About

Hey, I’m CrookedVintner. I’m a full-time software engineer, and I build games in my off-time.

I’m currently making Sorvella: a cozy island farming and life-simulation game with Tuscan vibes, focused on steady restoration, relationships, and a world that slowly feels more alive the longer you stay.

Why “CrookedVintner”?

Just like a vintner tends grapes into something that takes time, care, and patience, I tend pixels, systems, and stories into a world that can be lived in. The craft is slow. The details matter. The end result is meant to feel richer than the individual ingredients.

And crooked is the indie dev part - the solo path that’s never straight. It’s a nod to building things my own way, outside the “perfect factory pipeline”. I’ve always been told I need to do things a certain way, their way. This is me choosing the stubborn, messy, meaningful route instead.

I know “vintner” hasn’t made the same semantic leap as something like “weaver” - most people still hear “wine maker”. But that’s not a dealbreaker. It’s part of what makes it stick.

What I care about

• Cozy progression loops with long-term payoffs
• Characters that feel like they belong to the place they live
• Pixel art that feels warm, readable, and alive

Devlogs & updates

Sorvella is a personal project I build in my free time alongside a full-time job as a software engineer. That means development follows a steady rhythm, but not a traditional studio schedule.

I care a lot about sharing progress in a way that feels honest and worthwhile. My goal is to publish meaningful devlogs or updates at least once a month, focusing on real changes, design decisions, and things that genuinely move the game forward, rather than filler or hype.

Follow along

I’m sharing Sorvella’s journey through devlogs as it slowly grows toward a demo. If you enjoy cozy games, world-building, or seeing a project take shape piece by piece, you’re very welcome here.