Tag Archives: Where Shadows Slumber

Heading to GDC 2017 Today!

Posted on by

As I type this, I’m packing to go to GDC 2017 – The Game Developers Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. The convention actually already started, believe it or not. Monday and Tuesday are incredibly expensive lectures and talks, with an expo that runs Wednesday through Friday.

Since I’ve never been to this before, I didn’t want to break the bank. Transportation to San Francisco was expensive enough, especially when you consider I’m staying in a hotel near the convention center. So I’m just going to the expo, where indie devs will be showing off their games and large companies will be holding meetings with business partners.

I have three main goals in mind for GDC 2017: scope out the convention for 2018, meet publishers and distributors, and plan the future of my company.

 

gdc

Case The Joint for 2018

This is a huge show, and it always happens right around this time of the year. I predict Where Shadows Slumber will be released at some point next year during this time, so it’s highly likely we’ll be attending GDC 2018 as exhibitors.

I want to ask these indie devs if they feel like it was worth the price, the trip, the time, and other costs. You never know which shows are going to give a return on your investment. This also gives me a convenient excuse to actually have fun at a trade show!

I’m so used to going to these things as an exhibitor, I forgot what it was like to be able to freely move about the show floor and talk to people. What a treat!

Also I need to make sure I get details on how to sign up for contests. GDC has a few award shows that run (two, I think?) and I know next to nothing about them. But I know that I want Where Shadows Slumber to win everything forever, so it’s time to get some information. I’ll return next week with contact people!

 

idreamsky

 

Meet Publishers and Distributors

 

It can be difficult to make a connection to someone completely online. But Jack and I need people to distribute our game in China, Japan, Korea, Russia, India, and other foreign countries. We don’t speak the language or understand the market. For a cut of the proceeds, these publishers can make our game a hit in their region.

I’m not looking to promise these people anything just yet. Mostly I want them to take a look at the game and get a conversation going. If the game is “on their radar”, then my follow up email over the summer might get noticed.

But first they need to see it. I’ll shove my iPad in their face if I have to! (I swear to God I will do this once before the show ends) I already have a hit list on my phone of who I need to hunt down at GDC, and I won’t rest until I find them!

This took a violent turn… so let’s go to the final section!

 

maxresdefault

Plan For The Future

I already talked about GDC 2018, so why do I need to plan for the future? Well, you can’t work on one game forever. Even Blizzard will need to say goodbye to its beloved properties one day. Where Shadows Slumber is a beautiful game, but I have a lot more game ideas in the pipeline. Planning for what comes next is important. We may be talking as far as 2019 or 2025 here, but I plan to build this company into something great. That takes foresight.

I want to make a good first impression with some big-wigs at the largest game companies and bluntly ask them what it takes to make third-party games. There’s a lot of exciting stuff happening around VR (which I am still skeptical of), Nintendo’s Switch, and the growing PC gaming market. Now is the time to forge some professional bonds to be used at a later date. There are some technology companies in particular that I want to visit, so I can ask them some “is this possible with your tech?” questions.

I’ll try to do a recap of all this when I return, but PAX East is next week so… gah! It’s going to be a busy life, I suppose >:)

 

I have a taxi to the airport to catch, so see you next time! Thanks for reading.

 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Don’t miss updates while I’m at GDC. Share our game at WhereShadowsSlumber.com with the GDC hashtag, find us on Twitter (@GameRevenant), Facebook, itch.io, or Twitch, and feel free to email us directly with any questions or feedback at contact@GameRevenant.com.

Frank DiCola is the founder of Game Revenant and the artist for Where Shadows Slumber.

Calling All Testers!

Posted on by

I speak now to our legions of adoring fans. *ahem*

Lend us your talents! Your eyes that see microscopic faults, your ears that hear the lies in the truth! Lend us your hands that stumble over screens and fingers that are too large! Lend us your tongue that licks the phone for some reason (??), and most importantly your mind, which is not satisfied until there are 999 levels in the game!

john_f_kennedy-h

“Ask not what Game Revenant can do for you, but rather what you can do for Game Revenant!”

[The crowd goes wild]

The call has gone out to Android Revenants and Apple Revenants alike. Your Supreme Chancellor has need of you!

c4pi-04vyaausr_

Part of a paper concept for the upcoming level “Ramparts”.

