2026.10.12
Fixed: Physics collision on inclines >45°
Players would slide through geometry on steep ramps. Root cause: our custom collision solver was normalizing vectors before checking overlap, discarding slope data.
We build the friction.
Players chase the flow.
Leadory is a studio for mobile games. We don't ship feature lists; we engineer specific interactions. Our code is lean, our art is intentional, and our pipeline is built to find the fun before it costs six months.
"If the mechanic isn't clean in a prototype, it won't carry through to a shipped product."
Scroll for transparency
The Dev Log
Real fixes. Real context. This is how a project ships.
Live Thread
2026.10.05
Balance: Reduced 'Phase Shift' cooldown by 0.5s
Player telemetry showed a 42% failure rate on the 'Warp Core' level. The 3.2s cooldown forced passive waiting, breaking flow. New 2.7s cooldown encourages proactive play.
2026.09.28
Performance: Asset streaming optimized for 2GB RAM
Mid-tier devices (2021–2022) experienced frame drops when loading new zones. Implemented an LRU cache for procedural textures, reducing memory spikes by 65%.
Nebula Drift - v1.4
WebGL 2.0 / 60fps
Procedural Starfield: Our custom engine generates unique constellations per seed, with 1.2 million unique possible arrangements.
Dynamic Audio: FMOD middleware routes engine RPM to low-pass filter, creating a physical sense of speed.
Gravity Lens: Physics-based puzzle mechanic using vector force calculations (not canned animations).
Hover over the blue dots for technical notes.
Technical Constraint
Target: 60fps on iPhone 12 / Pixel 6.
Method: WebGL 2.0 with aggressive texture atlasing and no asset over 2MB.
Trade-off: Lowered shadow resolution on ambient occlusion maps to prioritize particle system frame budget.
Case Study
Nebula Drift: Engineering Trust Through Physics
The brief was simple: a space puzzle game that felt tactile, not arcade. Players needed to trust the physics engine implicitly. Our challenge was that the "fun" relied entirely on predicting object trajectories—every frame had to be accurate.
We built a custom physics module in C++ compiled to WebAssembly, bypassing typical engine overhead. The gravity lens mechanic (pulling/pushing celestial bodies) required sub-millisecond precision. A frame drop wasn't just visual—it broke the core gameplay loop.
The result is a game where players feel like they're solving a puzzle in a lab, not tapping a screen. The constraints (2GB RAM, 60fps) forced elegance. Every visual effect is tied to a gameplay signal; nothing is decorative.
Design Pillars
- • Zero Randomness: Every puzzle outcome is deterministic based on initial player input. We verify this in our test suite.
- • Diegetic UI: All controls are in-world objects (buttons, levers). No floating HUD elements for core mechanics.
- • Fail State is Feedback: Explosions and breakdowns are visual cues, not punishment. The "end" of a try teaches you the physics parameters.
The Leadory Pipeline
A structured approach to finding the fun. Scannable steps with built-in guardrails.
1
Concept & Proto
Validate core loop in a single-scene build. No art, no polish.
Pitfall Avoided: Feature creep. We lock the mechanic set at this stage.
2
Core & Art Style
Build mechanics. Establish visual language. Weekly builds for stakeholder review.
Scenario: We embed your lead designer via Slack. Feedback loops are < 24 hours.
3
Alpha & Playtesting
External playtests on target devices. Data-driven tuning of difficulty curves.
Constraint: We use a limited test pool (50 players) to avoid vocal minority bias.
4
Polish & Optimize
Performance budgeting. Finalizing audio, VFX, and UX flows. Memory leak hunt.
Trade-off: We sacrifice some particle density on low-end devices to maintain frame rate.
5
Launch & Post-Support
We handle store submission, first-week crash monitoring, and a 2-month stability patch period. Post-launch, we offer retainer-based content updates.
Trade-offs We Navigate
Performance
vs Visual Fidelity: We can't have every particle and shadow on a 5-year-old phone.
Mitigation: Adaptive LOD and level-of-detail switching per device class.
Speed
vs Polish: Tight deadlines mean shipping with known minor visual bugs.
Mitigation: We prioritize gameplay-critical bugs; cosmetic issues are logged for a first-week patch.
Scope
vs Niche Appeal: Deep mechanics appeal to core gamers, not mass market.
Mitigation: We advise on tutorial design to reduce friction without dumbing down the mechanic.
Ready to Build?
We take on a limited number of projects per year. If your concept aligns with our craft and constraints, let's talk.
Leadory Studio
İstiklal Caddesi No: 123
Beyoğlu, İstanbul, Türkiye
Beyoğlu, İstanbul, Türkiye