Interview with PAX RISING Pluto Lost Its Colors’ Developer - Gorkem Sezgin

By Drawza

Drawza: Firstly, please introduce yourself and your game?

Gorkem: My name is Gorkem Sezgin, and I am the solo game developer behind NINES™. My game, Pluto Lost Its Colors, is an adventurous platformer where players embark on a journey across the galaxy as Pluto, collecting its lost colors after a confrontation with an evil black hole.

What is your background?

My background is actually in science. I didn't have any formal education or experience in game development before starting on this project.

What made you decide to journey down the path of game development?

I've always had a passion for game development. From a young age, I found myself creating games, whether in sandboxes or game editors, though these were mostly small, hobbyist projects. Over time, I realised I had a number of game ideas I wanted to bring to life, so transitioning from hobbyist to professional developer felt like a natural step.

What previous games have you created/worked on?

Pluto Lost Its Colors is my debut game. I’m incredibly excited to see it become the first of many more to come.

What are the core concepts?

Pluto Lost Its Colors is a 3D platformer that emphasizes the player's skill in controlling the character. There are three main actions—roll, jump, and dash. By combining these actions and interacting with platforms in different ways, players unlock a wide range of movement possibilities. The platforming is intentionally challenging, requiring players to master these mechanics, but the satisfaction of overcoming a difficult challenge is unmatched. To balance the difficulty, the game features plenty of checkpoints, ensuring that a whole lot of progress isn’t lost due to a single mistake. Overall, it strikes a good balance between difficulty and skill.

What were your inspirations?

I have several inspirations for this game. First is Super Mario 64. The movement in that game always felt incredibly satisfying to me—you had a limited number of buttons, but by combining movements and manipulating the joystick in specific ways, a whole range of movement possibilities emerged. I aimed to create a similar experience with Pluto’s movement in my game, and I believe I’ve succeeded; the controls feel just right to me. In terms of platforming, I’ve always been a fan of the linear style seen in Super Mario 3D Land. Additionally, there are elements of Kaizo Mario in the game, which bring genuine challenges that rely on the player’s skill—a trait I felt was lacking in many games, so I set out to create one myself.

How long have you been working on this game?

I believe it’s been about two years now. I’m aiming for a release in early 2025.

What is it like to have the game showcased at events such as PAX Aus?

I’m thrilled to present my game alongside other amazing titles and passionate game developers at PAX Aus. It’s always an exciting environment, filled with new and innovative games. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to showcase Pluto Lost Its Colors and can’t wait for players to experience it.

What advice have you got for upcoming game developers?

Keep turning your ideas into games, whether it’s a gameplay concept or an intricate story. Even if a project doesn’t turn out as you envisioned, the experience and assets you gain from it will be invaluable for future projects. On the other hand, it’s also crucial to be realistic about what you can accomplish. Remember, AAA games have entire teams behind them, so it’s important to be mindful of the workload involved in making a game.

What advice have you received that you have held on to throughout your journey?

One piece of advice that has stuck with me is the importance of prototyping. One of the first things I did when starting this project was to test whether my ideas could be realised by creating a basic prototype of the game’s core elements. Once I saw that it worked, I used the experience from the prototype to develop a timeline and schedule for completing the game, which I’ve been following ever since.

Have you had any mentors in the gaming industry?

I haven’t had any mentors, but I do have several inspirations. Naoki Yoshida, the director at Square Enix, is a significant inspiration for me—his work turning around Final Fantasy XIV from a struggling game into one of the biggest MMORPGs is incredibly motivational. I’m also inspired by Satoru Iwata, a true coding genius known for finding unique solutions to complex coding challenges and for the incredible games he worked on.

How many PAX Aus events have you attended (as both a developer and as a regular attendee)?

This is actually my first time attending PAX Aus, which adds to the excitement. I recently moved to Melbourne, so I hadn’t had the chance to attend before. I’m really looking forward to the experience.

Where can people find more information about your game?

People can learn more about the game by attending the PAX Aus event, where they can try it out in person. I’m looking forward to meeting all the enthusiastic players there. Additionally, more information is available on our website, pluto.ninesconnect.com, as well as on Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Check Out the Steam Page for Pluto Lost Its Colors

Be sure to check out Pluto Lost Its Colors and other PAX RISING games

And make sure you check out PAX Aus 2024 in October.