Jack and I have been hard at work the past two months designing every level in the game on paper. Now we need Volunteer Revenants who are willing to take 15 minutes out of their day to test these new levels. We’ll be sending you an early, near-prehistoric version of the final game. Levels will be blocky, ugly, and impossibly grey. They will have either no sound, or limited sound. You probably won’t enjoy playing them.

Sold yet? Listen, we need your perspective. We think these levels are perfect. Do you know why we think that? Because we designed them! Of course we think they are perfect. They are not. We need you to download the test version of the game and then tell us via Facebook, Twitter, or private email (contact@GameRevenant.com) what you think. Be honest!

greygrongus

I played the demo available on the App Store. Does that count?

Thanks so much, but no. We’re moving past that now — we’re talking about new levels for the final game. Not many demo levels will make it to the real game.

How do I become an iOS tester?

You’ll need the app “TestFlight” on your modern iOS device (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) and you’ll need to send us your email address to opt into the program. We’ll add you to the list and send out levels in waves, probably one World each month.

How do I become an Android tester?

You must send us your email address so we can figure something out. TestFlight does not work with Android so we need a different solution. We may just email you an .apk file with some levels in it.

What’s the deal with Kindle Fire?

I don’t really know… we aren’t on that store yet, it’s a long process. Hang tight!

I have a Windows Phone…

Windows Phone is kind of a small market and we don’t have one of those devices to use for testing. We will probably not publish on the Windows platform for a while, if at all.

You guys get free quality assurance from this. What do I get out of it?

You get the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping us make a great game! You get to see the game early, before anyone else. You get to tell us what you think and make a real impact on the game. Plus, if you pester us enough and your feedback is helpful (instead of just annoying) we can probably put you in the Credits as one of our “Worldwide Quality Assurance Experts”. Play games in your pajamas and get into the Credits… what’s better than that?

tanuki2b-2bi2bwill2bdo2bit2bi2bwill2btake2bthe2bring2binto2bmordor

OK

OK?

Yes

Great! Send your information to contact@GameRevenant.com. All we need is your email, device operating system, and device version/name. You’ll be sorted and placed in the appropriate email list. Expect a brief from us soon about how you can be a Test Revenant!

 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Although I don’t recommend it, you can also give us your email through the Game Revenant official Facebook Page or Twitter Handle. I also have a Twitch game development stream, so I guess you could hop into the chat and message me? Don’t do that, though. Spammers are always looking for information in the chat! Email the official address at contact@GameRevenant.com.

Frank DiCola is the founder of Game Revenant and the artist for Where Shadows Slumber.

How To Not Die at Conventions

Posted on by

I’m typing this one day after returning from a productive Mr. Game! trip to San Antonio, Texas for PAX South! My brother Paul and I are terribly ill, exhausted, and jet-lagged. Our reintegration to polite society is moving at a snail’s pace. The snowstorm outside isn’t helping. If I recall, the aftermath of our trip to MAGFest 2017 for Where Shadows Slumber just a few weeks ago was pretty similar.

If you’re an indie developer, independent craftsman, musician, speaker, or entrepreneur, you’re aware that there are many conventions that happen every year around the world related to your trade. But you’ve probably asked yourself an important question before every single one: how do I go to a convention without dying?

Since I already mentioned how sick we got at PAX South, I’ll go ahead and tell you that I don’t always take my own advice. There are best practices, and then there’s real life. Here are four things I would do if I wanted a stress-free convention exhibition where no one dies.

 

q-bar

1. Reserve Hotels A Year In Advance

“One entire year in advance! This is madness! I don’t even know what I’m having for dinner tonight!”

~ You

Listen, hotels fill up fast. If you’re traveling to a convention, there’s a good chance you’ll need a hotel. I lucked out with the upcoming New York Toy Fair because I’m in Hoboken – all I need to do is hop on a ferry and I’m at the Javits Center. But this is not common.

If you’re not in the main convention hotel, you’re missing out on the action. This is where people network. It doesn’t even feel awkward – it just feels like a big party. You can hang out in the hotel with everybody even if you don’t have a room there, but you’ll still need to waste a crucial 30 minutes in an Uber going back and forth every day.

Do you think I’m crazy? OK – try to book a hotel for PAX South 2018 right now and see if you have any luck. I bet they’re already full.

