AFTER THE ASHES / THIRD PERSON GAME 2026
Systems Overview
Over the past months, I focused on building the core gameplay systems that drive After The Ashes.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s currently in place:
Dialogue System
The dialogue system is fully modular and designed to support both simple and complex narrative flows.
Key features:
Basic linear dialogue flow
Multiple choice branching
Dialogue chaining via NextLineID
Flag-based conditions (set & check)
Auto-hide disabled when choices are present
Item requirements integrated into dialogue
Data-driven quest triggers
Reward handling directly from dialogue
Pickup-aware logic (remembers collected items)
One-time conversations (NPC memory system)
Responsive UI with adaptive text box resizing
Why it matters:
This allows me to build everything from simple NPC interactions to multi-layered narrative decisions without rewriting logic.
Quest System
Fully integrated with the dialogue system and driven by data tables.
Key features:
Quest creation via data tables
Start & completion through dialogue or auto
Objective tracking
Multiple reward types (XP, gold, items)
Delivery-type objectives
Persistent quest state
Why it matters:
Quests are lightweight to create and easy to expand — no hardcoding, just data.
Save System
A simple but effective persistence layer focused on gameplay state.
Key features:
Save/load flags
Runs automatically on game start
Persistent across sessions
Tracks: Seen dialogue & Collected items
Why it matters:
This ensures the world reacts consistently to player actions over time.
Pickup System
Handles item collection and persistence cleanly.
Key features:
Interaction-based pickup
Flag assignment on collect
Inventory integration
Auto-destroy on pickup
Persistent “already collected” state
Load-safe timing checks
Why it matters:
Prevents duplication issues and keeps the world state believable.
NPC Interaction System
A simple but scalable interaction layer.
Key features:
Interactable interface
Dialogue triggered directly from NPCs
Dialogue-driven item delivery
Why it matters:
Keeps interactions grounded and avoids hidden automation — everything is player-driven.
UI System
Clean, readable, and responsive.
Key features:
Dialogue box widget
Dynamic choice buttons
Click-to-continue system
Auto-resizing layout
Why it matters:
Supports immersion without getting in the way.
The game is still a work in progress, but I’m super excited to share the first beta with you :
DOWNLOAD AND TRY ECHOES (Windows only).
Works smoothly with GeForce RTX 3080 (Epic Graphics).
CREDITS :
Game Design & Development : Julien Pietri (Third Hand) with the help of Aura
Assets : Epic Games and Fab / Quixel