It’s time you guys meet the crew! We’ve prepared some questions, both general and personalized, and here’s what the game devs had to say!
The questions
- What’s your role in the project?
- For how long have you been working on Deluded?
- What do you like/dislike most about working on Deluded?
- Tell us about your hobbies and favourite games.
MASSOBLIVION
I specialize in game design, balancing, developing ideas, quests and dialogues for the prologue. I work with 3D and occasionally handle locations, overall graphics and atmosphere. Being one of the founders, I've been involved in the project since its inception.
Writing dialogues is my least favorite task because I can't listen to anything in the background, and it takes a while to focus. I enjoy adding new content to the game the most: quests, items, interactions and interesting systems.
My hobbies include 3D, language learning and e-scooter riding. Games-wise I enjoy Oblivion, Fallout, Battlefield Bad Company 2, Company of Heroes 2, Stronghold and Divinity Original Sin 2.
Adult games I like and why:
Girl's Life - for the character management, freedom of actions, abundant content, time and seasonal changes in the game world and exciting progression system.
Violated Heroine - for the interesting events and freedom of actions.
Good Girl Gone Bad - for the gradual corruption and karma system (similar to lewd-pure) as well as the engaging story.
Did these games have an influence on Deluded?
In our own project inspiration mainly came from Skyrim mods rather than games. For a long time I've been trying to create an interesting mod compilation, but they were constantly updating, making it difficult to play the game properly - installing or updating a mod often required restarting the game. Essentially, my day could consist of three stages: searching for mods and installing them, meticulously balancing each parameter in the MCM b and testing the result. Moreover, many mods conflict with each other, break saves, work with delays can add not lore-friendly unbalanced items and elements to the game. Overall, creating an full-fledged adult modpack is nearly impossible.
My favorite mods include: S*xlab Survival, Apropos, Devious Devices, and Mini Needs.
Since you are a cofounder, here is a question for you: what makes Deluded stand out compared to other games?
Our game stands out primarily due to its advanced RPG system with opposing attributes, a feature I haven't even seen in non-adult games. Moreover, we give our players a challenge: after the prologue the game becomes more difficult, requiring effort to survive and progress. Also, Alisa changes based on the player's actions.
Why did you choose such a complex genre instead of something simpler, like a visual novel?
Because most of the team members have experience working on various 3D projects. We have a full team of specialists — a programmer, a modeler, a rigger, an animator — and plenty of ideas for game design.
MrBrowler
I'm a cofounder and co-owner of Deluded. The project folder was created on my computer on May 4, 2021. Currently, I mainly focus on modeling both hardsurface (inanimate objects with smooth static surfaces that don’t imply deformation) and organic elements: hair, clothing, props, grayboxing locations and creating skeletons and rigs for characters. I've been involved in developing the plot, lore, quests, and gameplay. I'm highly adaptable and can tackle any task except for highly specialized ones like programming.
That’s actually the main pros and cons of a small startup. I have a variety of tasks, so I never get bored. Delving into new areas is exciting. The downside is that I'm a jack-of-all-trades to some extent, so some skills may get "rusty" over time.
In my case, my hobby turned into my job, so I'm currently looking for a new hobby. Otherwise, I'm pretty much like everyone else: I enjoy movies, anime, books, and sports occasionally. 3D modeling also remains one of my hobbies; sometimes I open a program for fun. I also like LEGO for its aesthetic — expressing real and fictional objects in this form. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed Minecraft so much back in the day. I can't say that default Minecraft is my favorite game, but it was definitely a turning point for me in 3D, modeling, animation, and my first attempts at directing, as well as forming a team of like-minded people. In this sense, it's hard to call Minecraft just a game — it's more of a creative platform.
I've spent countless hours playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 with MASSOBLIVION. Company of Heroes 2, Mordhau, War Thunder, Overwatch 1, and Sea of Thieves are all multiplayer games that I've invested the most time in. I've played many single-player games too, but I'd highlight Skyrim, Fallout 3-4, Metro, Divinity Original Sin 2 and the Tomb Raider series (the one before the remake).
So Minecraft turned out to be the starting point for your journey in game development, that is curious! Since your hobby became your job, do you agree with the expression "Choose a job you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life," or are there obstacles and difficulties in game development that detract from the overall enjoyment of the process?
