“ A Home Below stands out for its unique blend of environmental storytelling, thoughtful gameplay, and serene exploration. Hermit House’s passion and dedication are evident in every aspect of the game’s design. ” Gamer Social Club
Build Date
08/05/2025
Category
Physics, Procedural, Shaders, UI
Engine
Unity
Language
C#
Core Dynamic
3D Platforming
9 months of full-time development has resulted in a demo we are showing to publishers, which we have showcased at EGX, PG Connects and London Game Festival.
The core experience is a 3D 3rd person platformer, where you play as a hermit crab exploring the environment of an underwater house. This has involved building my own custom physics system, procedural animation (for 6 legs and 8 on an octopus) and creature herding mechanics. For visuals, I have built a custom toon lighting model, dynamic grass shader, caustics, and bubble particles. For UI, I built a custom text reader and bestiary interface. For music and SFX a playback system. These systems function on both console controllers and PC.
See the gameplay video below, or visit our Steam page for more information.
Key Features
-
Xbox controller or mouse and keyboard
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Procedural animation (6 legs and 8 arms)
- AI agent herding system
- Custom physics system
- Custom toon lighting model
- Dynamic interactive grass
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Dynamic interactive bubbles
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Caustics shader
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UI: text reader
- UI: bestiary
- Music: playback system
Next Project
Build Date
14/03/2024
Category
AI, Simulation
Engine
Unity
Language
C#
Core Dynamic
Life simulation
A life simulation made in Unity, with a complex ecosystem of agents that grow, have hunger and health requirements, and different diets. Finite state machines control AI for the plants, herbivores, and carnivores. Download the Github Repository to run the simulation in Unity 2022.
Key Features
4 different unit types
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Plants
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Herbavore (eats plants)
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Carnivore (eats animals)
- Omnivore (eats everything)
Unit systems
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Health
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Hunger
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Diet
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Growth over time
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Sight
AI Behaviour (finite state machines)
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Rest state
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Search for food state
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Eating state
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Attacking state
-
Fleeing state
Player controls
-
Unit selection (UI shows condition)
- Camera control
Next Project
“A charming combination game where you have to combine various nature-themed objects that could have been possibly buried for future use.” Big Boss Battle
Build Date
17/10/2023
Category
Web-based, 2D, UI, Recipes, Crafting
Engine
Unity
Language
C#
Core Dynamic
Object Combination
A web-based object-combination game, where the story is told by discovering recipes. Made in Unity, tools were built for the designer to visualize the complex branching logic and import new combinations automatically as sprites were made by the artist.
Selected for WASD x IGN Curios Indie Game showcase, the game was originally commissioned to be shown in a video game art exhibition at Staffordshire St Gallery in Peckham, London. The original version could be played using an Xbox controller. Now available to play using mouse and keyboard for free on itch.io.
Key Features
- Xbox controller or mouse and keyboard
- Crafting system with dictionary look-ups
- Designer tool: crafting branches visualiser
- Designer tool: auto-recipe creator using sprite names
Next Project
“I've been playing a few hours and found it quite interesting how the game brings a deep reflection with both characters and mechanics about the world where we live and how we treat it. ” DupiMuki
Build Date
16/06/2022
Category
Feature-length,
Open World
Engine
Adventure Game Studio
Language
C++
Core Dynamic
Object Combination
Level Count
30
A point and click adventure made in Adventure Game Studio that is full-length (2 hours) with an open world, sub-objectives, save system, branching paths and multiple endings.
While the code uses simple, conditional logic (this was my first coding project) I established rules that I consistently adhered to, enabling the creation of a large scale, stable build with 30 levels. Available to download and play for free on itch.io.
Key Features
- 30 different in-game rooms
- 8 different characters with heavily scripted dialogues
- Unique object combination mechanic
- Branching paths and alternate endings
- Complete commercial-length project
- Save system
- Objectives
- Inventory
- SFX and music
Next Project
Build Date
23/09/2022
Category
1st Person, Crafting
Engine
Unity
Language
C#
Core Dynamic
Object Combination
An attempt to rebuild Machines Have Lucid Dreams in 3D involved building a number of mechanics in 1st person, including a 3D inventory system, objective tracking, and custom object crafting physics. The below video showreel summarises these features.
Key Features
- 1st person movement and interaction
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Custom stacking physics
- 3D inventory
- Objective tracking
- View rotation and focal zoom
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Character conversation views
CV
A programmer who loves working with creatives to bring exciting visions to life.
ivan@hermit-house.com | github.com/ivankashdan
Education
UCL Slade School of Fine Art, London. MA Media (2019-2023)
Wiltshire College, Trowbridge. Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (2018-2019)
Arts University Bournemouth. BA Film Production (2013-2016)
A-Levels in Maths, English Lit, Music Tech & Film Studies (2012)
Work experience
Hermit House, London (2024-2025)
Co-founder, Programmer and Project Manager
We have 3 founders: a Producer, Artist and Programmer. I also run development – a practice-driven role that requires foresight and constant communication - designing the gameplay experience, writing narrative, and planning and co-ordinating asset creation (3d models, animation, music and sound effects) with our two employees (Animator and Composer), while programming the playable game. I manage a shared Trello and organise regular meetings, both online and in-person.
