Duke Smoochem 3D began life as a joke.
It was ludicrously, hilariously over-detailed, with labels like ‘coat rack’ and ‘kiss door’.
The thread of jokes continued, but the coding became therapeutic.
Douglas was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 some time ago.
His condition tends to be episodic.
Since my last psychotic episode, in March 2020, Ive been severely depressed and plagued by intrusive thoughts.
I find that getting deep in the level editor of Build Engine helps quiet them, he explains.
For a long time, Douglas was struggling to shift back into some form of normalcy.
That 2020 episode saw him sectioned and prescribed antipsychotic medication which came with brutal side-effects.
Douglas fell into a deep spiral of depression.
He spent a long time in bed, hiding from the world, wishing he didnt exist.
Creativity can put our brains into a flow state.
And Douglas also believes that humour is a great tool for those recovering or suffering from mental health distress.
The way we consume news now is so relentless, hyperactive and distorted.
I see Smoochem as another skew on that.
Im trying to keep the tone light and slapstick, he says.
Though I am attempting some subtle social commentary, I tend to be more interested in uniquely British minutiae.
This outlook is demonstrated clearly by some of the levels well eventually play.
After all, Duke Smoochem 3Disa game - or at least many hope it will be, including Douglas.
But Douglas has set his sights on some form of ending.
On the one hand, yes.
My decade-old PC is gradually becoming more and more unstable," he explains.
Its getting very technical.
And while some would be sad to see Duke Smoochem 3D sit unreleased, Douglas isnt one of them.
