IGF Finalist Interview: Iron Dukes

Another quick interview from GDC 2008…one of the developers of Iron Dukes

http://www.indiegamepod.com/podcasts/iron-dukes-podcast.mp3

or listen to it here…
http://www.indiegamepod.com/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://www.indiegamepod.com/podcasts/iron-dukes-podcast.mp3

Show Notes:
Simple Flash RPG…won
Best Browser Game award
Star Control 2
Paper Prototyping
First tested out paper prototypes on self
Casual RPG
Try to be able to level up in 10-15 minutes
Idea is to have players have quick success and quick action
If you die, that’s ok…equipment is still persistent

Did some rough prototypes in Flash
Worked on converting in-browser game…into .exe version

Current goal is to finish up Iron Dukes and get out to market…

Looking to do online and multiplayer capabilities of flash

Advice for other indies…
Start small
Smaller design is much more effective
Start small and continually expand from there
Can give players something loose and allow folks to create their own story 🙂

IGF Finalist interview: Tale of Tales’

Another quick interview from GDC 2008…

The developers of Tale of Tales talk about their game…

You can download the podcast here…
http://www.indiegamepod.com/podcasts/tale-of-tales-podcast.mp3

or listen to it here…
http://www.indiegamepod.com/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://www.indiegamepod.com/podcasts/tale-of-tales-podcast.mp3

Show Notes:
Based on the Fairy Tale of Little Red Riding Hood…
But altered and a little darker.

Have an MMO called the “Endless Forest”

This is a “Short Horror Game”

Making a rich environment and dropping the player inside it…and not force-feeding the story

First two games made were very light.

No games out there to satisfy emotions they wanted…so they made this game to fulfill desire to
see games that cover emotions not yet expressed in other games.

Big challenges to game….decide on what to do and what to outsource to others.

Looking for folks that they don’t have to manage.

IGF useful for play testing a game

Things they will change baed on feedback at IGF…
Find better ways to communicate thing without text

Next Steps:
Improve the game

About to release another game. A small experimental game…called “The Graveyard”

Nuances of these types of games…
It isn’t a casual game, but do value casual gameplay
Casual Gameplay with Mature Content
Have fun ways to convey gruesome things without violence
It’s more about a psychological story that is in your head…so play with interactivity to inspire the
player’s imagination

It’s important that a work of art is about the player…so leave things open enough to interpret things for
their own lives.

Wants to take interactivity to enhance that

Suggestions for indies…
1) Make what you want to make
2) Make what’s inside you
3) A game is a conversation…try things out

IGF Finalist Interview: Fez

Another quick interview from GDC 2008…an interview with Some of Fez’s Developers

You can download the podcast here…
http://www.indiegamepod.com/podcasts/fez-podcast.mp3

or listen to it here…
http://www.indiegamepod.com/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://www.indiegamepod.com/podcasts/fez-podcast.mp3

Show Notes:
Fez is a multi-dimensional platformer…
IGF Finalist

Won award for “Excellence in Visual Art”

Visual Arts inspired by Spirited Away

The top challenges while developing the game…
a) Optimization issues…ways to optimization of pixel rendering
b) Getting it done even while doing the project on the side

Expect to release the final version within a year.

Suggestions for indie game developers out there…
a) Make it…find the right people and get it done
b) Show it to as many people as you can, listen to them and act accordingly 🙂