Local game developer retraces his journey at Brunei MSME Festival 2024
During his primary school days, Muhammad Ifdhatul Ilahi bin Zaini often found himself immersed in his projects, spending countless hours with his head down, eyes fixed on the object taking shape beneath his desk, as his hands continued to craft and tinker.
Though it may have seemed like typical bored student behaviour, his mischief was anything but average. Instead of idly passing time with a phone, doodling, or reading, he was busy crafting toys and board games, complete with intricate figures.
“My parents used to receive a lot of complaints from my school because I was the kind of kid who couldn’t sit still,” shared the now 22-year-old game developer in an interview.
Muhammad Ifdhatul was participating in the recent Brunei MSME Festival 2024, where he showcased his five-year labour of love Vague, a survival-horror game that pays homage to the low-polygon retro horror classics like the original Silent Hill and Slender Man.
ALL FUN AND GAMES
“As a kid, I loved making games, initially focusing on board games inspired by existing PlayStation 1 titles we had at home. Being unable to bring the console with me, I improvised with what I had,” Muhammad Ifdhatul said.
“I got into trouble a lot for it. I had a teacher who regularly confiscated my scissors because she’d always catch me using them. She must have taken about 50 pairs from me.”
His drive to create is rooted in a profound curiosity, one that flourished during countless hours spent in research at the public library in the capital.
These excursions, he revealed, were a frequent escape from the frequent blackouts that afflicted his area of the water village.
Despite having a computer at home, a generous gift from an uncle, the lack of wireless Internet meant that much of his technical knowledge was acquired through the use of the library’s communal computers.
“I went there with my siblings. They went there for games, but I liked to research things, usually science or tech-related, using the computer. It was good enough for doing research.
“I spent many school holidays there because during school holidays, I couldn’t go anywhere, but I could go to the Language and Literature Bureau.”
From adolescence, through teenage years, and into early adulthood, he developed a diverse skill set fuelled by his own research and the support of his siblings, who recognised his thirst for knowledge and provided resources to further it.
GAME CHANGER
At just 11 years old, his sister introduced him to Blender, a free and open-source 3D creation software.
This early exposure laid the groundwork for his skill in designing 3D and computer-generated (CG) models, talents that have been instrumental in realising his aspirations in game development.
This, however, is just one of the many talents he has honed along his journey in game development.
Today, he supplements his income by creating 3D models for a local 3D printing company, all while pursuing a degree in digital media.
The first-year Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) is also adept in five programming languages.
Meanwhile, in his spare time, he enjoys creating custom software or developing plugins for Blender and Adobe products as a hobby.
A significant turning point came when he started secondary school, coinciding with his family’s move from Kampong Ayer to land.
As the sixth child out of 10, Muhammad Ifdhatul credited his siblings for guiding him during his initial steps into creating games, which began with the recommendation of Unity 5 – a cross-platform game engine used to create both 2D and 3D games – by a younger sibling.
A Unity 5 tutorial downloaded by his sister later enhanced his programming skills, while he credited the simple ‘Roll-a-ball’ tutorial for his understanding of game design.
At around 15 years old, he committed himself to learning how to make games over the next two years, experimenting with different engines and setting up SOUL CAT, which was intended to be a community for other aspiring local game developers.
He reflected on the initial enthusiasm of many who joined but admitted that a significant number eventually quit. This led him to evolve SOUL CAT into SOUL CAT Entertainment, an “experimental” media company. His vision was to use it as a launchpad for his gamified creations.
THE END GAME
However, his intentions are dual-fold: Muhammad Ifdhatul is embracing the challenge of being a solo game developer, leveraging the diverse skills he has acquired over the years, with a keen focus on making his survival horror game, Vague, as successful as possible.
The second part is to inspire the local game development scene, noting how game development in Brunei feels more like a hobby than a potential career.
“When I see games made in Brunei, sometimes they’re done as a hobby, while others are in a prototype phase. I kind of want to change that,” Muhammad Ifdhatul said.
“I’ve seen some really cool ones (games being made), but they’re not sold or don’t get released. Most of the time, developers just don’t know how to finish a game because it’s hard.
“It’s something I’ve faced with myself as I always second-guess whether people will like my game or not. In the game developing world, you kind of have to be your own strongest supporter.”
Depending solely on yourself, however, has its challenges, the university student lamented. He found himself needing to rely on his student allowance while juggling commissions and part-time work to support both himself and his projects.
“I don’t pirate software, and I pay for the licences because I want to. It’s more like I want to keep the integrity, make it legal,” he added.
Muhammad Ifdhatul has devoted a significant amount of time, nearly half of his life, to the pursuit of game development. With a skill set that includes programming, art, and design, he is well-equipped to push his dreams to the limit.
Yet, even as he aims for the stars, the 22-year-old prefers to stay grounded, crediting much of his success to those around him.
His advice to aspiring game developers is to find a community, a sounding board, to create the best games possible.
“The game development community in Brunei is supportive, and I value their presence. Developing games, especially alone, can be isolating as you’re often glued to the screen, managing numerous moving parts,” he said.
“Playtesting is essential. You need to reach out to more people, gather feedback, and refine your game further. If you’re the sole playtester, you might miss weaknesses in your game. Showcasing your game publicly exposes bugs to fix, improvements to make, and areas that need polishing.
“The biggest mistake is thinking you have to make the best game, a masterpiece.” – Wardi Wasil
