Routine (video game)

Last updated

Routine
Developer(s) Lunar Software
Publisher(s) Raw Fury
Designer(s)
  • Aaron Foster
  • Jemma Hughes
Programmer(s) Pete Dissler
Artist(s)
  • Aaron Foster
  • Jemma Hughes
Composer(s) Mick Gordon
Engine Unreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
Genre(s) Survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player

Routine is an upcoming survival horror game developed by Lunar Software and published by Raw Fury. Set on a lunar base, the story follows an unnamed protagonist unraveling a mysterious incident that led to the base's decline. The game is played from a first-person perspective, with the player using a Cosmonaut Assistance Tool to fight hostile robots, interact with the environment, and perform other actions.

Contents

Announced in 2012, Routine is the debut title from Lunar Software. While initially slated for a spring 2013 release, the game saw several delays attributed to a protracted development cycle, financial hurdles, and the studio's decision to temporarily pause production due to dissatisfaction with the game's direction. Development resumed in 2022 with new publisher Raw Fury. The game is being developed using Unreal Engine 5, with music composed by Mick Gordon. Routine is scheduled to release for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Gameplay

Routine is a survival horror game played from a first-person perspective. [1] The player controls an unnamed protagonist traversing a lunar base to unravel the mystery of its decline while encountering hostile robots. [2] [3] The player is equipped with a Cosmonaut Assistance Tool (C.A.T), a device used for both combat and environmental interaction, in addition to saving notes and tracking progress. [4] Exploring levels with hidden areas, [5] the player finds batteries, powering the C.A.T, [6] and floppy disks which alter its specs, such as screen refresh rate and flashlight brightness. When used as a weapon, the C.A.T can temporarily stun the enemy. [4] However, permadeath and the absence of first aid kits emphasize stealth and avoidance of direct combat. [7] A visual wound system allows the player to monitor the protagonist's health by observing their body. [8] Threats and environments within the levels are partially procedurally generated. [9] The game features an alternate ending. [10]

Development and release

Lead designer and artist Aaron Foster created small game projects and mods in his early years. [11] He studied at the University of Central Lancashire, where he met designer and artist Jemma Hughes. [12] : 1  [13] After graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in game design, Foster taught 3D modeling and creative thinking at the university while also working as a 3D environment artist at Eurocom. [12] : 1, 2  In his spare time, he developed various prototypes and ideas using Unreal Engine, [8] with some eventually becoming the basis for Routine. [14] The game's inspiration stemmed from a desire to combine his childhood passions—science fiction, horror, and the Moon. He also sought to "start pushing the reasons why people interact with a game," believing that games "should mean something more than pressing the right buttons to trigger cutscenes." Routine was influenced by films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Andromeda Strain (1971), Silent Running (1972), Alien (1979), and The Thing (1982), and the television series Space: 1999 (1975–1977). [8] [12] : 2  [13] Video game influences included System Shock 2 (1999), White Day: A Labyrinth Named School (2001), and Doom 3 (2004). [15] [16]

In its early stages, Routine lacked enemies or interactive objects. Foster described this version as an atmospheric single-player experience similar to Dear Esther (2012). The project began to evolve with the addition of Hughes and programmer Pete Dissler, [8] whom Foster encountered through the Mod DB website. [13] Their collaboration led to the establishment of Lunar Software in September 2011. [14] Working from a flat in Preston, Lancashire, the team used the living room as their office [13] [17] and hired freelancers for the game's art. [2] The project was initially financed through the team's personal savings. [11] The game's design underwent several revisions throughout its development. [10] Following its re-announcement in June 2022, Lunar Software revealed that development had been previously suspended due to financial constraints and dissatisfaction with the project's direction. After a period of conceptual reassessment and securing a publishing deal with Raw Fury, development resumed. Raw Fury provided additional support for the game's art direction and narrative. [18] [19]

