Peripheral is our first official release: a short, high-intensity psychological horror experience that traps players inside a library after closing time. Your task seems simple: return the books. But something in the library is watching.

Where the Idea Began

The concept for Peripheral came from Summer Wysocki, who took creative lead as designer after pitching the idea during our team’s project meeting earlier this year. Her fascination with atmosphere and storytelling have guided the project from the beginning.

Summer is deeply influenced by Lovecraftian and gothic horror, stories where the most terrifying things are those unseen. Imagination, she believes, fills in the blanks far more effectively than any visual monster could. That philosophy became the foundation of Peripheral: fear thrives in uncertainty. You never see the Wardens move, yet you know they do, and that single idea became the soul of the game. The Wardens, eerie statue-like entities, stand frozen when you face them, but the second you turn away, they move. Keeping them in your peripheral vision is your only defense. Every book you return pushes the tension higher, plunging the library deeper into darkness and forcing you to rely on awarenes as you use your flashlight to navigate the shelves. 

Building the Library

Before a single texture was painted or sound was designed, Summer sketched the library, her version of a space she’s spent countless hours in throughout her life. An avid reader and lifelong library regular, she drew on memories of public libraries across the states she’s lived in: quiet corners, high shelves, the hum of fluorescent lights, and the deafening ticking of a clock in a silent room. 

The first thing she created after the game design document was a full map of the library, drawn on one of her giant, gridded dry-erase maps she uses for Dungeons & Dragons. That map became the blueprint for the entire game, deciding where each section belonged, how sightlines intersected, and where players might feel most vulnerable. The goal wasn’t realism; it was memory. The library in Peripheral feels familiar but wrong, a bit like a maze, or a place you visited in a dream and can’t quite escape.

Crunch Time

Right now, we’re in the final stretch. Playtesting is complete, our Steam store page has been submitted for review, and the final build is in Valve’s hands. We’re anxiously awaiting approval so we can meet the October 27th deadline for Steam’s 4th Annual Scream Fest. It’s been long nights, endless revisions, and more than a few genuine scares along the way, but seeing Peripheral come to life has made every moment worth it.

Keep your light close.
Keep your eyes open.
And whatever you do… don’t look away.

Every studio has that one project, the one where they learn how to make a game. For us, that was Real Humans.

When we started building Real Humans, we were new to everything: pipelines, production schedules, engine quirks, playtesting, debugging, you name it. What began as a small idea—a puzzle-platform adventure about humanity and survival—became our classroom. We experimented, failed, rebuilt, and learned more than we ever imagined. Over time, Real Humans evolved alongside us. But as the months stretched, we realized we had grown beyond the project we started with. Our tools, our process, and even our creative ambitions had changed. We’d built the foundation of a team that could take on something new—something fully our own from the ground up.

The Pitch Meeting

Earlier this year, we gathered for a studio meeting with one goal: decide what comes next. Several members of Pandimensional Studios brought game ideas to the table, each built around one simple objective: a project we could complete in 3-4 months that would be our first commercial release. We wanted to take everything we’d learned and apply it to a focused, achievable project, one that would challenge us without overwhelming us, and that’s where Peripheral was born: a short, psychological horror experience set in a dark library. It was eerie, focused, and achievable. It offered the chance to play in a new engine, making the swap from UE5 to Unity, and to deliver a complete game into players’ hands.

What Comes Next

Peripheral will be our first official release, but it’s also a milestone. The moment we evolve from a learning studio to a professional one. Every decision, every late night, every challenge with Real Humans brought us here. It’s still part of who we are, and we fully intend to return to it one day, stronger, faster, and better equipped to make it everything it deserves to be. For now, our sights are on the shadows between the shelves.

Stay tuned for Peripheral's launch on Steam. We can’t wait to share the fear we’ve been crafting in the dark. 

Hello, fellow gamers and tech enthusiasts! Pandimensional Studios had the immense pleasure of attending the 1UpState Game Development Conference held at the Albany Capital Center this weekend on October 21st. It was a captivating journey into the heart of the vibrant Tech Valley gaming community where we had the opportunity to hear and learn from local Indie developers, some of whom were just starting out, as well as from tried and tested professionals in the industry. 