 

22617425

2. Prevent Disease At All Costs

When I usually pack for a trip, there are a lot of things on my “short-list” of items to bring. But I think it’s time for some new items to make the coveted must bring list. Those items are:

  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Throat Lozenges / Cough Drops
  • DayQuil (or other day-time cold remedy)
  • NyQuil (or other night-time cold remedy)

I usually end up buying this stuff anyway. Jack and I had to make do with whatever cough drops they had at the hotel convenience store during MAGFest… but in the future, cold remedies should just be part of show preparation. You will always get sick with some kind of “Con Crud” at these things – the human body can only handle being around strange other humans from other parts of the globe for so long. But you can stave off the effects of the cold long enough to survive the convention. Then you can die at home, which is much more convenient!

Also, for you hardcore survivalists, consider wearing gloves and a SARS mask. This can be part of your cosplay to make it seem less weird. When I see someone with a surgical mask at a convention, it’s always a little off-putting, but I have respect for their dedication.

highway_401_by_401-dvp

3. Drive If You Can

Driving is 100 times easier than flying, especially when you have a lot of booth equipment to bring to a convention. Packing your stuff in the trunk of your car and leaving whenever you want is more time consuming than hopping in a plane, but way cheaper. The biggest unexpected cost of these shows is shipping things back in forth.

Fortunately, at PAX South this past weekend, I sold out of my stock of Mr. Game!, so I didn’t have to ship games back. Between you and me, I only brought 4 cases just for this specific reason! I brought 11 to the Chicago Toy and Gaming Fair and had to bring tons of it back.

If your booth setup is super simple, you might get the best of both worlds – flying to a convention with your stuff in a checked bag. For the most part though, I recommend you drive. Figure out parking ahead of time. You’ll be happy you have a car in a strange place, especially if you grew up in an urban area and you aren’t used to everything closing early or having to drive far for basic needs.

Driving lets you set your schedule and gives you important freedom abroad. You may think it takes longer, but let me ask you this – what takes more time? A 4-hour car trip, or a 2-hour flight? When you consider the time you need to be at an airport and the time it takes to leave and get to your hotel, flying sometimes take longer. Save it for really long journeys, and maybe plan to do only local conventions before you have more money to burn.

 

maxresdefault

4. Don’t Let Anyone Kill You

Self-explanatory.

I hope this advice was helpful! Like I said before, this isn’t stuff I do – it’s stuff I wish I did. It takes a full year of jet-setting before some of these lessons sink in. To date, the only thing on this list I’ve done consistently is #4. But the year is young… perhaps my assassin is just around the corner?

 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Follow this advice and you won’t die at conventions. I might have missed something, though – so if you’re looking for more sage wisdom, message Game Revenant on Facebook or Twitter. I also have a Twitch game development stream and an email for you email types (contact@GameRevenant.com).

Frank DiCola is the founder of Game Revenant, the creator of Mr. Game!, and the artist for Where Shadows Slumber.

Where Shadows Slumber: Adversity

Posted on by

FRIEND. Hey Jack, what’s up? You’re usually up to something interesting – are you working on anything right now?

JACK. Hey man – yeah, we just started working on a mobile puzzle game based on shadows! Basically-

FRIEND. Mobile? People are still doing that? I thought that mobile gaming was over [and anyone who decides to make a mobile game is a complete idiot!]”

 

 

I don’t think I quoted the above conversation exactly right, but I will say that it is exactly what you do hear as a game developer when these types of conversations occur. Deciding to go into indie game development can be a big risk, and while these conversations are important, they really aren’t that much fun.

In this post I’m going to delve into the concept of adversity and how to deal with it. This will be the first in a three-part series of blogs, all about staying focused and productive.

 

Dealing With Criticism

Criticism is one of the most important aspects of game development, especially for indies. You need to know what people don’t like about your game, so that you can fix it. As such, people tend to be very forthcoming with their criticisms.

However, after endless hours of hard work, it’s easy for a developer to have trouble dealing with criticism. And it’s easy for a friend, intending to offer constructive criticism, to end up simply insulting or demotivating a developer.

Throughout the development of a game, us developers put a lot of thought and work into creating something we can be proud of. When someone else picks apart our creation, we often wonder – why does everyone make sure that us developers find out everything they dislike about our game?

Game development is a field that lives and dies by the opinions of players. The best way to find out what you need to change about your game is to ask your audience. And the best way for a gamer to ensure that a game ends up being good is to tell the developers what they don’t like. This relationship is a very good one, so don’t take it for granted.

 

Types of Adversity

How can game developers prepare to deal with adversity? By knowing what to expect.

Handling Detractors

 

grongus

This was an early review of the Where Shadows Slumber demo for Android.

