Getting Started on Moonlit Alchemy

Devlog 1

Originally written on Feb 7, 2025

Welcome to the very first devlog for Moonlit Alchemy! This post marks the beginning of my solo development journey on a cozy 2.5D potion shop rpg. The original version of this devlog was written as part of a university discussion post, but I’m revisiting and polishing it here to share the early steps of bringing this project to life.

At first, I was considering making a puzzle game focused on technical art. But after some brainstorming with a friend, I shifted directions toward a magical potion-brewing rpg with a warm, whimsical vibe. The goal remains the same: to create a polished experience with a strong emphasis on shaders, lighting, and cozy game design.

Shader Experiments

I spent this first week building the foundation for the game’s visual identity. My focus was on experimenting with custom shaders using Unreal Engine’s Material Graph:

Color Shift Shader: This one uses a sine wave to interpolate between two colors over time, creating a smooth, transition effect

Dissolve Shader: This shader uses a noise texture to drive a dissolve transition, allowing objects to fade out with a burning effect. I also layered in color changes for extra flair

These will likely be used later for visual effects in potions, magical interactions, or transitions.

I also began prototyping a potion bottle mesh, separating the materials for the glass and liquid. The visuals are still rough, but it’s a step toward establishing the game’s aesthetic.

Early Gameplay Setup

Even though my focus was on visuals this week, I also started laying the groundwork for core gameplay systems:

• Began building a basic inventory system to manage items the player collects.
• Sketched out the structure of the core gameplay loop:
  • Foraging and ingredient gathering
    
  • Potion crafting
  • Selling potions to customers
  • Exploring new areas

Right now I’m using placeholders for everything, but my goal is to get things working before I worry too much about polish.

Next Steps

By the next update, I plan to:

• Finish the first version of the inventory system
  
• Continue experimenting with shaders and potion visuals
• Prototype the full gameplay loop from gathering to brewing to selling

Looking back now, I love that I thought I’d have the full inventory system and gameplay loop done by the next devlog 😅 Spoiler: it took a bit longer—but that’s part of the journey!