We talked about Homeseek with Mike Papagathangelou
Survival and strategy game Homeseek came to the PC platform on July 20, 2023. Set in a post-apocalyptic universe, the game differs from other games of the genre with its mechanics and multiplayer structure.
We talked about their new game Homeseek with Traptics Co-Founder and Chief Game Designer Mike Papagathangelou, who was the guest of the September issue of Oyun Günlüğü Turkish Magazine.
Ömer Faruk AKTAŞ (ÖFA) – Thank you for accepting our interview invitation. First of all, we would like to get to know you. How did you get started as a game developer?
Mike Papagathangelou (MP) – Becoming a game developer was a slow gradual process rather than a conscious decision. I was designing systems and board games when i high school without even realizing this is a valid career path. At some point I took part in a game idea competition, and shortly after that offered a couple of friends to try and make it into a video game. The whole thing was very trial and error but after 9 months we ended up with a demo that was enough to intrigue us into taking it more seriously. After a few months people and companies that saw the demo started offering us outsourcing jobs, and things took their course.
(ÖFA) – I’d like to talk about Homeseek. Competition is fierce when it comes to the theme of post-apocalyptic survival. But there are points that separate you. I’d like to hear from you. What distinguishes your game from other games of the same genre?
(MP) – It’s funny cause I was just making a post about this:
Story-focused: Right from the outset, world-building and exploration were paramount in the development of Homeseek. Our objective was to craft a realistic portrayal of a dystopian future, allowing players to immerse themselves in a pre-designed narrative. This approach may provide a sense of linearity, as opposed to randomly generated stories.
Predesigned maps: Instead of opting for randomly generated maps, we chose to create tailored experiences. We believe this approach offers a more captivating way to explore our world and allows us to ensure that the element of survival will always be there. The combination of a pre-designed narrative and maps forms the foundation for survival-focused scenarios, setting us apart from other strategy survival games.
City building: Our city-building mechanics revolve around the idea that every placement should carry significant weight. We aimed to make city-building a process of depth and consequence, where the placement of buildings directly influences your chances of survival.
(ÖFA) – Is multiplayer a risk or a starting point?
(MP) – Multiplayer is there for the players who have finished the campaign, have good knowledge of the game’s mechanics, and are looking for a new challenge. Due to the fact that there are no tutorials or pauses online it is not recommended for new players.
It’s also an interesting experiment for us as there is no other online survival strategy game out there.
From our side of things multiplayer was one of these things we said “Why not?”. The structure of the game allowed for a relatively fast and easy implementation of Online Multiplayer so we went for it.
(ÖFA) – What were your sources of inspiration while designing the game? And what games do you emulate?
(MP) – Frostpunk was of course the main inspiration, mostly on how apparent the survival element is. Other games like Endzone and Surviving the Aftermath were mostly good examples of what we should avoid doing, not because they didn’t work, but because there was no point for us to try and do something that bigger companies with bigger budgets had already done quite well. Besides those games, Mad Max and The Book of Eli were core inspirations for our world-building process.
(ÖFA) – What were the biggest challenges you faced during the development of your game and how did you overcome them?
(MP) – Well, creating a game focused on narrative while also trying to compete against super-successful games can definitely put some pressure. All elements of the tailored experience we wanted to go after (narrative, level design, and balancing) were challenges we are still facing. It’s very hard to have an “on-edge survival experience” when the player base of a game is so diverse. On one hand, you have players with thousands of hours across multiple strategy games and on the other hand, you have players that haven’t even heard of Frostpunk.
(ÖFA) – What do you think are the challenges of the gaming industry? I want to ask about Greece. How is your gaming industry?
(MP) – Well, the game industry seems to me like the wild west. There are so many games, and so many studios and the quality is top-notch. And yet you see so many “failed games” which just makes you wonder. But we remain confident that we can compete adequately.
The gaming industry in Greece is at an infant stage. There are very few studios, almost none with worldwide renown and there are no supportive mechanisms either from the state or from the private sector. So yeah we are really far behind. But lately, there’s been a significant change of pace. Last 2 years we had Greek delegations taking place in Gamescom and we have started to unlock the inner workings of the gaming industry. It’s gonna take a while though.
However, we have a few strengths too. Our costs are much lower than in other European countries while the aesthetic and technical excellence is on par, so once we get the business side down I am sure Greece will leave its mark on the game industry.
(ÖFA) – What would you say to neighboring game developers (Turkish video game developers)? What are your favorite game or games?
(MP) – Well, New Cycle has had my attention for sure. I had the chance to speak briefly with Alp from Core Engage, and he was very pleasant and forthcoming. They seem to have the recipe for success and I wish them the best.
Overall Turkey is a good example of a very well-developed gaming industry that we can definitely take some notes from. You are producing both high quality and quantity of games, and we are hoping we will manage to compete one day.
(ÖFA) – Thank you for the Turkish language support. Is there anything you would like to add?
(MP) – I would like to thank Yusuf Selman Köroğlu for localizing Homeseek singlehandedly in Turkish.
Thank you for your interest Ömer, and for anyone who has played Homeseek and wants to share his/ her thoughts with us please do not hesitate. We have been planning our updates based on the received feedback, so please reach out!