Intro
An iterative project that began in 2019 is finally approaching a cohesive vision. The backend systems are now linking core features together rather than existing as isolated experiments.
Find Poly is evolving into a cross-platform title — mobile, desktop, XR and VR. The most technically interesting part for me is the monetisation layer: how progression and value move across platforms without fragmenting the experience but allow time limited players to pay to unlock.
Find Poly™
It’s an offline application with a co-op mode focused on finding your friends by their non-AI-like movement patterns.
The 2022 NPC
-
What happens when agents collide over time?
-
How does behaviour emerge when systems are left to run?
The 2022 prototype explored collision, direction bias and interaction memory. Over time this directed the character and what I consider to be a franchise.
In Pixel Arcade™ there is an achievement “Find Poly” here is the foundation of the developed lore. A primitive low poly character with actual character in VR space.
A lightweight node-based customisation system was introduced — hat, torso, simple modular swaps. Just enough variation to create recognition without breaking the low-poly language.
The PhD - A Cross Platform Interface
During my PhD I developed a 3D interface system for MR and VR that required only hand interaction — no controllers.
The design was informed by an earlier 2D UI: minimal borders, subtle skeuomorphic cues, clear affordances. Enough visual language to guide intent without overwhelming the scene.
This system was validated in both MR and VR, and implemented end-to-end inside Pixel Arcade on Steam and Quest.
The important part isn’t the novelty — it’s consistency.
One interface language, adapted across:
- Touch
- Cursor
- Hand tracking
Core Loop
The game is a simple, find the character type game but also has the potential to be multiplayer with find your friend based on the NPC interactions and movement.
The scenes are environments telling a story of human history from primitive shapes to guide the player and teach the player the basic game concepts gradually working through the stone ages through to industrial revolution and then space race.
The scenes are simple with events triggered by grabbing. Pinching or tapping on the character located. Their interactions with the environment add character and almost littered with Easter eggs to add lore and small stories that the player can complete.
Such as “Tap the woman crossing the road. She’s looking for her lost dog. Find it, return it, unlock gems or limited cosmetics.”
It’s highly possible that after numerous levels are created a wave collapse function for some sort of procedurally generated levels can be created.
Automated Marketing
Marketing is an issue for devs. This procedural level generation opens up the opportunity for headless game builds to automatically create video content levels for short form platforms like YouTube shorts, tiktok and Instagram, where video watchers have to locate the “cat with the top hat” as the camera pans around the interactive world over 30 seconds. Insert cut scene at the end with the location and then push the player to the download page. This can be 100% automated thereby handling marketing.
The key learning experience after releasing 8 games independently is marketing and the consistency before and after release with post launch updates being just as important. Once a game is released I don’t believe it’s only D1 that matters. Further content and updates through IP collaboration can continue the titles growth. Both in seo and ideas.
Time is a privilege, every Sunday I do my best to iterate, design better UI and 3D model environments. It’s not technically bound but requires iteration over time as my eye changes.
I don’t believe the game will be launched for years and will be mobile first, exploring opportunities like apple arcade at this time. The steam page is created but not live.
Concept Art
Have a look at some various art and ideas over the past 7 years below.
Further Reading
Check out the following links for inspiration and further reading about this topic