Design diary — by Dero Lavigne
Base building as endgame — this devlog covers the design thinking that shaped CONTRABAND: Edge of the Fold. It is written for players curious about the why behind the what.
Why this matters
Game design is a sequence of trade-offs. Most of the choices in CONTRABAND are not the only valid answers — they are answers I committed to after weighing alternatives. This post explains the trade.
The context
CONTRABAND is a narrative space game built by a single developer. That constraint shapes every design choice. The game cannot afford the asset budget of a 50-person studio, so every system has to earn its place through reuse.
The decision
The design choice covered here was made after considering the alternatives. None of them was wrong — but the one I picked aligned with the emotional tone I wanted the game to carry.
What I would do differently
If I were starting CONTRABAND again, I would still make this choice. But I would arrive at it faster — the months I spent on the wrong path are not recoverable, but the lesson is.
What this means for you
If you are designing a narrative game, the lesson here transfers. Trade-offs are inevitable; making them deliberately is the difference between a coherent game and one that feels assembled from parts.
Closing
Thanks for reading. If you have questions, reach out. CONTRABAND is a game made for the people who care about how things work — and posts like this exist for the same audience.