A Decade in the Making:

After more than a decade of drifting in and out of EVE Online, a vision began to take shape. Not to break the rules of New Eden's sandbox, but to organize the chaos within it. What started as a side project for Teclis Eisenstein (my in-game character) quickly evolved into something much more ambitious: Hatitude Studios was born. Well actually, my first name was Mad Hatter studios before a family friend mentioned that name was likely trademarked by Disney… It was, so I rebranded to Hatitude studios.

"A peak behind the stage before enjoying the theatre, where every system is explained, every role contains a blueprint, and every match has a story waiting to be built. At Hatitude Studios, we don't just play the game, we design the doctrines that shape it!"

The Birth of a Studio:

Hatitude Studios (Einzelunternehmen) stands as an independent game studio and creative production house led by myself (Erick), a solo indie-developer dedicated to building immersive, original experiences.

The studio isn't just a name, it's a philosophy. It represents a player-driven initiative to bring structure, storytelling, and spectacle to the EVE Online universe through players wearing numerous Hats with Attitude

“We wear a lot of different Hats with Attitude, we are Hatitude Studio!”

From Simple Idea to Full-Fledged Campaign:

What began as a small idea transformed into a comprehensive campaign combining structured competition with immersive storytelling. The core motivation was simple yet profound: “to give Capsuleers a better way to fight, play, and be remembered in New Eden.”

As Teclis puts it: "The idea evolved exponentially—from simple ideas for complex problems, to building databases, to understanding backend logic—all with a vision to reshape how the EVE community plays, tracks, and remembers battles throughout New Eden."

(Note: I often reference myself by my in-game character’s name: Teclis Eisenstein)

The Creative Process Behind the Scenes:

Creating Hatitude Studios and the UMADD League was no small feat. The project came to life through a blend of strategic planning, digital craftsmanship, and artistic experimentation. The toolset behind this creative endeavor included:

Notion – for worldbuilding databases, player tracking, and lore structuring. I spent weeks writing, recording details, and growing huge databanks so AI could help with project management.
Voice Memos – to capture spontaneous design thoughts and roleplay dialogue
Procreate – for sketching ideas, match layouts, and faction symbols
Affinity Publisher & Affinity Photo – for layout design, typesetting, and print preparation
Canva - for simple social media publications
MidJourney – while I am a digital artist, AI allowed me to generate consistent black-and-white symbolic vector-style artwork that matched my initial designs
ChatGPT – for creative assistance, structural refinement, tone consistency, and legal language. I’m not an author, so a lot of my prompts were, “clarify for legibility and flow”.

NOTE: “AI was my editor, project manager, and loyal servant. Not an idea generator. All ideas were/are my own, developed over years enjoying different tabletop games, video games, and IRL sports”

Hours of Dedication:

This passion project represents months of focused, creative development work. My wife wasn’t always happy with how much time went into development of this book, as I spent many 14-hour days developing something I can be proud to release.

This is a passion project — not of automation, but of a pilot's vision, hands, and conviction. From early mornings to sleepless nights, every mechanic was theory-tested, every rule questioned, and every match scenario imagined.
When I started the project, earning money wasn’t a motivation of mine. It wasn’t until I began to realize how much it costs to create a project of this magnitude that I started to add in mechanisms to drive funding for the project.

The Three-Book System

The Hatitude Matchbook Trilogy forms the foundation of the studio's vision. Inspired by the depth of Dungeons & Dragons, the tactical rigor of Warhammer 40K, and the League layout of professional teams like the NBA.

This three-part publication is designed to immerse, equip, and empower participants:

The Storyline - A lore-rich tome that immerses readers in the divine conflict and rise of Teclis the Unhinged
The Official UMADD Handbook - Our first publication, the ruleset on how-to-play!
The Player Handbook - A guide for the creation, advancement, and progress of every pilot

Terminal 1: The Narrative Core

At the heart of Hatitude Studios' creation is Terminal 1, (I’m considering a rebranding, as T1 interferes with in-game naming conventions like Tech 1 modules), is the narrative spine of the UMADD League.

As the lore describes it: "Terminal 1 is not a simple machine. It is a listening construct; coded to remember, designed to evolve. It reflects the minds that touch it, then shapes its own. You do not control it. You converse with it."

This storytelling device serves as the hidden mind behind the rules, providing purpose beyond mere gameplay mechanics.

Looking Forward

Today, Hatitude Studios stands as a testament to what one passionate player can create within the EVE Online universe sandbox. The UMADD League offers structured PvP through a three-tier system (Alpha, Delta, and Omega), providing opportunities for players of all skill levels to participate in meaningful, documented combat.

As the studio's mantra goes: "Fly dangerous. Fight smart. Make your mark in UMADD."

<DISCLAIMER> Hatitude Studios is NOT affiliated with CCP or EVE Online. This is a player-created initiative that operates independently within EVE Online while respecting CCP's intellectual property and EULA.

From Vision to Reality: The Creation Story of Mad Hatter Studios