phase didn't last long!

Then, I discovered HS2. I spent time playing with the engine and creating characters for fun. By the time 2025 arrived, I was working on both the story and the renders simultaneously.

At first, I didn't think I would actually share the game; I saw it as a personal project—something to do for fun and to learn a new skill. But as the story evolved, I realised I was creating something truly worth sharing.

— The Evolution of the Narrative

It began as a simple story with low stakes. But as time passed, I realised that wasn't the kind of story I wanted to write. I went back and re-read stories I had written more than 10 years ago. That helped me understand my true goal: a story full of emotional moments and Modern Fantasy, one of my favourite genres.

I began writing from the heart, putting myself in the shoes of every character. It made me happy—very happy. I realised then that I didn't want to keep this world to myself; I wanted to find the courage to show the world what I was crafting.

— Finding the Courage

After asking around about how to make myself visible as an AVN developer, I embarked on the real beginning of this journey. I was shy and terrified, yet extremely proud of my work. Choosing to share it bit-by-bit was the most important decision I made; it created a domino effect. People started to get interested, I gained followers, I made friends, and most importantly, I felt The Darkness Within move from the corner of my room out into the world.

I had the immense luck of finding experienced developers who helped me tremendously. Most noticeable, DarkSeraph reached out to me at the very beginning and helped me gain trust in myself and my work. For that, I will be forever thankful!

As I found the courage to show the world my story, the models of The Darkness Within started to see the light of day as well in the form of renders. But they, too, went through a journey of reworking that lasted a very long time.

— The Models and the Renders

This is where the greatest change happened. I began with zero idea of what I was doing. I didn't understand proportions well enough, how light worked, or even how HS2 functioned at all. I took my time to learn by doing. I spent thousands of hours working on multiple renders, reworking the models, and understanding the influence of light in different scenarios. It was all worth it. It allowed me to create models I am proud of and reach a level of rendering I feel extremely happy with.

It all started somewhere though, and I want to share to you all where it all began with:

Anna

Aria

Lena

Sasha

Tiffany

First Renders

And here a taste of my first renders. Humbling to see where I began and where I stand now!

What I want from 2026

My main goal for 2026 is to release the first version of the game so players can finally feel the world I am creating. I am working very hard to achieve this.

In the meantime, I am also learning to compose music so I can include my own original songs in the game. It slows down development, but it’s a skill I’m passionate about. I believe it will allow me to capture the exact "vibe" I want for the most important scenes.

Lastly, I want to keep learning. There is so much I haven't mastered yet, and I am ready for everything 2026 has to teach me.

If you made it this far, thank you. Feel free to comment which character’s 'glow up' surprised you the most.

Happy New Year to you all, and may all your wishes be granted! See you next week for the next Dev Log.

— MisheruMaxis