The lineup of panels and speakers was a testament to the conference's dedication to offering a diverse and in-depth exploration of game development. The sessions covered everything from the art of storytelling in games to the intricacies of voice acting and the business side of Indie game development. Whether you were an aspiring game developer, an industry veteran, or just a curious gamer, there was something for everyone. If you're interested in the finer details of the conference, follow the link to the 1UpState webpage here. 

After a gracious welcome from event director and founder of Crosstalk Media Anthony Rossi, we attended the "Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration in Game Development" panel. Featuring a talented group of industry experts from Velan Studios, Yurisoft, and Blizzard Entertainment, this panel emphasized the importance of collaboration across various domains in game development. They shared personal anecdotes and experiences from their time working from within their own disciplines (3D environment art, character art, producing, writing/programming, and software engineering), each of them passionate about their respective fields, the unifying theme being the vital thread of collaboration that wove through these different departments. A respectful, open line of communication is one of the most critical and necessary tools for making a successful game. 

The next panel we attended was voice actor Kevin Urban's "Getting Started in Voice Acting." Kevin's insights were informative for those looking to break into the voice acting industry, delving into different styles of acting, the significance of demo reels, and the best cost-effective microphones and recording studio set-ups for working from home, from the Blue Yeti microphone to the Focusrite Scarlet, and from the Audacity recording software to Adobe Audition. Urban praised the change in the industry since Covid regarding the newfound acceptance with being able to work remotely, opening up new opportunities for voice actors everywhere. 

Sarah Lauser's talk on "Leveling Up Your Game Development Hobby" addressed making the transition from hobbyist to business owner in the Indie game development scene. She walked the audience through the steps involved in setting up a sole proprietorship, offering valuable advice on business name registration and tax filing, and the importance of speaking to an accountant and a lawyer to make sure you’re making the right decisions regarding your personal goals for your business.

One of the highlights of the conference was "Designing Fluid Motion and Satisfying Combat in Katana ZERO," the panel by Justin Stander, the creator of the Indie hit Katana ZERO. Stander shared intricate details of his game's design, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at what makes a game truly engaging and how to keep gamers invested. He addressed some of the common pitfalls for game designers and how to avoid them, and the importance of a good publisher to market your game to your target audience. He’s currently working on the Katana ZERO sequel, but he was extremely tight-lipped about any details. Fans look forward to the long anticipated sequel!

Abigail Corfman's session on "Twine" delved into the importance of narrative and writing in games, and how the possibilities offered by Twine, a lightweight game-creation engine that focuses on text-centric gameplay, make it one of the best platforms for creating text-based games. Its intuitive interface and user-friendly design make it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced creators. Twine, with its emphasis on branching narratives, choice-based gameplay, and interactive storytelling, empowers developers to craft rich, branching narratives that invite players to shape the story, making it an indispensable tool for those seeking to create captivating and emotionally resonant gaming experiences. 

One of the most anticipated panels at the 1UpState Game Development Conference was the discussion on "Writing for IP," led by Ryan Little, a seasoned Marvel Studios writer. Little's talk centered on the art of writing for existing intellectual properties (IP) and how to leave your unique mark on pre-existing characters and worlds. He emphasized the need to strike a balance between respecting the source material and infusing it with fresh creativity. Little was down to Earth and generous with his time, happily extending his panel for an extra half hour to answer the burning questions from the audience about his work writing for Marvel and television.

Dane Jennings, the Founder and CEO of Catapult Games, took the stage to enlighten us about his journey of pushing the boundaries of virtual reality (VR) in his panel "VR: Going Beyond Gaming." Catapult Games began by developing the very first true VR climbing platformer, a groundbreaking venture into the uncharted territory of VR gaming. Over the years, they broadened their horizons, taking on software development contract work across various platforms and industries. Their current focus is on developing VR de-escalation training for police and community use. This is a compelling and commendable shift that reflects the company's commitment to utilizing VR technology for the betterment of society. 

The 1UpState Game Development Conference was an enlightening and inspiring experience. It showcased the boundless creativity and innovation within our local gaming community. The networking opportunities, insightful discussions, and exceptional speakers made it a must-attend event for anyone passionate about the world of gaming. We look forward to attending next year!