Interview: Crafting the spider world of A Webbing Journey
In issue 6 of Lab Horizons Digital Edition we spoke to Sebastian Uitz from Fire Totem Games all about arachnids, sticky goo and science in games.
You are one of the programmers behind the amazing game A Webbing Journey. How did you come to find yourself coding spider legs as a full-time job?
I never imagined I’d spend my days programming spider legs, but it’s been an incredible journey! My love for games started as a child, and combining that with my background in engineering and programming led to the creation of A Webbing Journey. Initially, we just wanted to make a game with fun physics-based mechanics, but as the project evolved, the idea of creating a spider protagonist opened up so many exciting possibilities. The more I worked on it, the more I fell in love with bringing this little spider to life. It’s been both challenging and rewarding to translate the movements of a creature so different from humans into a playful and fluid experience.
Before you started working on A Webbing Journey, how would you rate your spider knowledge?
Honestly? Probably a 2 out of 10! I had a basic appreciation for spiders and their webs but nothing in-depth. Working on this game has been like diving into an entire spider encyclopedia. I learned how spiders use hydraulic pressure to move their legs and how their webs are created and spun. It’s been a surprising but fascinating crash course in arachnology.
How much research went into understanding the real-life mechanics of spider webs and movements for the game?
We honestly didn’t dive too deeply into research—it was more about using our observations and intuition to guide the mechanics. A lot of our inspiration came from casually watching spider videos online and experimenting directly in the game engine to see what felt right. Instead of focusing on scientific accuracy, we prioritized creating something that feels spider-like but serves the gameplay experience. It turned out to be a fun blend of creativity and guesswork!
Were there any particular aspects of spider anatomy or web-building that were especially tricky to simulate accurately?
Absolutely! Spider legs were a major challenge. Simulating the movement of eight legs in a way that feels natural yet fun was tricky. Another challenge was creating webs that behaved like real spider silk but were also interactive for gameplay. Webbing had to feel sticky, elastic, and strong without becoming frustrating for players, so we had to strike a delicate balance. We still aren’t where we want our spider web mechanic to be, but we’re getting there one step at a time.
Balancing realistic alternating tetrapod gait with enjoyable gameplay can be a challenge. How did you decide when to prioritize fun over accuracy?
Our philosophy was always “fun first.” While we initially tried to mimic the exact tetrapod gait spiders use, we quickly realized that it felt slow and awkward in a game setting. Instead, we went with a more fluid, slightly exaggerated movement style that maintains a spider-like aesthetic but feels responsive and satisfying for players. It was all about keeping the spirit of spider movement without letting realism hinder the experience. One thing we’re really proud of is that the legs always try to find valid positions to attach to, unlike in other games with spiders where they just have simple walking animations that don’t match their surroundings.
Did you discover anything surprising about spider biology during your research that changed how you approached the game mechanics?
You can read Sebastian‘s answer to this last question, the rest of his interview in Lab Horizons Issue 6. Read it for free now, and while you’re at it, go play the demo of A Webbing Journey.
