 hope his game IHAS will inspire players to reflect on their life.){kind=link}
In the upcoming Sci-Fi Action-Puzzle FPS IHAS, from Ukrainian solo developer Vladyslav Pidiashenko, players wake up aboard a giant, desolate spaceship swarming with hostile robots. With no recollection of the past, players are guided only by a mysterious, familiar voice as they search for a way off the vessel. “I wanted IHAS to deal with so many philosophical concepts,” Pidiashenko explains. “What inspires me is the belief that I can make a great video game that will influence the player and make them reflect on their life, and hopefully make a change for the better.”
Crafting this project largely alone, Pidiashenko (working under the company name The Difference Studios) navigates both the creative and practical demands of development in a uniquely personal way. “Most of my ideas come to me throughout the day,” he says. “When I read books, play video games or work on projects. I usually just note them down and see where that takes me.” Though working solo has its advantages, like maintaining full creative control and keeping costs low, it also brings unique challenges. “There’s a lot of pressure in working solo because you need to do pretty much everything,” he notes. “I often struggle with the limitations and it is not what I want to be doing long-term.”
Why did you become a solo developer?
“I’ve worked on many different projects throughout my life. In the past, I’ve tried creating a few YouTube channels (starting in 2017) and TikTok accounts, trying to build an audience and, eventually, turn it into a business. I produced a lot of content and had some success, but it wasn’t all that sustainable. Eventually, I burned out and decided to end my content creation career in early 2021. It was a tough decision because, at that point, even though I was at university at the time, I didn’t know what to do with my life.”
“For weeks, I thought about what I wanted to do and rediscovered my passion for video games. I’ve been playing video games my whole life, starting when I was 5 or 6. At first, I considered getting into esports, but I quickly realized it wasn’t for me. At some point, I thought maybe I could make games myself, and that’s how it all started.”
What are the biggest advantages of working solo?
“Working solo is a great way of proceeding at a steady speed while also keeping costs low.”
And the biggest pitfalls?
“There’s a lot of pressure in working solo, because you need to do pretty much everything, while also limiting your scope. Not having creative partners to collaborate with can also be pretty tricky when working on something as creatively taxing as a video game.”
What’s your creative process?
“I try to have frequent brainstorming sessions where I listen to video game OST or just other, inspiring music. But if I’m being honest, most of my ideas come to me throughout the day: when I read books, when I play video games, when I’m working on projects, and so on. I usually just note them down and see where that takes me.”
How do you stay motivated through (years of) development?
“What inspires me is the belief that I can make a great video game that will influence the player and make them reflect on their life and, hopefully, make a change for the better. That’s why I wanted IHAS to deal with so many philosophical concepts.”
Will you ever work in a team or is it only solo for you?
“Personally, I’m not a big fan of the solo development process, because there is only so much that you can do solo. I have a lot of respect for solo indie developers, but I often struggle with the limitations and it is not what I want to be doing long-term. After finishing IHAS, I will start to build a strong team to work on games that are beyond my scope a solo dev.”
How did you get the idea for IHAS?
“I’ve been working on a game for close to 3 years at this point and the whole idea of IHAS has transpired through these years of development. At first, I was planning to make a walking simulator-horror game. But during development, it became a shooter. A year later, I started to add puzzles and worked out a story and a few key philosophical concepts for the game.”
“That’s one of the things that makes IHAS unique, in my opinion. I wrote a story that gets deep into fundamental, philosophical principles. I tried to make players wonder about life and its meaning – kind of like the Deus Ex games. Another unique point is the weapon. It’s used to both fight enemies and solve puzzles. Finally, I tried to develop a unique, retro-futuristic style with a diegetic UI.”
What’s the biggest lesson learned from this project?
“Playtest early. Player feedback is essential to the development process. It forces me out of my comfort bubble and scope, and to consider the ideas of the people I’m making these games for.”
You are based in Ukraine, how has the war affected your life and work?
“Yes, I started to work on the game in January 2022, a month before the war started. Luckily, when it started, I happened to be in a relatively safe place. It definitely affected the vibe of the game, making it darker and more depressing, but still having hope for the future.”
The toll on your mental health can be quite high for solo developers. How do you deal with that?
“On one hand, I get to do what I love to do, especially game design, storytelling, and art. There are also things that I have to do, even if I don’t enjoy them as much. But at the end of the day, I know what I signed up for. Sometimes it’s hard, but I think it’s worth it and I’m just the type of person who can deal with hard things because I know why I’m doing them.”
IHAS will launch on Steam on 21 November