We’re excited to bring you a new dev diary, the last one for August.
In this entry, we want to take you through the creation process of one of the raider classes you’ll encounter in the full version of Hell Galaxy: the Malaxdon. We don't want to reveal too much of the lore (yes, we’re avoiding spoilers), but we do want to share some of the initial concepts behind their development and show you how we translated these ideas into the game’s aesthetic while staying true to its style and narrative.
During development, we realized that it would be interesting to create a group of raiders that function as a kind of cult. In fact, the Malaxdon are exactly that, a cult. Our first task was to give them an aesthetic that would set them apart from the more imperial, chaotic structures made of piled metal, twisted shapes, and so on. We decided to go in the opposite direction, as you can see in this Malaxdon structure (which you may have noticed in some images from previous dev diaries).
At first glance, you'll notice a certain geometric precision compared to the Imperial structures. We use very clean pieces of metal as a base, with recognizable shapes that are repeated to form structures reminiscent of cult buildings. You could think of these structures as temples, clean, decorative, and purposeful. By using perfectly smooth and recognizable shapes, we aim to give players a completely different impression when they see a Malaxdon structure compared to an Imperial one.
The contrast is immediate: on the one hand, there are the imperial space stations that evoke the worst memories of the Extraction; on the other, the templar structures of a raider group that worships the galaxy. Essentially, the Malaxdon offer a different perspective on exile, with their minds united in pursuit of the same goal, isolating themselves from other raiders and fiercely defending their territory.
With this in mind, once we had established the basic concepts for their structures, we decided that the design of the Malaxdon ships should echo that of their buildings. This idea reinforces the concept of a cult that identifies with its structures. That’s why we designed the Malaxdon base ship with similar geometric shapes, reminiscent of the structures at the heart of a Malaxdon station.
And that brings us to the end of today’s entry. Remember, what we’ve shown you are still works in progress. We hope you enjoyed this new dev diary and are excited for what’s to come.
Farewell, raiders!