This is the most obvious type of adversity, and the type we have come to expect. No matter how awesome your game is, there will always be people who simply do not like it, and you will always hear from them. Something about your game is not good enough for them, whether it’s too short, or the graphics aren’t good enough, or the gameplay is too simple.

“You game is a big ol’ stupid!”

– Some dude who hates your game

The best way to deal with this type of adversity is to learn what you can from it, and then to let it go. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to please everyone. You game may be made for many different people to enjoy, but you still have a target audience, and a lot of people will fall outside of that audience. If you focus too much on trying to please every person who says something bad about your game, you’ll just drive yourself crazy. Just accept that this person will probably never love your game, and continue trying to make it the best it can be for those people who will enjoy playing it.

 

Handling Constructive Criticism

img_2738

(Above) The  incorrect way to respond to constructive criticism.

Constructive criticism is the lifeblood of the indie gaming community, and any developer who really wants to do well is always on the lookout for it. Constructive criticism tells you what parts of your game need improvement, and it comes directly from the mouth of your target audience.

This is a very important point – I can’t tell you how many times we implemented a feature that we thought would be cool, only to find that our fans didn’t like it. Sometimes you make the wrong decision (especially when working in a small team), and constructive criticism helps you find out what things you need to change before it’s too late.

“Tell us what you hate about our game. We have thick skin, we can take it!”

– Frank, at every convention we go to

This is the easiest type of adversity to deal with, since we are constantly seeking it. This person likes your game, and they’re just trying to make it better, so they can enjoy it even more! The most important thing about constructive criticism is to always be ready for it, and to always listen to and learn from it. The player told you exactly what they want – try to give it to them!

 

Handling Friends Who Are Trying To Help

“You can do this, but to be more accurate, you probably can’t.”         – Barney Stinson

The third type of adversity I’ll talk about today is one that I wouldn’t really have expected, when I first went into game development, and is the main reason that I decided to write about this topic. That is the adversity that you receive from your friends.

“But wait, didn’t we just talk about that? Your friends are giving you constructive criticism, right?”

Yes, your friends are often a good source of constructive criticism. Maybe my friends are just the worst, but I’ve also noticed another, more sinister type of criticism.

“I’m only saying this because I care about you – you are literally the worst.”

– Your ‘friends’

Your friends love you, and having them in your life is awesome. However, they don’t always share your passions, specifically about game development. Many of them might think that you’re getting your hopes up and stressing yourself out for no reason. Maybe you don’t spend as much time with them as you used to. Maybe they’re just jealous of how awesome your game is. Whatever the reason, they’ll probably let you know.

I’ve heard a lot of different comments, but most of them begin with some form of “I’m saying this because I care about you…” This is the ultimate way a friend will disguise a negative comment. A lot of times you’ll hear something like “You know your game isn’t going to take off, right? I just don’t want you to get your hopes up,” or “Why are you wasting so much time on that – I mean, it’s just a hobby, right?”

Perhaps they are saying it because they care about you, and perhaps they mean well. Game development requires a lot of motivation and momentum, and hearing these things from the people who most care about you can be very disheartening. Sometimes you need to hear these things, but if you’re simply committed to creating something you can be proud of, you don’t need that kind of demotivation.

So how do we best deal with this type of adversity? To be honest, I wish I knew. The easier strategy is to simply nod along with them – “yeah, I know my game isn’t that great, but it’s a fun hobby.” This doesn’t seem fair to you, as you’ve put a lot of work into your game, but it’ll get them off your back. The other strategy is to explain to them that you’re doing everything you can to make this game a success. You’re putting a lot of work into it, and you would appreciate their support. If they have any constructive feedback, you would love to hear it.

Honestly, I think the second strategy is probably better, but as an introverted developer, I find myself utilizing the first more often. This is something I’m working on, but I think this is the type of adversity that is the most difficult to overcome. If you have any tips or thoughts about this one, we would love to hear from you!

 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Hopefully this post gives you a little bit of insight into some of the types of adversity you will most likely see as a game developer, and how to deal with them. Next time I’m going to discuss another topic that I find plagues me and many other game developers: staying motivated.

Until then, let us know if you have any questions or feedback! As always, you can find out more about the game at WhereShadowsSlumber.com, find us on Twitter (@GameRevenant), Facebook, itch.io, or Twitch, and feel free to email us directly with any questions or feedback at contact@GameRevenant.com.

Jack Kelly is the head developer and designer for Where Shadows Slumber.