Royal Academy of Art, London (2021-2024)
Digital Assistant
Maintaining a large database of artworks for the RA Summer Show each year for 4 years, keeping track of thousands of images. Persistent QA testing of the RA website, design feedback, writing and copyrighting curatorial text descriptions.
Kash & Germ, London (2020-2024)
Co-founder and Programmer
Kash & Germ was a 2-person studio. Our second game ‘A Squirrel Must Have Buried It’ was originally commissioned for an exhibition in Staffordshire St Gallery, Peckham which was funded by the Arts Council. We have now rebranded as Hermit House Ltd.
University of Bath (2020)
Guest Lecturer
Designed, prepared and delivered a 3-part course of lectures on filmmaking to 2nd year students on BSc Architecture course. Provided group tutorials and crit sessions to the entire cohort (100+ students), guiding them through their first filmmaking project.
Bath Gin Bar (2017-2019)
Supervisor and Bartender
Running shifts and looking after a team. Inventing cocktails. Specialist gin knowledge. Serving drinks in a busy, popular cocktail bar. Maintaining order and standards.
Personal Notes
I love media, both creating and absorbing it – especially film, art, and video games. This enjoyment is only heightened when experienced with others. When I need to be social, I play D&D and board games. When I need to be physical, I paint, go jogging, climbing, or on long walks in nature with my partner.
References
References available on request. Please contact me via e-mail or phone.
Technical Skills
| Programming Languages |
| C#, C++, HLSL |
| Software |
| Unity, Visual Studio, Git, Blender, Premiere, Photoshop, Cubase, RX Editor, Trello, Miro, Notion, Adventure Game Studio |
| Packages (Unity) |
| Shader Graph, Cinemachine 3, Timeline, Input System, Unity UI, TextMeshPro Probuilder, Animator, URP, Particle System, Animation Rigging |
Postgraduate Thesis
A Temporary Oasis: Environmental Storytelling In Video Games (2023)
10,933 words on Game Design as a tool for meaningful engagement with nature and climate change, written at the Slade School of Fine Art. Involved in-depth research into Game Studies and ludology.
Excerpt:
My hypothesis is that video games – while typically representing an environmentally disengaged counter-culture that has taken sanctuary from the overwhelming and depressing ecological moment – is actually, uniquely well-positioned and composed as a medium for engaging with the climate crisis.
It has multiple strategies to frame environmental discourse in a way that is highly relatable, whilst remaining seemingly distant enough in its intentions and metaphors to promote sustained, interested engagement. It both uses and extends strategies from literature, fictionalising and simplifying elements to get to the heart of what matters, presenting parallel narratives that make an understanding of the climate approachable. Additionally, the medium has unique properties for continuing the conversation – interaction with the non-human, the learning of systems, rehearsal of consequences – which mirror primary concerns in ecological thinking, whilst promoting creative thought and problem-solving. These systems prioritise accessibility, allowing users to play within orbit of these ideas, transforming climate paralysis, anxiety and defeatism into mobility, and the environment into a traversable model with a rational solution.
Video games can be conceived of as an ingenious tool, with multiple strategies, for facing reality – breaking it down and making it addressable for the global majority, playing games for a sense of agency in the world.
My hypothesis is that video games – while typically representing an environmentally disengaged counter-culture that has taken sanctuary from the overwhelming and depressing ecological moment – is actually, uniquely well-positioned and composed as a medium for engaging with the climate crisis.
It has multiple strategies to frame environmental discourse in a way that is highly relatable, whilst remaining seemingly distant enough in its intentions and metaphors to promote sustained, interested engagement. It both uses and extends strategies from literature, fictionalising and simplifying elements to get to the heart of what matters, presenting parallel narratives that make an understanding of the climate approachable. Additionally, the medium has unique properties for continuing the conversation – interaction with the non-human, the learning of systems, rehearsal of consequences – which mirror primary concerns in ecological thinking, whilst promoting creative thought and problem-solving. These systems prioritise accessibility, allowing users to play within orbit of these ideas, transforming climate paralysis, anxiety and defeatism into mobility, and the environment into a traversable model with a rational solution.
Video games can be conceived of as an ingenious tool, with multiple strategies, for facing reality – breaking it down and making it addressable for the global majority, playing games for a sense of agency in the world.
My ongoing research is generally situated at the boundary between nature and video games. Please visit the Hermit House Patreon, where we regularly release updates on game development in tandem with relevant marine and climate research.
