Our last year students have yet created another game ‘Adapta Solva’ which is released on Steam. Adapta Solva is a game where players have to absorb elements from magical shrines to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles in this cute and short little adventure where you follow a magical creature in a world laid to ruin by an unknown cause. 

Interview with Jeroen Gesquiere

How did you come up with the idea for Adapta Solva? 

“I started brainstorming for an idea for a game. We could think about our own concept and to make it. After submitting it, we could present it to a jury. To come up for an idea, I started to generate some word. Words like absorption and elements came up. From that, I came up with my own idea to create a top-down shooter where you could extract elements and you weapon would adapt based on the element you had. I took the basis and developed it further into a puzzle game. Eventually, it became what it is today!”

What was your role in developing Adapta Solva?

“My role was largely game design, making sure the game was well put together and interesting to play. I also took on some smaller programming tasks. Our team consisted of six members, three artists and three programmers including myself. I handled more of the administrative tasks. I always ensured that the meeting reports were in order and that feedback went through me. In summary, I was the supervisor, you could also say producer, who also did some programming tasks.”

What was your process for making a game from concept to release? 

“The process actually starts with the original brainstorm. I had written down a number of ideas based on the terms that came up. Those were the first ideas that came to my mind. From that, I chose two ideas and tried to develop them further by seeing how interesting they were and how I could expand on them. Initially, I chose the top-down shooter to work on further. After evaluating it, the top-down shooter didn't appeal to me as much, so I reworked it into a puzzle game. Then I started making a prototype. This was the basis of a small game without art to test the concept and idea. I took that prototype to the jury, and they approved it. Later, I had to present the game again to get group members to help realize the game. Then, the six of us brainstormed and further integrated the game design for three weeks to make it really good. After that, we worked for another six weeks to actually make everything for the game. After those nine weeks, we spent two more weeks refining everything so that all the small details looked and felt right.”

Were there any difficult situations in making Adapta Solva? If so, how did you resolve them?

“There are always difficulties when making a game. From the beginning, the group dynamics were good; we could play well off each other. However, there were some quirks from others that kept coming up that annoyed me. People have different workflows than I'm used to. They understand their workflow, but I don't, so I had to ask for explanations. Technically, there were only a few things in the beginning where we weren't on the same page for the final implementation. I still had my original vision of the idea, while others were already making their own visions. This was because I hadn't thoroughly explained or shown what I actually wanted. I was also quite open to changes for the idea since we were working together as a group and everyone had a say. In the end, I was able to guide them a bit on what was possible and what wasn't. I am very satisfied with how it turned out.”

Is Adapta Solva the first game you ever made? 

“Adapta Solva is the first game I fully made and completed outside of a game jam. A game jam is when you work full-out for 2 or 3 days to make a complete game. I've done this a few times and have also made some prototypes for school assignments. I had never really made a game from start to a finished result over a longer period. This was a very fun experience as well.

The first game I made during a game jam was a top-down shooter. That's why I didn't want to make another one. It was the first game I ever made, so it was very simple. The second game I made was a platformer. The first 3D puzzle game I made was Adapta Solva. I try to make something completely different every time I start a new project, so a completely new genre, and completely new concepts. This way, I learn many new things every time I make a game.”

What inspired you to develop games/start DAE?

 “I've had a fascination with everything around me for a long time. When I'm in a big building, I always look around at how everything is put together and how it's made. To this day, I'm still fascinated by everything around me. Later, this shifted to technology, like how a socket works or how my computer works. Then I started figuring out how everything works and discovered games. Since then, I've been playing games non-stop because I had nothing else to fill my time. One thing led to another, and then came the fascination with how games are put together. I had already looked up some things about it before I started DAE. From halfway through high school, I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials on how to make games and about programming in general. It was always my hobby, and I didn't think it was something I could possibly do full-time, but then I got the suggestion to study DAE. Games have inspired me to make games that can also inspire others. The stories I sometimes hear from others about how games have helped them, if I can achieve that, I am a proud person. I found DAE very stressful, but it also developed a passion in me to keep working.”

What are your dreams and future plans in this?

“My plan is to start a small indie studio with one of the artists and possibly one of the programmers from the group projects. Our first project will be to continue working on Adapta Solva. The aim is to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible during my internship. Two games a month and DAE studios really force you to keep repeating the process. I also see some things from the business side here, and I'm gathering all that knowledge to apply it to my own company. My goal is to be successful enough to survive. I hope everything goes well, but the plan is to start something on my own.”

IT IS NOW AVAILABLE ON STEAM, DOWNLAOD HERE: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2752680/Adapta_Solva/