It's 50/50 really. On one hand, I love this field and I enjoy learning new things and seeing the results. On the other hand, it's still work, and there are stages that need to be endured to get to the more enjoyable parts. There's also the responsibility to colleagues and deadlines. So, I'd say I don't entirely agree with the phrase.
VATREX
{1} Chief technology officer, Deluded cofounder and co-owner.
- Game back-end programming (all game systems)
- Editor tools programming
- UI (front-end) Programming
- UX Designer/Editor
- Sound systems designer
- Game mechanics programming
- DEVOPS
- Bit of 3D tools programming
- Full stack Unreal Engine supervisor
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- Sound designer
- Music writer
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- > Potential level designer in the future
{2}
- Joined the team in 2021
{3}
- Private info
{4}
- Private info (I generally don't play games except for a few)
So you are a private one, I see. I won’t pry then!
kufe7
This is a bit of a personal story. I was at the origins of the project. Perhaps, I was even the first one whom MASSOBLIVION told the idea, but not sure. In any case, as a decent fiancée, I was ready to help him create the game of his dreams. That’s how everything started. I work on design and PR for Deluded. PR is my main activity, until recently I handled all the publications. I also do voice acting, although at the moment you can say I am just training rather than actually producing something ready. My work is not always limited to PR, design and voice acting, there are also all kinds of minor tasks — testing, for example.
I like that I can implement my linguistic knowledge, write texts in English, translate them and communicate with native speakers. A dream job. What I don’t like is perhaps that I don't always manage to fulfill my numerous duties, but now I have an assistant. I hope there will be more of them in the future, and then we can implement everything we want.
My hobbies are studying languages, cooking and programming. I used to not have a powerful computer, so I missed everything and only now started to actually play videogames. Recently finished Oblivion and really liked it, as well as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
If you hadn't tied yourself to game dev, what would you be doing?
It's hard to even imagine, but probably freelancing — doing translations and copywriting. Definitely wouldn't want to work in an office from nine to five. I also wouldn't mind working in food service to gain some experience in the field, since I have a desire to start my own diner/takeout in the future.
AniAmateur
I'm the animator and one of the cofounders (no, I am not self-absorbed); 80% of the animations are done by me, and I've been working on the project since its inception in 2021. I like that we're creating something unique, unlike other projects. On the other hand, everyone has different tastes, and it can be difficult to come to a consensus. It's not always clear what's best for the audience.
As for hobbies, I want to learn to play the piano. I play many games, but I wouldn't say all the ones listed are favorites; they just came to mind first: Skyrim, The Witcher, S.T.A.L.K.E.R, Dota (I hate it), Osu!, and Minecraft.
How did you join the team?
By the means of nepotism. MASSOBLIVION suggested it. We worked together out of enthusiasm.
ArkadiyVicont
My role involves prototyping mechanics, locations and some quests. I also occasionally create scenes, add sounds and models, and often participate in discussions about the project's further development. I joined the "Cuties-SRT Deluded" team on April 22, 2023.
I like that we're not afraid of the challenges and that we strive to implement the boldest ideas all together. Creating a game generally involves close teamwork — it's almost impossible to work on aspects of the game separately and then put them together at the end.
Favorite activities include creating and playing computer games (including adult ones), watching adult videos, enjoying tasty bananas, running outdoors, doing exercises on the pull-up bar and overall physical training. I also feel like resuming playing the guitar and engaging in experiments in the field of free electricity.
Favorite games:
- Strategy: Warhammer 40k "Dark Crusade"
- MMO: Arch Age
- Shooters: Hired Ops
- RPG: "Gothic 2 New Balance Mod"
Worthy of mentioning: Allods, "Evil Lands" and "Lost in Astral," Dragon Age: Origins, Ex Machine, Warzone 2010, Ascension to the Throne, Disciples 2, King's Bounty 1, Eador: Genesis, Forever Skies. Lately, "Eruption Imminent" from the adult game category has left a strong impression. Overall, I have a favorite in each genre. I've got hooked on anime some time ago. The Japanese have their own whole world. In my opinion, the ideas are often quite original, and the presentation is interesting.
The games you mentioned are quite different from our project. Nevertheless, do you draw inspiration from them in your work? Or perhaps you find inspiration and ideas/motivation from something else?