The selection of a lunar base as the setting for Routine stemmed not only from Foster's fascination with the Moon but also from its distance from Earth, its atmosphere of loneliness, and the in-game presence of enemies. The developers believed these aspects combined to make the Moon "a great setting for a horror experience." [9] During development, the base's size was halved as the studio strove for level uniqueness and brevity. [8] [11] The number of endings was also reduced to two, impacting the overall nonlinearity originally intended. [4] [10] The developers decided not to explore the protagonist's personality and backstory to heighten the immersiveness and focus the player's attention on the game's atmosphere and plot. [2]

The inclusion of permadeath was intended to heighten the impact of player actions. Foster explained that he "want[ed] to see if [... permadeath would] force people to care more about their actions rather than running around blindly thinking they can just reload the game." [20] This feature, combined with the first-person perspective and lack of a heads-up display, reflected the developers' aim of maximizing player immersion. [15] [21] Procedural generation was employed to introduce variability to environments and events across playthroughs. [9] [11] However, the team aimed to avoid excessive randomization to preserve the integrity of the storyline. Striking a balance between variety and crafting a tense atmosphere at specific moments presented a significant challenge, according to Foster. [11] Dissler designed the artificial intelligence of the game's enemies to adapt to and react unpredictably to the player's actions, cultivating a "fear of the unknown". [4] [8] The protagonist's primary device, a Cosmonaut Assistance Tool, was conceived early in development. [2] A weapon mode was later incorporated, allowing the player to choose between stealth and direct combat. [4] Foster characterized this as a risk–reward system, noting that its use did not always guarantee a favorable outcome. [6]

Lunar Software began developing Routine using Unreal Engine 3, but later transitioned to Unreal Engine 4. [22] [23] Peter Bottomley, founder and head of White Paper Games, provided support to the developers, including access to more powerful computers for working with the updated engine. [24] Subsequently, the studio opted to move development to Unreal Engine 5. [19] While Lunar Software initially considered PlayStation 4 and Oculus Rift versions of the game, these plans were ultimately abandoned. [4] [25] [26] Routine's visual style, inspired by 1980s retrofuturism, aimed to depict a realistically designed, abandoned lunar base. [27] Foster described it as a "really high-tech [and] sci-fi" environment reflecting decades of human habitation and subsequent decline. [17] The game's soundtrack, composed by Mick Gordon, known for his work on Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) and Doom (2016), [3] took cues from the 1980s music, as suggested by Foster. However, Gordon wanted to avoid synthesizer clichés found in soundtracks like that of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (2013). Citing the film The Shining (1980) as an influence, the developers sought to create a more "tangible and low-fi" sound. [4]

Routine was announced in August 2012 at Gamescom. [28] Later that year, the project was approved for release on Steam through the platform's Greenlight program. [17] [21] Initially scheduled for a spring 2013 release for Windows and OS X, [29] the game saw several delays. [30] Lunar Software stopped providing development updates in 2017, but confirmed the project's continuation the following year, acknowledging some ongoing challenges. [30] Routine was re-announced at the Summer Game Fest in June 2022. It is scheduled to release for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. [3]

Related Research Articles

Bethesda Softworks LLC is an American video game publisher based in Rockville, Maryland. The company was founded by Christopher Weaver in 1986 as a division of Media Technology Limited. In 1999, it became a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media. In its first 15 years, it was a video game developer and self-published its titles. In 2001, Bethesda spun off its in-house development team into Bethesda Game Studios, leaving Bethesda Softworks to focus on publishing operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funcom</span> Norwegian video game developer and publisher

Funcom Oslo AS is a Norwegian video game developer and publisher that specializes in online games. It is best known for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) titles Conan Exiles, Age of Conan, Anarchy Online, The Secret World – and The Longest Journey series of adventure games. The company has offices in Oslo, Norway; North Carolina, US; Lisbon, Portugal; Bucharest, Romania; and Stockholm, Sweden. It also had offices in Beijing, Dublin, and Montreal previously. It is now owned by the Chinese media conglomerate Tencent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epic Games</span> American video game company

Epic Games, Inc. is an American video game and software developer and publisher based in Cary, North Carolina. The company was founded by Tim Sweeney as Potomac Computer Systems in 1991, originally located in his parents' house in Potomac, Maryland. Following its first commercial video game release, ZZT (1991), the company became Epic MegaGames, Inc. in early 1992 and brought on Mark Rein, who has been its vice president since. After moving the headquarters to Cary in 1999, the studio changed its name to Epic Games.

