How Net.Attack() Was Born

Hello, gamers and developers! Maverick Horn here, sharing the journey of how Net.Attack() transformed from a mere spark of inspiration into the game we’re passionately developing today.

The Challenge of Finding “The Idea”

Creating a new game concept is often an intimidating process. Questions flood your mind:

• Is the idea unique enough?
• Will it captivate players?
• Can it realistically fit within our resources and scope?
• Do we have the right team to bring it to life?

In the case of Net.Attack(), the journey wasn’t linear. It grew organically over several months, evolving through serendipitous encounters and creative breakthroughs.

The First Spark: A Student Showcase

The seed of the idea was planted at a Games Academy student showcase. I had been invited as a jury member to provide feedback on student projects. Among the many exciting ideas was a stealth game set in cyberspace, where players infiltrated a digital world as hackers.

The project was impressive, but what truly caught my attention was an image from an earlier prototype. The game space was designed to resemble electrical circuit boards. The concept—walking and fighting atop a giant, electrified circuit—stuck with me. It was such a striking and thematic vision.

The Modular Epiphany

Fast forward nearly a year, and I was knee-deep in developing BeatSlayer, a rhythm-based action roguelike. My job involved designing modular attack systems for both players and enemies.

One day, while experimenting with attack mechanics, an idea struck me: What if players could build their own attacks? A game that embraced this kind of modularity seemed like a perfect fit for the roguelike genre. The concept clicked.

From Concept to Pitch

By now, the vision was coming together: A hacking roguelike set on circuit boards, where players code their own attacks.

I compiled my ideas into a PureRef board and shared them with colleagues. The feedback was enthusiastic but realistic—the scope was too ambitious. I envisioned multiple levels, enemy progression, and more. It needed focus.

At this time, Vampire Survivors was making waves in the gaming world. Though I hadn’t played any survivor-like games myself, a game design colleague suggested I rethink my pitch in that direction. The idea of automating parts of the gameplay while emphasizing attack customization felt like a perfect match.

The Final Pitch

The refined pitch was: Net.Attack() would be a survivor-like game where players program their own attacks while battling on electrified circuit boards.

With this clearer vision, I presented the idea to ByteRockers Games’ CEO and potential team members. The response was overwhelmingly positive. By April 2024, a four-person team had formed, and we got the green light to bring Net.Attack() to life.

Where We Are Now

Yesterday, we proudly released the first demo of Net.Attack()! 🎉 We’re eager to hear your thoughts and suggestions as we move into the next challenge: balancing a game where players have seemingly endless possibilities. It’s an exciting, daunting task, but we’re hooked on the challenge.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Let us know what you think of the demo—we can’t wait to hear from you!

Wishing you a fantastic day, Maverick Horn