WoU, Who? Meet Horea

This passion inspired his education first in school and then at the Babeș-Bolyai University. “I studied computer science and got a Master’s Degree in the field back in 2008, studying non-photorealistic rendering (NPR). My paper began with the premise that realistic rendering will someday reach a pinnacle—where everything looks perfectly real.” But Horea didn’t just write about this idea. To demonstrate the various ways we could create this realism digitally, he needed to show it. “As a practical example, I built an AR app which was barely running on my Symbian-based Nokia, that showed off some of these shaders in real time on a pre-iPhone mobile device.” Alongside studies, Horea turned to online tutorials to master 3D artistry and attended in person art classes to hone his 2D skills. “Getting access to these tutorials was really hard. We didn’t have access to the Internet at home in 1998. I went to my mom’s office and had to copy them over on 1.44 MB floppy disks.”

That’s right, floppy disks. But this effort for self-improvement was truly worth it. These foundational NPR techniques that Horea learned during this time and mastered since are being applied in the WoU Game we’re building today. 

So what is a Lead Technical Artist? “I am responsible for making sure that all the graphics look as good as they can—and work the best that they can on all sorts of game systems.” Since 1998, Horea has been working on games with a long-time friend, business partner and mentor, Cristian. “In the beginning just as amateurs of course, but later on we landed a job at a local company to work on an MMO RPG.” That’s a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game for those who aren’t familiar with the acronym. “That game never saw the light of day, but it was here that we connected with our other long time friend, business partner, and art director, Adrian.” In 2013, the team formed their own company: Tractor Set Go! (TSG). 

“At TSG we’ve worked on numerous projects, mostly in collaboration or for clients outside of our country, like Hash Rush, Time Raiders, Cyber Legends and many “serious games” to be used privately to teach employees how to use technologies or to learn about their company.”

With a solid background in both programming and art, problem-solving comes naturally now. “I bridge the gap between programmers and artists and I really enjoy this sort of work and communication.” 

“Games, like other forms of art, are an essential vessel through which children learn. When they spend time in these virtual worlds they get to experiment with different choices, they experience fascinating worlds, and they develop dexterity.” When art and entertainment are combined with the right mechanics, Horea believes games have the power to educate. “Just like a good story, when a child is immersed in the virtual world, they want to learn all about it. So it’s a great opportunity to teach about plants and animals, for example, since the brain is so open to this influx of information.” This immersive experience is also known as flow state and if harnessed has great potential for young minds. “The development of WoU is guided by the core principles of the game: to educate responsibly while having fun and collaborating.”

 In order to create a game about the world, the WoU team relies heavily on input from those who know these unique areas best. The various cultural studies and natural science information requires expert insights to make sure they’re not just being reflected accurately online, but also retold by the right storytellers. “I’ve been part of the Romania PAD team, and our task was to breathe in the world within the very special enclave that is the Danube Delta. We’ve met people with truly unique stories—their life is secluded from the mainstream, the environment can be so extreme, you feel you’ve entered a different world.” “The choice to tell stories through local myths I think was an excellent one. Myths have two qualities essential for this game: they represent cultures very well and they are easy to grasp even for the younger audience.”

Despite being from Romania there was still plenty that can be learned from embracing nature with new eyes. “One day, very early in the morning, we set out on the Danube canals with a local fisherman and guide, Ionut. He convinced us that that’s the time nature feels the most alive, before the motor boats come scaring away all the birds, and succumbing to all the delicate sounds of the waters and reeds. He was, of course, right. Slowly paddling in kayaks, talking in whispers while strolling through the canal waters shimmering in the golden light of the rising sun, a new world opened to us.”

“The whole experience was so revealing about this aquatic, strange world, and how the ecosystem works together. The design of the WoU lands I think is a beautiful example of how multiple cultures and biomes can be represented in a single game.” It’s not just nature where Horea finds inspiration. Movies, especially Nordic films, also have been sources of truth when it comes to understanding humans and nature and what can happen in the wilderness. 

As a visual lead on the project, we were curious to find out what the most exciting detail in the game design is for Horea. “When you are navigating through the level, the sky is your compass. It has different colours for each section of the world, so you know in which direction to go. We’ve had to write a very interesting shader for that to work and I hope our players will appreciate it!” 

Well, we have certainly appreciated these insights into Horea’s work and all that is still to come from this journey.