PLEASE START US OFF BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF:

Hi! I’m Elwin, the only developer behind HiWarp, an indie studio based

in Spain and focused on bringing to life unique and personal games.

I’ve always had a passion and admiration for games that offer

something different: something introspective and meaningful. Creating a

complete game on my own has been a dream since I was a child, and

now I’m finally making it a reality with NAIAD that I hope you will enjoy

playing soon.

TELL US ABOUT NAIAD

NAIAD is a relaxing exploration game about flowing down a river, where

you take on the role of Naiad, a little freshwater nymph.

Naiads are personifications of the river itself, and their name means "to

flow."

The game focuses on interacting with the environment, discovering

serene landscapes, meeting adorable animal friends and helping them

find their way. There are also some puzzles and obstacles that must be

overcome to move forward.

NAIAD has a deep and beautiful story full of metaphors, talking about

the water cycle, life, and the importance of nature. The journey begins

at the spring where the river is born, and as it progresses, the water

inevitably loses its purity due to human impact. It’s a journey of self-

discovery and growth, inviting players to get lost and found, to connect

harmoniously with the environment.

I’ve put a lot of love into every detail and have tried to share a part of

myself in it.

HOW HAS THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY BEEN

Developing NAIAD has been quite a challenge, a long road of learning,

experimentation, and dedication. I’ve worked with a continuous iteration

approach, trying to do the best with very few resources. As a solo

developer, I wanted to cover all aspects of creating a game, taking care

not only of development and design but also music, sound, and even

creating the typography. I also worked on bringing the game to all

consoles, which was a huge challenge but also very rewarding.

WHICH GAME ENGINE DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?

The engine I used to create NAIAD is Unity, although from the beginning, I was clear that I wanted to make a very polished, homemade game, so I worked a lot on my own solutions and assets.

For example, I created an editor to generate all the level geometry procedurally, based on splines. I also use only my own shaders. I implemented a custom Scriptable Render Pipeline (SRP) to have full

control over how the world of NAIAD is drawn. There’s a lot of artistic and technical work, from lighting and shadows to character movement and hair. All of this to achieve a very particular visual style and a dreamy

atmosphere.

My purpose with this game has been to learn and experiment to discover "what it means for me to create a game," searching for my own identity and essence.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT HURDLE SO FAR?

The biggest challenge, without a doubt, has been creating a complete

game, all by myself while maintaining a healthy and positive

development philosophy.

As a solo developer, there are a limited number of hours in the day to

tackle so many tasks. It can be overwhelming if not managed properly.

Keeping motivation through the years is perhaps one of the most

important things, as well as finding a balance between all the different

areas of work. My daily self-advice, which I repeated like a mantra, has

been: "little by little." I’ve tried to enjoy every single day and every task

in the process without focusing too much on reaching the end. Just

moving forward.

Putting an end to something so artistic and personal has been another

of the biggest challenges. I wanted to make a good game, and there’s

always room for improvement. But I also have to be honest with myself

and say: "This is the best game I can create today."

ADVICE FOR FELLOW DEVS?

I don’t think there’s any advice or formula for easy/fast success. I believe everyone has to pursue and find their own path.

I’m convinced that everyone has something special to offer, and that often, sadly it’s silenced by fears or insecurities. For example, I don’t consider myself a good developer, talented artist, or music composer...

But should that stop me from creating something and sharing it? The moment you stop putting up those barriers, you begin to learn and to enjoy what you create. “If it’s meaningful to you, it will be meaningful to others”. This is perhaps the message of inspiration and creative freedom that I would like to convey.

What I admire most about indie games lies precisely in that pure, wild, and genuine essence. If you create something with passion and put a lot of your love into it, everything else will come by itself.

ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?

I’m incredibly grateful to have created my first game and finally share it with the world!! I think it’s a game with a daring and different concept. So I appreciate all the support and appreciation I’ve received. I just hope players enjoy it, find something interesting in their experience, and have fun with all the secrets, details, and symbolism within NAIAD.

-Elwin

❤️

NAIAD on Steam