How we use AI, and why

Short version: Still House is being made with a lot of help from AI, and I want to be upfront about where and why. If that's a dealbreaker for you, I understand, and I'd rather you knew now.

Why AI at all

Hohmann Games is one person with a day job. I've wanted to make games like this for as long as I've played them, but a sim this deep would normally take a team, years and money I don't have.

AI tools changed that. They let me spend my limited time on the parts I care about most, the simulation, the design and the feel, and get help with everything else. Without them, Still House wouldn't exist. With them, it's the game I've wanted to play for years.

What AI does

I use Claude, made by Anthropic, both in chat and through Claude Code. Specifically:

• Code. Most of the game's code is written by Claude Code, from detailed specs I write. I review it, test it and send it back when it's wrong, which is often.
• Research. It helps me dig through chemistry papers, engineering data and historical sources. Every number in the simulation traces back to published data or a stated assumption, and I check the important ones myself.
• Art. The game's art is currently built by AI as vector drawings and 3D models, to a style guide I set. No image generators are used, and where the final art comes from is still open.
• Writing and design. Brainstorming, first drafts of text, this website and our brand. I edit everything that goes out, including this post.

What's human

The vision, the game design and every decision about what goes in and what stays out. What the simulation should model, and what it should hide. The distilling knowledge, from brewing at home to studying distillation and running a whisky brand. The playtesting, the judgement calls and the taste. When something feels wrong, I'm the one who has to notice.

What isn't AI at all

• Music. Licensed from a music library, plus original recordings from the 1920s. No AI-generated music.
• History. The period newspaper clippings come from real archives, and the events are real history.

About jobs

I know AI in creative work worries a lot of people, and I understand why. I'm not replacing anyone: there was never a budget for a team, and without these tools, this game simply wouldn't be made. I'm not trying to take anyone's job. I just want to make games that are fun to play. And if Still House goes well, I hope to build out a creative team to power the most important and creative parts of our games.

Keeping it honest

We'll disclose our AI use on the Steam store page, as Steam requires, and keep this post updated as things change. If you have questions about any of it, email me: nburton@hohmanngames.com.