Buyer Spotlight: Sektan is developing a charity project for Ukraine

Who is Sektan?

I am an IT professional from the Czech Republic with a passion for video games. Since 1998, I have been involved in video game modding, experimenting on the first Unreal Engine, Half-Life and more. In 2017, I began working as an indie game developer, initially as a hobby, but I have since released several video games.

What is your current work and responsibilities in your work and how does the work you do involve the use of 3D models?

As an IT professional I spend most of my time around computers doing work related to software, hardware and networking. However after my morning job I do game development on the side. I do everything myself and I consider myself to be a “One man studio”. Development of video games requires the use and involvement of 3D models and the majority of the 3D models I use in my games come from CGTrader as I always find what I need on the marketplace.

Tell us about your ongoing projects.

I currently have 3 ongoing projects.

The first one is "Titan78", a sci-fi themed survival game that can be played alone or with up to four players. I use various models from CGTrader to create the vehicles and machines that the players will encounter in the game world. However, I have put "Titan78" on hold for now to focus on my second project, "Volunteers".

"Volunteers" is a charity project that I created to provide a little help to Ukraine. It is also a 3rd person survival game that can be played alone or with up to four players. The game system used in "Volunteers" is based on "Titan78", but I have used more models from CGTrader for the buildings, tanks, and war decorations. I have even set up a Steam store page for "Volunteers" to raise funds for Ukraine. As a “charity project,” 80% of our proceeds will be sent to Ukraine, while 20% will be used to cover fees and taxes until I can find a publisher for the game.

You can follow "Volunteers" on steam by clicking here.

Lastly, I have a single-player game project that I started during Christmas as a personal pleasure project. This game focuses on survival mechanics such as hunger, thirst, stamina, and RPG-style inventory. You can watch a video on that game's progress by clicking here.

Tell us about some of your completed projects.

To date, I have released three games. My first project was a VR demo called “SE VR World Demo” which featured game assets from “Space Engineers” and was created under contract for free by “Keen Software House.” After that, I developed “Rangers” a zombie survival game that can be played alone or with up to four players, and has a variety of features for players to enjoy. Lastly, I released “Run or Boom” which is a party game that was mainly designed for my friends to play.

What inspired you to start incorporating 3D models into your work and how have they helped enhance the visual impact of your projects?

Using 3D models is essential to building a video game. While the official asset store for my game engine does offer some useful assets, it doesn’t always have everything I need. These models from CGTrader often play a major or important role in the level design of my games.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your work when incorporating 3D models and how do you address them?

Working with 3D models is not challenging any more to me since I have had many years of experience with them. I am able to modify and fix models as needed to fit the requirements of a project. This involves tweaking or fixing any minor errors that may be present in the model. These kinds of modifications and fixes are a normal part of the process and are necessary to ensure the high quality of the final product.

Could you share a bit about your creative process when working with 3D models and the way you typically approach a new project?

Most certainly. I have my own way of adding models to my projects. I start with essential models and gradually add supporting ones. Whenever I have a new idea, I search for a model that fits, modify it, and incorporate it into the game.

What types of 3D models do you typically look for online?

When it comes to finding models for my games, I always search for ones that fit the theme of the game. Typically, I focus on finding monsters first and then look for decorations and other models that complement the game's overall focus.

Could you share an example of a project where you used 3D models purchased from CGTrader?

The best example is my ongoing project Volunteers for which I have used buildings, tanks, cars and many other war related assets from CGTrader. Below is a video preview of the game.

As a professional, what advice would you give to someone who is just starting out or looking to advance their career?

Constantly trying new things and never giving up. Experimentation and dedication will get you far!

Showcase of Sektan's charity project "Volunteers"