Nocturne Hills
Development by Levent Bozkurt
By day, build your town freely. Design your people devoted to music and assign their tasks. Every stone and every note is imprinted into the soul of the town.
By night, sad and angry spirits come — restless spirits. Spirits that tear down walls and settle over the people they touch like dark clouds, restless spirits!
Your mission is to gear up with your instruments and play. With your music, knock on the door of beauty. Play with your people until the sun rises.
Spirits who find peace relax, dance, and grow wings to rise into the sky. Some leave gifts behind as they ascend.
Core Gameplay Modes
The game consists of three main modes:
Mode 1: Creative Build Mode (Release – Target: 4-6 mounth)
Build and construct your town with unlimited resources.
Mode 2: Defense Night Mode (Update #1 – Target: 6-8 mounth)
By day, build with unlimited resources. By night, defend with music.
Mode 3: Survival NPC Mode (Update #2 – Target: 3-4 mounth)
Resources are limited; NPCs gather food and materials by day and defend with music at night.
Mode 1: Creative Build Mode (Release)
Unlimited resources
Build and decorate only
No threats at all
Design minimal, colorful, and stylized towns
Adjust time of day and weather as you like
Record cinematic timelapse videos with the Enhanced Replay System
Multiplayer / Co-op
When Mode 1 is completed, the game will be released for sale.
Details:
I am turning the existing building tool into a joystick-friendly builder system. Thanks to a Valheim-like intuitive crafting logic, the building process will be fast, smooth, and more enjoyable. In the new system, destruction and repair mechanics realistically affect the durability of your structures. If the foundation collapses, the wall collapses too. Freely build your city with unlimited resources.
Weather and Time Controls: You can adjust day-night and weather conditions as you like.
Enhanced Replay System: Record with a top-down camera following the character and turn the building process into timelapse videos.
Single & Multiplayer: Enjoy creating either alone or with your friends.
Mode 2: Defense Night Mode (Update #1)
Design and assign your Hero and NPC musician people
By day, build (Unlimited resources)
By night, attacks of restless spirits
Defense with Pentatonic Music
Multiplayer / Co-op
Update #1: After Mode 1 is completed, it will be released in a minimally usable state and all features will be completed through regular updates.
Details:
Character Tool: Determine body shape, skin color, hair, clothing, and instrument
Character Assignment: Place them wherever you want; select the piece you want them to play or recite
Music System: Pentatonic melodies will be used; R&D is ongoing
Day – Build and Prepare
Freely build your city with unlimited resources
Design and assign your Hero (player character) and NPC musician people with the character tool
In Defense Night Mode, musicians only wait at their assigned spots, make small rehearsals for the night, wander near their duty area, and chat with their friends
Characters may get cold in cold weather; you can place fire or heat sources near duty areas to keep them comfortable
Night – Switch to Defense
Restless spirits attack the town
Each instrument has an aura range and power; strategic placement is important
If sick musicians are neglected, they join the Restless spirits and help with destruction
Some spirits who find peace rise to the sky, leaving rewards such as healing, repair, and new instruments for the player
At sunrise, all restless spirits disappear
Hero Mode – Play Actively
Enter the stage directly as the Hero
- Support AI musicians and complete the night with strategic combinations
Mod 3: Survival NPC Mode (Update #2)
Resource economy
NPC daytime gather
Nighttime orchestral defense
Systems like hunger / morale
Customize survive settings
- Update #2: After Mode 2 is completed, it will be released in a minimally usable state and all features will be completed through regular updates.
Resource and Economy System:
NPCs gather/loot during the day; they chop wood, collect stone and soil, plow fields
At night they run to their duty spots for orchestral defense
You must manage basic needs such as hunger, morale, and health
Multiple NPC Assignments:
You must fulfill NPC needs for sleep, food, warmth, and socialization
For a healthy life, the people who play music at night sleep at least one night; if called to duty two nights in a row, they become weakened
- Some NPCs dedicate their lives to art; they work every night, sleep little during the day, and practice for the night
Example of Multiple Tasks Set by the Player (1-Day Routine):
8 hours of sleep → Necessary for a healthy life
1 hour of music exercise → Preparation for the night
Food → For energy and morale
4 hours of woodcutting / material gathering → For town construction
Food → Midday energy refresh
2 hours of socialization / rest → Morale and interaction
- Joining music once every 3 nights → Defense and duty
Customize Survival Settings:
Day & Night Length: Determine building and music intensity
Resource Economy (Easy / Normal / Hard): Adjust how much income one unit of product brings
Weather (Easy / Normal / Hard): Control coldness and rainfall
- Restless Spirit Level (Easy / Normal / Hard): Set the number of spirits and their music resistance
Key Features
Unlimited Building – Produce giant cities and towers, unleash your imagination
Defense with Music – Each instrument has different power and area of effect
Hero + AI Strategy – Design and assign AI musicians, direct the music as the hero
Cozy and Non-Violent – the enemies are actually sad, scared, and angry spirits; when they find peace, they are cleansed and rise to the sky
3D Stylized Visuals – Minimal but high-quality graphics
Dual Camera – 3rd person + top-down
- Solo or Co-op (4–6 players) – You can play with your friends
Game Loop
Day: Build, prepare characters, and place them in position
Night: Switch to Defense – Protect your city and save the restless spirits
Rewards: Gain new instruments and abilities from the areas you successfully defend
Why Play?
Daytime creativity and creation satisfaction, nighttime stress and solution satisfaction
Different strategy experience every night with the AI + Hero system
Cozy, non-violent, visually and sonically soothing
A social experience with solo or co-op
Call to Action
Build your town, command your orchestra, beautify your night
📌 Note:
Music pieces play as separate instrument stems
The Hero + AI system is fully strategic and interactive