PLEASE START US OFF BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF:

Hi I’m Harri, I’ve been making games professionally for about 12 years now and hobby flash games before that, while I was still working as a visual/ data journalist and part time illustrator. Pretty early when I moved to games I helped to found a studio with a friend where I worked pretty much until taking an exit and going solo. I guess I’ve always been curious about what full creative freedom might feel like. And while it’s been lovely in many ways, it can also get a little lonely.

TELL US ABOUT WINDPUNK.

I’m working on Windpunk (Previously Wasteland Waste Disposal). It’s basically a cozy-ish small openworld survival craft game where you try to heal the apocalyptic wasteland with your moving Ark. The ark is your buildable base inside this old giant Iron mech that has the ability to rejuvenate areas after some initial prep work. The Ark is slightly falling apart so as you clean up the wasteland you find stuff to sturdy it up and handle refining etc.

Wind in general is a major force in the game, from how the landscape has shaped to be to how you collect energy and resources in the game. Thematically it leans toward solar/eco-punk or eco-sci-fi, and the world draws a lot of inspiration from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. While I try to stay grounded in some ecological realism, I’ve simplified things to keep it light and playable.

HOW HAS THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY BEEN

Well in the past I have worked on multiple games that were a bit same old in a way. Like there was usually a unique hook but the message of those games was usually shoot stuff because shooting is fun. So with this solo project I decided that I would only work on games that would be more thought-provoking in some way. Like if it’s about shooting, then it’s about the aftermath of shooting someone and living with that feeling and meeting they’re family etc.

Working on something that was about the environment at least in theme was actually kind of obvious from that point on. I have had this mantra all my life that you should always run for the bus. Like no matter how unlikely it is you lose nothing by trying. Maybe there is credit card failure or the bus driver is just kind that day. That mantra isn’t also about buses. Rather it’s about looking for hopeless situations where it looks like there's no point in trying.

But if you actually do try you can make a big difference. That became the thematic core of Windpunk: the idea that even when things look grim like the climate, there’s still value in trying. Even small actions matter.

WHICH GAME ENGINE DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?

I’m using Unity. Bit older version. Pretty much because I’ve worked with it for so many years that it’s fast to do pretty big things, the editor is faster and it has a better EULA. That said, if someone were starting out today, I might suggest looking at other engines. Unity as a tool is still really good for indies but the company direction is… a bit shakier.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT HURDLE SO FAR?

Persistent world data and streaming, for sure. Everything in the game; trees, plants, resources is harvestable or growable. You can plant something, leave, and come back days later and it’ll still be there.

That kind of world permanence is expected in survival craft games, but managing all the data in a way that doesn’t create huge save files took its sweet time.

Also, just finding the right level of ecosystem complexity. I had to scale a lot of things back. Honestly, I might make another game someday that’s just about ecosystem management because I’ve got a whole bag of ideas that wouldn’t fit in Windpunk without overcomplicating everything.

ADVICE FOR FELLOW DEVS?

Try to keep things simple as long as you can. If you can build a working core minute to minute loop quickly, it will still take a year to build the actual game. If you make a game about ecosystems, focus only on the ecosystems.

ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?

Just that making something solo, especially something meaningful to you, is so worth it if it’s kind of calling to you. Even if it’s weird. Or especially then.

And… run for the bus. You never know.

AAAnd… thanks for the interview :)

Harri

Windpunk on Steam