Game Dev — Mike Homnick

01 Overview

Building something from scratch

In 2013, a friend and I began creating a video game despite having no prior experience in programming or 3D modeling. The game, tentatively titled "Same Sky," is a real-time strategy planetary defense game with role-playing elements.

Players defend a planet's atmosphere from attacking aliens by launching upgradable missiles, controlling and modifying asteroids, and placing defense satellites — all while riding a retro-futuristic monorail circling the entire planet.

Core Loop

Collect debris from destroyed aliens as currency, research upgrades, and construct facilities like missile factories and atmosphere restoration pumps to survive increasingly intense waves.

Replayability

Expected playthroughs last 30–40 minutes, similar to roguelike games. Every run plays differently depending on which research path you take.

02 UI Design

Experimenting with game UI

I focused my efforts on designing the user interface, using it as an opportunity to experiment with patterns I wouldn't typically explore in product design.

Large, simple typography for displaying resource information at a glance
Visual feedback showing money accumulating as debris is salvaged in real time
Color flashes when modules are gained
Simple icon representations of game objects
Info box overlays appearing on mouseover with detailed object information

03 Research Tree

Designing a unique research tree

The research tree was the most interesting design challenge on the project. Rather than a linear upgrade path, I designed a Venn diagram structure with three overlapping colored sections — each representing a distinct playstyle.

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Red — Monorail & Missiles. Upgrades focused on offensive capabilities and mobility along the planet's surface.

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Yellow — Salvage & Buildings. Upgrades focused on economy, resource collection, and base construction.

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Blue — Defense Satellites. Upgrades focused on passive planetary defense systems.

Players start with one top-level upgrade in each color. Researching first-tier upgrades unlocks additional connected nodes, while overlapping sections contain advanced perks that reward combined playstyles — giving every run a meaningfully different feel.