Chinagraph did not start with a game mechanic. It started with an aeroplane.
I have been interested in the Second World War for as long as I can remember, but one aircraft in particular has always fascinated me: the Avro Lancaster. It started with Matchbox and Airfix models, but seeing one fly overhead many years ago turned that interest into something much more specific. I still remember the sound of the Merlin engines in the London sky.
The aircraft pictured here is City of Lincoln, one of only two airworthy Lancasters remaining in the world. Lincoln — and its connection with RAF Bomber Command — will appear again later in this story.
There was an obvious problem with turning that interest into a game: I have worked in the games industry for many years, but I am not a programmer, artist or game designer. My career has been on the business and operations side. I had seen plenty of games being made and reviewed plenty of pitches, but making one myself was another matter.
The idea that eventually became Chinagraph began to take shape in early 2026, during a two-week business trip to China.
Long flights and evenings in hotels meant a lot of time playing games. I have always liked smaller indie titles, particularly hidden-object and puzzle games. That made me wonder what else could be done with the format.
So I started looking.