Fatal Frame, titled Zero in Japan and Project Zero in Europe and Australia, is a Japanese survival horror video game series that was created, published and developed by Koei Tecmo. Debuting in 2001 with the first entry in the series for the PlayStation 2, the series consists of five main entries. The series is set in 1980s Japan, with each entry focusing on a location beset by hostile supernatural events. In each scenario, the characters involved in the present investigation use Camera Obscura, objects created by Dr. Kunihiko Asou that can capture and pacify spirits. The series draws on staple elements of Japanese horror, and is noted for its frequent use of female protagonists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Techland</span> Polish video game developer and publisher

Techland S.A. is a Polish video game developer and publisher founded in 1991 by Paweł Marchewka. It developed Call of Juarez (2006) and its prequel Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood (2009), as well as Dead Island (2011) and Dying Light (2015). The company is headquartered in Wrocław in western Poland and has offices in Wrocław and Warsaw.

<i>Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse</i> 2008 video game

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a survival horror video game developed by Tecmo, Nintendo SPD and Grasshopper Manufacture. The fourth installment in the Fatal Frame series and the first on a Nintendo console, it was released in 2008 by Nintendo for the Wii in Japan. A remaster for eighth and ninth generation consoles and Windows published by Koei Tecmo was released worldwide in 2023.

<i>No More Room in Hell</i> 2011 video game

No More Room in Hell is a cooperative first person survival horror video game, created by Matt "Maxx" Kazan and initially developed as a modification on Valve's Source game engine. Set in a zombie apocalypse, the player assumes the role of one of eight remaining survivors, with a focus on co-operation and survival. The game can be played through "Objective" or "Survival" mode. It is heavily inspired by George A. Romero's Living Dead series, with the title being a reference to Dawn of the Dead, specifically the line "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.", and some characters being references to other films such as American Psycho and The Big Lebowski.

<i>Dead Space 3</i> 2013 video game

Dead Space 3 is a 2013 survival horror action video game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. It is the third and final main entry in the Dead Space series. The game's story follows player-character Isaac Clarke and his allies as they explore a frozen planet, Tau Volantis, to discover the origins of the growing threat from their enemies, the Necromorphs. Players control Isaac and explore the environment, solve puzzles, and find resources, while fighting Necromorphs and hostile humans called Unitologists. The game supports online cooperative multiplayer sessions in which a second player takes the role of new character John Carver.

Tango Gameworks is a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo. Founded in March 2010 by Shinji Mikami, previously of Capcom, the company was acquired by ZeniMax Media in October that year after suffering financial issues.

<i>ZombiU</i> 2012 video game

ZombiU is a 2012 first-person survival horror video game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft. It was released for the Wii U as one of its launch games in November 2012. In the game, the player assumes control of a human survivor amid a 2012 zombie apocalypse. Featuring a permadeath system, it uses the Wii U GamePad extensively to scan the environment and maintain the survivor's inventory. The game was released under the name Zombi for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in August 2015. The port, handled by Straight Right, adds new melee weapons and removes the multiplayer feature.

<i>S.T.A.L.K.E.R.</i> Video game franchise

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a first-person shooter survival horror video game franchise developed by Ukrainian game developer GSC Game World. The series is set in an alternate version of the present-day Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine, where, according to the series' backstory, a mysterious second Chernobyl disaster took place in 2006. As a result, the physical, chemical, and biological processes in the area were altered, spawning numerous nature-defying anomalies, artifacts, and mutants. The player takes the role of a "stalker" - a name given to trespassers and adventurers who have come to explore the exclusion zone and its strange phenomena.

