Making a 3d Open-World Survival with crafting and building

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Going to have a server side, right now there are animals, loot barrels, loot chests, collection of wood, stone fiber. All models are json models with more to be added.

Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks

survival
survival1917×816 126 KB

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Thanks, here’s another strange one for today.

apartment2
apartment21919×933 83.8 KB

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A link to the game (if available) may inspire someone to try it.

The first snapshot looks like more optimistic scene, the second is slightly depressing. Any plans to aim at more photo-realistic visuals or you are going to some low-poly aesthetics?

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Right now I’m making sure it will run for everyone, not getting to high poly. That’s why I am using json 3d models. I had a previous version which was server based but I have been changing things.

The game still has the same basics, just deciding how it all will fit together.
RC

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This is a solid direction. Open-world survival with crafting + building is ambitious, especially if you’re planning proper server-side logic later.

I like that you’re prioritizing performance first. Making sure it runs smoothly for most users is way smarter than chasing high-poly visuals too early. Gameplay loop > graphics at this stage.

If you’re still figuring out how it all fits together, a few thoughts that might help:

  • Lock down the core loop first: gather → craft → build → survive → repeat.

  • Make sure interaction feedback feels good (harvesting, looting, placing structures).

  • Think early about how server authority will handle resources, building placement, and animals to avoid future refactors.

Also, since you’re focusing on open-world survival, you might find it interesting to look at different exploration styles for inspiration:

Open world environment example:
https://theneoverse.web.app#threeviewer&&crateria

Open world driving / terrain traversal example:
https://theneoverse.web.app#threeviewer&&redrock-ridge

They approach world streaming and movement differently, which might spark ideas for terrain layout, traversal feel, or performance balance.

Keep going. Survival games live and die by how tight the loop feels, not polygon count. Once that’s solid, visuals can always level up later.