SHADOWSTATE

SHADOWSTATE is a colonial simulation set in the 1650s. The player manages a settlement — resources, relationships, politics, survival. Think Dwarf Fortress in aesthetic, but with a focused scope and a modern UX.

The Design Philosophy

Most simulation games are either too complex (impenetrable) or too simple (boring). SHADOWSTATE targets the gap: deeply systemic, but legible. Every mechanic has a real-world historical basis.

The 1650s setting is not arbitrary. It's a period of maximum entropy — colonial power structures forming, indigenous relationships in flux, economic systems being invented in real time. That instability makes for interesting systems.

The Build

• Engine: Godot 4 with C# for game logic
• Testing: 283 passing tests before a playable build. Every mechanic is tested before it's implemented.
• Assets: 135+ assets, primarily generated using AssetForge and AudioForge (custom internal tools) with post-processing for consistency
• AI workflow: Same spec-first approach as all my builds. Every system is specced before implementation.

Asset Pipeline

The asset pipeline is its own system. Raw AI output is inconsistent — different lighting, scale, style. AssetForge normalizes everything:

1. Generate base assets with AssetForge
2. Post-process for consistent palette and style
3. Export to Godot's resource format
4. Register in the asset registry

135+ assets processed. The pipeline saves roughly 80% of the time compared to manual asset creation.

Status

Active development. Current focus: completing the settlement management loop — resource production, consumption, and population dynamics.