Hello everyone!
The time has come to finally share a bit more about the development process of The Flat. For those of you following us on Discord you probably already know that we post small updates there every Friday. However, we've been pretty quiet here, and I’ll be honest—it’s not because we didn’t want to share. It’s just that between development and life, there wasn’t much time to write a full post, and for a while, we didn’t have many exciting things to show in full. But that’s changed. As we approach the demo release in the coming months, we’re excited to let you in on what’s been happening in The Flat.
This project has been through a lot. Development started back in late 2022, and since then, we’ve gone through countless prototypes, concepts, and changes. So much has been added and evolved that it feels like the right time to give you a peek.
Right now, we’re in the polishing phase, adding a few last touches to get the demo ready. The game is evolving rapidly, and we’re pushing hard to make everything feel just right. This post is a bit of a summary—a look at where the project began, how it’s changed, and where it’s headed.
From idea to reality
Like most projects, The Flat started with a big idea. We wanted to figure out what The Flat should be and what kind of story we wanted to tell. We definitely wanted the world to be minimalistic, carry its own atmosphere, and at the same time offer addictive gameplay.
At first we wanted to create a completely different game, with a procedural way of creating maps, RPG elements, and everything in a dark Slavic climate. We tried to put together a team of friends from the industry: three people with a background in graphics and engine knowledge, plus one programmer, and someone handling marketing. A total of five people. But the scale of that original idea was way too ambitious for the time and resources we had. So, we took a step back, reimagined everything, and The Flat idea was somehow born.
We downsized our small team to just one person handling graphics, one for programming, and the occasional involvement of the marketing specialist. The initial idea was simple: a game set inside the player’s apartment, with occasional trips outside into the larger world. The flat itself would be a kind of hub—a base to return to after exploring. But as we played with the concept, it evolved into something much bigger and more visually striking. It changed completely and we left just a few bits of the very first gameplay ideas we had for the game and I personally believe it was the right path to go.
The current version of The Flat is very visual-heavy, with a dark, brutalist aesthetic and a mix of humor and absurdity in its story. The idea of being trapped in a corporate machine—a cog in a never-ending grind— like Steam description states, really resonated with us, especially since many of us have experienced corporate life firsthand. It just clicked. That’s why you’ll find little jokes, absurd letters, and references scattered throughout the game, poking fun at the ridiculousness and stupidity of it all.
Inspiration
The inspiration behind The Flat ties back to our experiences and how we see the world (I guess?)—how things work (or don’t work), and corporations being just a symbol. When it came to designing levels, weapons, characters, and the overall vibe, we let our imaginations run wild. We also asked for feedback on our discord channel, which is how a weapon like the paper guillotine was created XD
I remember when we started working on The Flat Michał asked me, "What do you think about brutalist architecture? I think it’s pretty cool," and I replied that it was actually a great idea to use it. I’ve decided to combine the visual design with the Fibonacci spiral and add a corporate antagonist in a suit, with a monitor for a head, who would scream "ASAP!" And that’s how the idea of The Flat and ASAP-MAN was born.
A few months later, we found out about something called Skibidi toilet. However, we knew we wanted to tell a different story. Trusting the creative process, we kept designing new enemies, architectural elements, mechanics, and devices.
Beyond That we drew inspiration from pinterest, books, movies and just a lot of daydreaming. The jokes and quirky details, though? Those came straight from our own imaginations or –unfortunately– real life experiences 😀 or philosophical debates about reality during a cigarette break, between daily work, working after hours and moments to sleep or eat.
Gameplay Loop and Mechanics
At its core, the gameplay loop in The Flat is simple but engaging. Originally, it was about exploring a maze-like world, fighting enemies, gathering items, and returning to your flat to figure out why all this was happening. While the overall concept has changed, the spirit of exploration and survival remains.
Now instead, you’re a cog in the corporate machine. You’re trying to understand the surroundings while battling enemies and navigating the absurdity of corporate life.
Your primary weapon at the start is a keyboard (yes, a literal keyboard), but you can also use pretty much anything you find—boxes, cups, pipes—you name it. We’ve added an air dash mechanic too, so you can evade enemies or slow down time to sneak past them. Whether you prefer combat or stealth, the game gives you the freedom to play your way.
Level Design and Lighting
Creating the levels and lighting has been one of our biggest challenges. We wanted something atmospheric, dark, and gritty, and I think we’re getting close to nailing it. The lighting sets the mood perfectly, and the brutalist architecture really sells the world we’ve built.
It wasn’t easy getting here. We went through countless revisions, experimenting with post-processes and natural and artificial light to create the right atmosphere. Some areas feel stark and grim, while others have a different tone altogether.
Looking Ahead
This post is just an introduction—a way to share what The Flat is and how it’s grown over time. Going forward, we’d love to post updates here monthly, diving deeper into the technical aspects, new features, and changes as we approach the final stages of development.
To everyone who’s wishlisted and followed the game—thank you. It means so much to us, and it genuinely helps the algorithm. If you believe in what we’re creating, please share The Flat with your friends. It makes a huge difference, especially since we’re a small team of three (and most of the game was made by just two!).
We can’t wait to hear your thoughts once the demo drops, and we hope we can live up to your expectations. Thanks for being part of this journey with us!
