A Ukrainian UI/UX designer has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for his debut dream game, Artman. It’s an immersive film production simulator set in a cyberpunk universe, inspired by Deus Ex, Plague Inc., and Papers, Please.
A Ukrainian UI/UX designer has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for his debut dream game, Artman. It’s an immersive film production simulator set in a cyberpunk universe, inspired by Deus Ex, Plague Inc., and Papers, Please.
«With over 8 years of experience as a UI/UX designer, I’m finally ready to share a project I’ve been nurturing for years—an idea that has grown and evolved along with my professional and personal journey. This game tells the story of a visionary artist, deeply passionate about cinema, who finds himself in a challenging time in a postmodern cyberpunk world where sociocultural shifts and the development of artificial intelligence threaten to redefine the very essence of art,» reads Artman’s Kickstarter description.
According to the developer, at the beginning of the game, the player is faced with a choice: to make a deal with the head of a Los Angeles mafia family to secure financing for his debut film, or to try to raise the necessary funds on his own.
The core of the project — filmmaking — is broken down into 15 unique stages, including scriptwriting, soundtrack creation, acting and directing, and marketing campaigns. Interestingly, players will also be able to create video game adaptations of their films. Another option will be to establish their own company, Artman Pictures, and trade its shares on the stock exchange.
The developer says that the game has two fully voiced main characters. The first is Artman himself, who «embodies pure creativity, turning everything he touches into art.» The second is Ivy, his close childhood friend who played a key role in shaping his personality. At the same time, Artman will have full Ukrainian localization.
The Kyiv-based Wayheart Entertainment team, which consists of two developers, is working on the project.
«Looking back on the incredible progress made over these two years of development, I can confidently say that the results have exceeded even my wildest expectations — especially considering that our team consists of just two people… Our goal is to bring the project to release in perfect condition, without making compromises that would undermine the original vision,» notes author Artman.
The game needs at least $4,150 to release, but if the developers manage to raise more, they will add new quests and mechanics, and for $500,000, Artman will change the concept to an immersive first-person simulator.
The project is scheduled for release in 2026. You can learn more about the creation of Artman from the developer’s post on the Gamedev DOU forum.