Naturally, the projects listed above can and do serve as a basis for other games, including Deluded. Ideas and inspiration can be drawn from a variety of projects in different genres. For example, I can adopt control features from a shooter into the Deluded project, as they are more intuitive and convenient there. Gothic 2 is one of the benchmarks for level design, as space is used extremely rationally there.
Deadman
I am a writer/scriptwriter of the project. My main task is to make the characters alive and engaging to interact with. I started communicating with MASSOBLIVION in October/November 2023 and joined the team in January 2024.
I enjoy the freedom in executing assigned tasks. What I don't like is that some elements seem illogical to me, making it difficult to write about them. Even though the game is fiction, some elements still need to make sense, right? For example, a modest girl wouldn't walk around naked/in a BDSM outfit in front of her relatives. And if there's a sudden change in someone's behavior, family members tend to perceive it as a mental disorder.
I draw, I write, and I like to sip wine by the fireplace in my morgue in the evenings... Just kidding. It's always cool in the morgue. On a more serious note, I'm interested in psychology, and I also enjoy doing magic tricks.
My favorite games are Fahrenheit, Fable: The Lost Chapters and Vice City, which doesn't describe me much as a person.
When it comes to game development, do you want to limit yourself to your writing skills, or are you open to trying your hand at something else?
I'm a mediocre artist; I draw slowly, so for now, I'm sticking to the role of a writer.
Andrey Paramon
I work as a 3D environment artist and I joined the team four months ago. Additionally, I can take on (and have already partially taken on) various related tasks.
I enjoy the calm, measured pace of work and the team where everyone knows their responsibilities. There is also constant close collaboration, colleagues join team calls and discuss work-related matters. As a result, the chat is constantly updated with information about tasks, bugs, problems and ways to solve them. As of now, there is nothing that I dislike about the job.
I’ve been fond of the RPG genre since way back, starting with series like Gothic, KoTOR and similar games. To this day, I sometimes go back to Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Witcher, etc.
My hobby is closely tied to my work — I love creating my own 3D assets for game environments. Some of these assets are sold online. It’s incredibly gratifying when people use them in their game projects and send me thank-you emails!
It’s amazing when work and hobbies go hand in hand and bring joy! How come you went for such a specific profession as an environment artist?
I’ve always been fascinated by the worlds in video games — I could spend hours running around as a character, exploring every little detail. I started my career as a 3D modeler, experimenting with various industries and specialties — games, movies, advertising, characters, visualization, animation — and gradually realized that I wanted to focus solely on creating game environments.
Lantsova
And I am the one working on this interview!
I do a little bit of everything: in March 2024 I joined SRT as a PR and SMM assistant to handle posts and forums, but now my roles have expanded. During the development of version 0.8 I'll be applying my many years of translation skills polishing the English translation of Deluded, and I'll handle the Russian localization too if needed. Right now I'm just cleaning up some small details. I've also started advising our writer and scriptwriter, and, if allowed so, I'll participate in voice acting — I was heavily involved in it for a couple of years myself.
I immensely enjoy observing game development from the inside: seeing little notes on the board accessible to everyone, seeing numbers and words form sentences that make no sense to me who has no idea how IT stuff works. I've always wanted to be involved in the video game industry as a community manager or translator, so I was thrilled to join SRT. What pleasantly surprised me was the supportive attitude of my mentor towards me: no rush (so nothing like "I need this report by the end of the week or you're out!") and readiness to help and explain anything.
Just like the rest of the team, I adore the variety of tasks. One day I am working on the forum and discussing posts with Kufe7, the other one I'm playing the game, getting acquainted with the project, noting bugs and linguistic nuances. The adult aspect is something I am not used to though.
I'm also a writer — I mainly read and write Young Adult and am deeply in love with fantasy — and a translator. I teach English and manage two personal social media accounts.
I've been playing games ever since I was a kid, and I especially love board games where you can chill with friends over a cup (or a barrel) of delicious tea. It has some special charm and vibe, you know? As for video games, my favorites include Borderlands (a beloved series for life), Overwatch, Dead by Daylight and some cozy games on Nintendo Switch.
So, how many of your favorite games match with our team’s picks? Or maybe something regarding our work and hobbies resonated with you? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
Anyway, that wraps up our little introduction. Thanks for reading, and we hope you enjoyed getting to know us!
Faithfully yours,
Lantsova