<i>Ark: Survival Evolved</i> 2017 video game

Ark: Survival Evolved is a 2017 action-adventure survival video game developed by Studio Wildcard. In the game, players must survive being stranded on one of several maps filled with roaming dinosaurs, fictional fantasy monsters, and other prehistoric animals, natural hazards, and potentially hostile human players.

<i>Deliver Us the Moon</i> 2018 video game

Deliver Us the Moon is an adventure-puzzle video game developed by Dutch game development studio KeokeN Interactive. It was first self-published as Deliver Us the Moon: Fortuna for Windows on September 28, 2018. The game later saw an expanded release on October 10, 2019, with Wired Productions serving as the publisher for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions on April 24, 2020. The game was released for Google Stadia on June 1, 2022, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on June 23, 2022 and for Nintendo Switch on July 16, 2024.

<i>Scorn</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Scorn is a 2022 survival horror adventure game developed by Ebb Software. Drawing on biopunk themes, the game is inspired by the works of visual artists H. R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. The game was released on 14 October 2022 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S. It was subsequently released for PlayStation 5 on October 3, 2023.

<i>Chernobylite</i> (video game) 2021 video game

Chernobylite is a 2021 first-person shooter survival horror video game developed by Polish game developer The Farm 51 and published by All in! Games. The game is set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, where the player's objective is to explore, as Ukrainian physicist Igor Khymynuk, and find his fiancée in the radioactive wasteland. It was released for Windows in July 2021, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2021, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in April 2022, and Nintendo Switch in December 2024. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

The Dark Pictures Anthology is an anthology series of interactive drama and survival horror video games developed and published by Supermassive Games. The anthology is planned to consist of eight games, with each game inspired by a different horror genre. Each game features five main characters whose survival depends on the choices made by the player. While each character only appears in one game, face models are often reused in other games, except those of the leading actors. The games use a third-person perspective and the ability to choose from various dialogue options and courses of action.

<i>S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl</i> 2024 video game

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a 2024 first-person shooter survival horror video game developed and published by GSC Game World. It is the fourth main game released in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game series, as well as the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game in 15 years since the release of Call of Pripyat in 2009.

<i>Instinction</i> (video game) Upcoming video game

Instinction is an upcoming action-adventure video game developed and published by Hashbane Interactive, based in New Zealand. Inspired by the Dino Crisis game series, development began around early 2020. It was originally scheduled for release in September 2022, although additional project financing helped fund a larger development team to expand the game, with the release pushed to 2025. It will be released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puppet Combo</span> American video game developer

Puppet Combo is an American independent video game development studio founded by Benedetto "Ben" Cocuzza in 2012 as Pig Farmer Games and based in Brooklyn. Puppet Combo's games, such as Nun Massacre (2018) and the critically acclaimed Murder House (2020), are mostly survival horror games developed solely by Cocuzza and modeled after early PlayStation games and VHS. They are also frequently inspired by 1980s horror films, specifically exploitation and slasher films. Puppet Combo primarily releases their games through Patreon and Itch.io. Cocuzza launched Torture Star Video, a video game publisher for lo-fi horror games, in 2021.

<i>The Persistence</i> 2018 video game

The Persistence is a survival horror video game developed and published by Firesprite. Originally released for the virtual reality headset PlayStation VR in July 2018, the game was released for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One in May 2020. An Enhanced version of the game was released for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S in June 2021.

