Summary
Conquering of the Royal Keep is a decision driven, visual novel game in which the player takes on the persona of a squire of the Royal Guard, entering their final stage of training to become a full knight. However, there is more to the Royal Keep that meets the eye. As the squire makes their way through the trials and tribulations set forth by their last task, it is soon noticed that something about this keep is wrong, and the squire must face their death time and time again until they can finally conquer the mysteries of the Royal Keep.
Contributions & Responsibilities
- Scripted gameplay and dialogue systems in Python using Ren’Py engine.
- Designed and Scripted navigation and puzzle mechanics.
- Designed and Implemented interactive image buttons using Photoshop.
- Conducted comprehensive QA testing, debugging, and performance optimization to deliver a polished final build.
Research Summary
When developing Conquering of the Royal Keep, my process was shaped by rapid prototyping guidelines from Taylor’s (2022) GDC talk, How to Create Rapid Prototypes, including shortening design loops and exposing critical problems early in the development stage (Black Banshee Studios, n.d.). I used these tactics when developing prototypes of time-based puzzles, levels, and various game mechanics (Black Banshee Studios, n.d.; Taylor, 2022). Following those guidelines streamlined my workflow for this project (Black Banshee Studios, n.d.; Taylor, 2022).
References
- Taylor, B. (2022). How to create rapid prototypes [Video]. Game Developers Conference. https://gdcvault.com/play/1028097/Game-Career-Seminar-How-to
- Black Banshee Studios. (2025). Conquering of the Royal Keep [Video game]. Black Banshee Studios. https://www.blackbansheestudios.com/