PLEASE START US OFF BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF:
Hey, I'm Krystof Knesl. I've been making games for around 5 years now. Before that, I was heavily into making films and you'd find me running around with a camera, directing my own little movies. In my teens, I pivoted into making games by finding Brackeys' tutorials on how to make a game in Unity. I made tons of small games, both 2D and 3D and after a few years, I decided to switch to Unreal Engine, as I've always strived to create the most immersive experiences.
TELL US ABOUT RADIOLIGHT.
I'm making a game called Radiolight. It's about a police officer investigating a strange set of disappearances in a national park. He uses a radio to fight the supernatural and discover hidden signals. He's supported by the chief of police through a walkie-talkie.
The idea came after many iterations. At first, the game started as a huge inspiration of Firewatch, as the game formed my early years in gaming. Afterwards, as I became more and more influenced by this idea of a deep mysterious & unsettling atmosphere, I reworked the game many times to reflect this vision. I also got more inspiration from things like Alan Wake, Twin Peaks, The Shining and so on (way too many to name).
HOW HAS THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY BEEN
My journey is only getting started, but I'd say it has been very fulfilling so far. I'm doing what I want to do, which is to create amazing worlds & stories.
WHICH GAME ENGINE DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
I chose Unreal Engine, because that's the engine I have the most experience with. When I first began, I didn't know how to use C++, so the fact that there was an engine with a working visual scripting language was appealing. With the amazing 3D capabilities the engine offers, it was the best choice for me.
WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT HURDLE SO FAR?
It has been a constant struggle, to be honest. I have never made a game this big, and it has shown to be a major hurdle in the development thus far. Constant redesigns and shifts in my vision only added to this fire. Fortunately, I would say I'm in steady development now.
ADVICE FOR FELLOW DEVS?
Start small! I have always heard this advice from people in game dev, but because of my drive to make something big, I never really listened, which was a mistake. I always wanted to release a game on Steam, and imagined it as this huge game I'd make. Nowadays, you don't have to make a huge game to have a game release on Steam, it can be a short game! If you're like me - just starting out, made a couple of games and want to make your first commercial game, I'd start there.
ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?
Good luck! Lately, it's been pretty tough for people in game dev, so I'd like to take a moment to wish everyone the best of luck on their own projects, whatever it is. Don't ever give up on creating.
Lastly, if you'd like updates on Radiolight, you can follow me on X (or Twitter if you'd like) at https://x.com/krystofknesl
Thanks for this opportunity!
-Krystof
❤️