References

  1. ↑ Fischer, Tyler (October 31, 2016). "Sci-Fi Survival Horror Game Routine Set to Arrive March 2017; Gets New Trailer". DualShockers. Valnet. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sayed, Rashid (February 24, 2014). "Routine Interview: Developing A Non Linear Horror Experience Set On An Abandoned Moon Base". GamingBolt. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Carr, James (June 9, 2022). "Routine, A First-Person Sci-Fi Horror Game, Coming To Xbox Game Pass". GameSpot . Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Turi, Tim (October 4, 2013). "Routine". Game Informer . GameStop. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  5. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (August 15, 2012). "Routine trailer explores spooky moonbase". Shacknews . Gamerhub. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Cook, Dave (August 7, 2013). "Routine: Amnesia in space? Not exactly". VG247 . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  7. ↑ Matulef, Jeffrey (August 15, 2012). "Upcoming survival-horror game Routine looks anything but". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rossignol, Jim (June 26, 2013). "C++ Of Tranquility: Lunar Software Explain Routine". Rock Paper Shotgun . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Mattas, Jeff (September 28, 2012). "A Routine interview about crafting lunar horror". Shacknews . Gamerhub. Archived from the original on August 30, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 Webster, Andrew (November 1, 2016). "Sci-fi horror game Routine is finally launching in March". The Verge . Vox Media. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Klepek, Patrick (October 9, 2013). "The Dark Side of the Moon". Giant Bomb . Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 Hall, Lee (November 9, 2012). "University Of Central Lancashire lecturer's permadeath horror game passes Steam Greenlight test". Edge . Future plc. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 4 MirandaCB (May 14, 2013). "Meet the Makers: Lunar Software Answers Questions About Routine". GameSkinny. Gamurs. Archived from the original on August 25, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  14. 1 2 "Press — Lunar Software". Lunar Software. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  15. 1 2 Lemke, Parker (November 7, 2015). "Can't Look Away: The Evolution Of Modern First-Person Horror". Game Informer . GameStop. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  16. ↑ Webster, Andrew (December 10, 2013). "'Doom' at 20: John Carmack's hellspawn changed gaming forever". The Verge . Vox Media. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 Senior, Tom (December 12, 2012). "Routine: indie survival horror from the dark side of the Moon". PC Gamer . Future plc. Archived from the original on December 21, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Message About Our Hiatus". Lunar Software. June 9, 2022. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  19. 1 2 Lunar Software (October 30, 2022). "Routine — Update — October 30, 2022". Steam News . Valve. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Team Member interview: Aaron Foster". Lunar Software. September 13, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  21. 1 2 Webster, Andrew (October 15, 2012). "In space, no one can hear you die: a first look at 'Routine'". The Verge . Vox Media. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  22. ↑ Perodin, Reginald (July 21, 2015). "Lunar Software's Routine is Still On The Way, Development "Going Super Well"". The Escapist . Gamurs. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  23. ↑ Lunar Software [@LunarSoftware] (June 11, 2022). "We are currently using UE4" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024– via Twitter.
  24. ↑ Lunar Software [@LunarSoftware] (June 13, 2022). "I would just like to say that we wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for @Pete_Bottomley This guy kept us alive, even buying us PC's when ours couldn't run UE4. All while making badass games at @WhitePaperGames You mean the world to us Pete <3" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024– via Twitter.
  25. ↑ Matulef, Jeffrey (August 20, 2014). "Routine ditches Oculus Rift support due to motion sickness". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  26. ↑ Williams, Katie (February 22, 2014). "Routine Developer Considering PS4 Port". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  27. ↑ Skrebels, Joe (June 9, 2022). "Sci-fi Horror Routine Re-Revealed, a Decade After Its Original Announcement". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  28. ↑ Akerman, Nick (August 15, 2012). "Lunar Software reveal Routine at gamescom 2012". VG247 . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  29. ↑ Tach, Dave (November 9, 2012). "Routine headed to Steam next spring with survival horror and permadeath". Polygon . Vox Media. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  30. 1 2 Klepek, Patrick (February 2, 2018). "So, What Happened to 'Routine,' That Promising Space Horror Game From 2013?". Vice . Vice Media. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.