Silesia
When a letter from your recently deceased grandfather beckons you back to your family home in Silesia, you aren't sure what to expect. By exploring the space and the relics in it, learn the complicated past of a man you never fully knew. This is a story about hardship, tenacity, soul, and the people of Poland.
This game was made for the Dialogue of Civilizations: Poland in Pixels program. It was developed over a span of four weeks as a joint effort between students of the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology in Warsaw and Northeastern University in Boston. Please note that Silesia is intended to be a short and polished experience, with an expected playtime of 5-10 minutes.
[Currently the quit to main menu button is broken and it is recommended to restart the game after each playthrough]
The browser build has lower resolution of textures, but offers the same experience. It is not a demo version. Playing with sound on is strongly recommended. You can use "P" to pause if you are playing the web version.
Other games made for Dialogue of Civilizations: Poland in Pixels:
https://itch.io/jam/poland-in-pixels
More information about the program:
https://pja.edu.pl/en/poland-in-pixels/
Ben Jaccaci:
writer, level designer, technical artist
A game designer from Rhode Island, USA with a specialty in narrative and level design. My experience is in Unity and I have an interest in games that push boundaries and leave you thinking. With this project, I wanted to create a personal story that appropriately captured the cultural and social experiences of 20th century Silesia.
Igor Sienkiewicz:
environment designer and animator, programmer
Being slightly overly analytical and passionate about games makes me a great conversation partner. In my opinion, teamwork and creativity go very well together, and I strive to demonstrate that in my efforts. Confidence is my strong suit, so I will gladly take on any challenge that may arise.
Ivan Havrylenko:
lead programmer, interaction designer
Ukrainian game developer, D&D master and current computer science student. Passionate about creating immersive worlds and innovative gameplay. My main goal when making games is to provide players the opportunity to feel like they belong to this world
Isaac Polite:
project manager, programmer
Currently pursuing a B.S in Computer Science and Game Development, Isaac’s dueling passions drive him to spend late nights working on projects. When he’s not in the gym, on the fencing strip, or exploring a new city, he enjoys immersing himself in games with deep mechanics and stories.
Jeremi Surzyn:
shader designer, 3d asset creator, lighting artist
I’m Jeremi Surzyn, I’m a second year Computer Science student at PJATK. I’m mostly interested in programming and designing games, however I also like drawing, creating 3d graphics and story writing.
Karol Kozioł:
3d asset creator
Logan Chandler:
sound designer, programmer
Currently a student at Northeastern University, Logan is studying a combined BS in Game development and Computer science with a Minor in Music Production. Using this project to expand past his specialization in audio, he has a passion for all things games-related and hopes to round out his toolbox of skills with more experience in Unity and C# in the near future.
Maria Niczyporuk:
lead 3d designer, 3d technical artist
Hi! I’m Maria, a digital artist from Poland, currently studying New Media Arts at PJATK in Warsaw. Specializing in 3D art and animation, I bring a creative spark to my work. In my free time, I like to draw and play video games. Pleased to become a team member!
Rafael Moroz:
lead 2d designer, 2d artist
Hello, my name is Rafael, I am 2D artist and concept artist, passionate about bringing imaginative worlds and characters to life through my creative vision and detailed illustrations.
Zuzanna Schabowska:
senior 3d designer, 3d artist
I am Zuzanna, a new media artist from Poland and a student of PJATK, specializing in 3D art. I am passionate about video games and have always wanted to be a part of Game Dev. That’s why I am highly dedicated to each project I work on and grateful for the opportunity to participate in designing games.Download
Development log
- Itch.io Build13 days ago
Comments
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Thank you for this game. I come from Silesia and it was a surprising pleasure to see my region represented in an English-language, internationally available product.
Many of the experiences you've shown match my memories of the generation of my grandparents. I really and deeply vibed with many moments and images of the game.
At the same time, there are many things that I would frame differently – but it comes from my perspective being (obviously) different from the perspective of the authors.
If there was something lacking for me, personally, it was the lack of the Silesian perspective. From what I grew to understand, the experiences of families living in a borderland area are much more muddled and nuanced than shown in the game. Both my grandparents lived through uniquely Silesian experiences during the II World War, and their tales (although very sparse) weren't as clean-cut as the Wehrmacht story from the game. Having said that, thank you for showing that part of Silesian history at all.
All in all, the game inspired me to think about my family history, and about making my own game about it. Thank you for that.
I can't find the web version mentioned in the text. Is it sth local on my side, or is it a global issue?
Hi - It should be fixed now, sorry!
just finished playing this game, and I have to say, it was an incredible experience from start to finish
the story pulled me in, the characters felt so real and the graphics design was just stunning
it’s rare to find a game that resonates so deeply and leaves you thinking about your heritage, truly one of those gems