Podcast Interview: Gene from Maid Marian…

Gene, from Maid Marian, talks about developing an MMO in his basement and reaching over 1.7 million unique visitors each month…

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

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

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWXoqDrr7CM]

Show Notes (Thanks to our new intern, Grace, for the great notes)…
Interview with Gene Endrody of Maid Marion Entertainment

Interview was held at the Austin Game Developer’s Conference. Gene Endrody is the creator of Sherwood Dungeon, a 3D Massive Multiplayer game.
http://www.maidmarian.com/

Sherwood Dungeon started as a beta test of Shockwave when they released 3D.

He was working in the console game industry at Radical Entertainment during the day, when he began creating avatar based chat rooms in the evenings for fun. He put a Google ad at the bottom of the page to create revenue and it grew to the point where he could quit his day job after 2 years.

He developed a loyal community because they were there from the beginning and were allowed to be a part of the evolution.

He wanted to have the browser window scalable from the beginning. This way he was able to have it imbedded in small game sites along with his Google ad.

Last year he released Club Marion on his site. It was inspired by Club Med.

When not working on Sherwood Dungeon he likes to do martial arts and kick box.

His job IS as great as it looks. He always wanted a lifestyle business.

He may need to hire people soon, but is reluctant.

He says that since his game is free the expectations of customer service are very low. Also players help each other a lot.

There may be the ability for players to create their own rooms and islands in the future.

Take care,
Action

Podcast Interview: Founder of Wadjet Eye Games

David, from Wadjet Eye Games, talks about starting an indie studio…developing games like “The Shivah” to the Blackwell Series…

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

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

Special Thanks to PlayFirst for setting up this interview and a few other upcoming interviews…they provided excellent developers and allowed them to share some really useful information…

0:00 – 5:00
Wadget Eye Games

Works on casual adventure games. Inspired by the old Lucas Arts Adventure Games

Shiva
Took a month to finish

Released it for free. Then decided to sell it. Worked on improving the game, added some polish to the game.

5:00 – 10:00
Blackwell Legacy

Learned a lot more about team management.

Had little money to work with…

10:00 – 15:00
Have to look for team member loyalty…and have to let undedicated people to let go…
For the folks that stuck with him, they are getting paid more…

List of warning signs to let folks to let go…
cannot keep in touch with contact

As a team leader, needs to definitely touch base with them

So it’s not just them, you need to keep in touch with them

All use MSN…chat on MSN, etc.

Be friendly, etc. with folks working with you

Doing outsourcing …
doing it with local people.

15:00 – 20:00
Released the game and slept for a week

Be pleasant to people even when they criticize you

Be nice, because if you’re not…can come back and haunt you

Finishing the game is not the end

That is only half the battle…

25:00 – 30:00
Approached by Playfirst to do an adventure game for the casual game market

Benefits of partnering with Playfirst…
Immense resources
Whole staff doing art
Whole staff doing PR
Whole staff doing engineering

Can now make the games he wants to make

Now has extra money coming in so can fun Blackwell while doing the game

Game doing for Playfirst is NDA…cannot talk about release date either

30:00 – 32:00
Future of Studio…
Wants to get into publishing
Wants to help other people doing indie games

Top suggestion for aspiring indies…
Just start on a game, get it out there
Uses AGS (Adventure Game Studio) to make adventure games…