Introducing James aka Vamp, the solo developer for Helrift. With testing phase approaching and early access on the horizon, it's time to meet the mind behind this project.
What is your role?
I wear many hats. Developer, Architect, InfoSec, Artist to name a few!
Where does your passion for game development come from?
As a gamer myself, I spent a long time being an ideas guy. I always wanted to make games, and I built the skills to put it into action over the course of my career. Now is the time for me to have a good go at realising my potential, but also putting something out there that like-minded people really enjoy.
Why Helrift?
I was heavily involved in the Helbreath community in my teens, building multiple successful servers and rebuilding it entirely in C# XNA. There was something exciting about a fast-paced PvP isometric game that got me hooked.
When I went in to my career, I stopped working on serious game development but kept an eye on the community for many years. It wasn’t until I had a health scare in 2024 that I decided to do something I’ve always wanted to do, which was to create games. What better way to start than revitalising my childhood game.
What makes Helrift stand out from other games in this genre?
I saw a gap in the market for a smaller-scale PvP-focused isometric RPG. This allows us to focus on tight balancing and group fights which lets seasoned and new players join large, exciting battles. Games like PoE and Diablo are still very popular, but don’t scratch that competitive itch.
There is something satisfying about old-school point-and-click hack-and-slash. Its predictive and responsive, and helps level the playing field between players of varying pings.
Since I had remade Helbreath in the past, I thought… hey, this will be easy! Spoiler alert; MMORPGs are not easy. But I am determined to finally realise my dream of publishing my first game.
What is the most stressful part of being a solo game developer?
Time management. Scope creep can be a real killer, because there are so many ideas I want to implement and often get side-tracked. Having a family and full time job also means I need to stay focused and push through mind block without getting burned out.
For Helrift, scalability is the biggest challenge. The infrastructure and architecture have moved on since the old days. And with a bigger distribution platform like Steam, I have to be prepared for every situation.
Tell us about a memorable moment for you so far in this game's journey
It was pushing the very first GIF to discord. I remember having a very basic 3D character perform the same female casting animation from Helbreath, on top of the Helbreath isometric tiles. Sharing with the community has definitely helped drive the project forward and given me the motivation to finish.
There have been many Helbreath inspired projects rise and fall over the years, but none that have actually captured the original magic. I put a lot of effort into staying true to my vision, and a year later I am starting to see the fruits of my labour.
Is there anything you like to do when you’re not working or playing games?
I'm an avid sailor! I have a boat moored near the Thames in the UK. Sailing is a very slow process with a lot of downtime. A complete opposite to the high-pressure world of game development and my career as a principal architect, but it really helps to put all the tech down every once in a while and just enjoy the outdoors.
What is your ultimate goal for Helrift?
I would be lying if I said I didn’t want Helrift to become immensely popular, but I’d at least like to have a tight-night community of like-minded individuals that help grow the game and bring this style of old-school hack-and-slash to new generations of gamers.