From Flash Games to VR Adventures: Orlando Silva's Vision for Game Development

22.01.2025.
Slika

Stepping into the gaming world with passion and innovation, Orlando Silva brings a wealth of experience and creativity to his role as Senior Game Developer at Sandsoft. With a career spanning mobile hits, immersive interactive installations, and competitive multiplayer PC games, Orlando’s journey reflects a deep love for pushing boundaries in the gaming industry. We sat down with Orlando to uncover what excites him about this new chapter and the future of gaming.

With such a diverse background in game development, from mobile hits to multiplayer PC games, what excites you the most about stepping into the role at Sandsoft?

Since my very first interaction with Sandsoft, I felt immediate connection to the company’s culture and people, and that connection only grew stronger the more I interacted with everyone. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and easy to talk to, which made me feel right at home. I see so much potential for growth, both for myself and the company, and I’m excited to contribute to its success in every way I can!

 Your experience spans leading Unity development, prototyping new concepts, and even creating interactive installations. What has been one of your most memorable or challenging projects, and why?

When I was working on interactive installations, I faced many challenges, but one project stands out: an interactive 10-meter Christmas tree placed in the middle of a pool at a shopping mall. It wasn’t something you could just look up or follow a tutorial for—it required extensive software and hardware research, development, and a lot of creative problem-solving. On top of that, we had to do all the installation work after midnight when the mall was closed to the public. It was a demanding but incredibly enriching experience that taught me so much.

 You’ve often been at the forefront of innovation, from introducing new technologies to fostering team collaboration. What trends or technologies in game development are you most excited in 2025 / near future?

Recently, I started living as a digital nomad, which made me explore the world of VR/AR for the first time. The Meta Quest 3, with its improved passthrough, has been a revelation to me. It became my main source of entertainment, letting me watch my favorite shows in a huge cinema, play games, work, and even talk to friends sometimes. It’s an underrated technology which I believe someday will be extremely transformative too.

Besides, it’s just impossible to ignore the growing influence of AI. It’s everywhere now, gaining more users daily and even replacing or enhancing established tools. It’s definitely something to watch closely as it becomes a part of everyone’s daily life.

Collaboration is key in gaming. You’ve organized developer gatherings and knowledge-sharing initiatives in the past—how do you see team dynamics influencing the success of game development projects?

In my opinion, the formula for success is: Synergy in Skills/Team + Motivated and Passionate People + Data-Driven Decision-Making.

In other words, success comes from having a team where people complement each other’s skills, trust one another, and work well together. Combine that with individuals who are passionate about their craft and their peers, always striving for improvement, and minimizing weak spots. As the saying goes, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” so it’s crucial to ensure every link matters and build an environment which it can be easily manageable.

Gaming is not just a profession, but a passion for many. What games, past or present, have had the biggest impact on your journey as a developer?

My answer might be a bit unconventional, but I grew up playing Flash games. During my teenage years, while I was learning to program, I became really skilled at a multiplayer Flash game called Transformice. I felt so connected to the game that I ended up becoming the top-ranked Brazilian player. It was the final spark that inspired me to teach myself Flash and ActionScript, which ultimately kickstarted my career in development. Other games that had a big impact on me include Worms, Armageddon, games from Nitrome, Icy Tower, the Pokémon and Zelda franchises, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3/4, Little Fighters 2, tactical RPGs, Super Smash Bros., Ragnarok Online, Battlerite, Overwatch, Rocket League, and many more.

As someone who’s built games across platforms and genres, what’s your philosophy when it comes to creating engaging and immersive gaming experiences?

As someone who enjoys competition, I’ve experienced the concept of “Flow” sometimes in my life. Flow is a state of mind where a person is fully immersed in an activity, to the point where the activity and the person become one. It’s more than just focus—it’s a powerful feeling of complete awareness, where you’re attuned to everything happening around you and time seems to disappear. It’s like having a superpower. If someone could experience that through a game I helped create, I would feel like I’ve truly achieved something special.