Find more about Avante here:
Bluesky
Steam
Discord
In the coming winter of São Paulo, Brazil, indie developer and technical artist Danilo Nunes Paulo is building something ambitious. Even more impressive, he's (mostly) doing it solo. With more than a decade of experience in AAA studios and a background bridging computer science and game art, Danilo brings serious technical chops to his passion project: Avante! Atlantis.
I had the chance to catch up with Danilo to talk about this pixel-meets-3D turn-based tactics game that mashes together board game vibes, eye-catching visuals, and a hint of mystery. I'm not gonna lie, I left the conversation both inspired and itching to roll some dice.
From Prototype to Passion Project
Avante! Atlantis didn’t start out as a full-blown game idea. It began as an experiment. Danilo wanted to see if he could make pixel art work in Unreal Engine. Unreal is a software more commonly associated with high-end 3D graphics than pixel-based tactical maps.
Inspired by Advance Wars, Scythe, and Mysterium, Danilo thought: what if a tactics game felt like a board game, like an actual physical one? That curiosity led to the first prototype, and as he shared it, the reception fueled his fire.
“It was just a prototype… and then people started liking it. I started having more ideas.”
—Danilo
Mechanics That Click (And Clash)
Avante! Atlantis is all about strategy (and dice)
Yep. Dice.
Danilo embraced a unique mechanic: dice collisions, a visual and tactile element that bridges the gap between tactile board games and the digital format. Unlike other tactics games that shy away from visible randomness, Avante! Atlantis puts that chaos front and center, using “pink noise” (1% unpredictability) to add tension without derailing gameplay.
“Even myself, I catch myself humming the music while washing dishes.”
—Danilo
And that music? Composed by Monoflo (Andreas), who loved the project so much he offered a sample track before Danilo had even officially hired him.
From Solo Work to Strategic Delegation
Though most of the heavy lifting (programming, lighting, pixel art, marketing) is all Danilo, he's brought on a few freelancers to help shape the game’s soul. His wife pitches in with feedback. A character artist, a writer friend, and a passionate composer round out the small but mighty team behind Avante! Atlantis.
“I was an environment artist before… I never was good at characters. So I thought…what if I do pixel art and realistic lighting?”
—Danilo
The art style is a fascinating blend: imagine Octopath Traveler meets pop-up book. Think bright tiles, playful UI inspired by Magic cards, and dynamic lighting layered into charming pixel maps.
Story-Driven Strategy
So what’s the story?
Atlantis has emerged mysteriously. All the world’s nations want a piece, and they agree to a competition to conquer it. Each commander comes from a unique background (military or otherwise), and as the game progresses, the player discovers why this civilization was hidden… and why it returned.
“Atlantis has been a secret for a reason.”
—Danilo
The maps feature distinct biomes and will eventually support a player-friendly map editor. While still in development, Danilo plans to allow user submissions and even run map creation competitions with community involvement.
Simple to Learn, Deep to Master
Danilo is building Avante! Atlantis to be accessible, in fact, something a 10-year-old could understand. But what if it was layered enough for competitive players. Mechanics like armor classes, attack types, and risk-reward trade-offs give each battle its own weight and replayability.
“You can build seven ballistic units… but you’ve wasted 20 turns to do it.”
—Danilo
And commanders? Expect powerful character-driven abilities that can turn the tide of battle from healing units or beefing up your rolls.
Playtesting, Publishing & What’s Next
The first demo was a hit, but Danilo removed it from Steam to make space for what’s next: a bigger, badder game. It's gonna be *pretty sweet* gang.
“If it’s successful and I have the time and money, I’ll make a board game version of Avante! Atlantis.”
—Danilo
Advice for Indie Devs
Danilo’s biggest tips?
Start small and finish your project.
Prototype fast and often and don't get stuck on paper.
Talk to people outside your usual circles for honest feedback.
And above all: ship something. Even if it’s not perfect.
“The next one will be better. But you have to finish the first one.”
—Danilo
Join the Avante! Army
With a new demo planned and an active Discord community already providing feedback, Avante! Atlantis is gearing up for a big year and I'm *super psyched* to play through this (and lose) when it releases!
Want to stay in the loop? Keep tabs on Danilo’s updates on Bluesky, Steam, and Discord.
