Interviews

JA – Any advice for other indies wishing to create their own game?

Steve Ince – Be prepared for a lot of hard work.  It can be very easy to become discouraged by an apparent lack of progress, but if you set yourself a series of smaller goals you can take heart from each time you achieve one of them.

Jonathan Boakes –
Don’t let any initial negativity put you off. Carry on making the
game you want to, and then wonder if others might like it. Being
independent means you can work outside of the financially orientated
world of the suits. Enjoy the freedom, and make sure you get permission
from your mother, and whoever pays the phone bill.     

Britney Brimhall – Go for it!  I’d
recommend starting with a small project and being certain to complete
it.  Once you understand all aspects of game development, graduate to a larger, more ambitious project where the sky is the limit.

Tamás Marosi Z. (Pierrot) – I think you win if you can cover up or make up for your problems coming from the amateur situation with a good idea. It is not worth standing in line to produce another clone. Of course, I also think that in an ideal case, someone who starts their own production will feel that they can produce something special, unique. With a watch-I-can-do-that-too attitude, you are not being too original.

Mikael & Eleen Nyqvist – Plan to do something that you believe you can pull off technically. Start small, and try to build upon it during the process. Test everything before you base an idea on it. Originality almost always pays off. 

Matt Clark – Make a game because you enjoy playing games, and create something you would enjoy playing. With those two factors in mind, you are bound to create something personal, and rewarding.

Cos
Russo – Alida was
a solo effort and as such I treated the project as a work of
art. If I had thought about the financial rewards only, I would
never have had produced Alida. But
most importantly, keep a vigilant watch on your publisher!

Agustin
Cordes & Alejandro Graziani – Leave
your girlfriend and renounce to social life. Be ruthless and
crush your enemies. You will be universally hated but, hey, there’s
nothing like finishing your game and watch it being torn to pieces
because its graphics don’t live up to the current hot title of
the moment.

Other than that, be methodical,
set clear goals, do a throughout design document before anything
else, and always
keep it under your pillow – it could save
your life. And above everything, you have to know your limitations (ie:
don’t try and pull a Longest Journey type
of epic if you’re a small bunch of people without funding).

It’s possible though… making a game independently and living to tell it is already a verified fact. So would you just go for it?!

Chris
Brendel – First,
anyone interested in creating a game solely for profit should
look elsewhere, because succeeding financially is extremely difficult.
If, however, one’s
interest in making a game is because of one’s love for gaming,
then that person should follow his/her dream and not let anything
stand
in the way. The largest mistake that I think an independent
developer can make is to compare his/her game to a commercial one.  I
know because I’ve done this numerous times myself!  It
will not help development in any way, but instead serve only to discourage
you. It is okay to reach for excellence, as long as you stay
aware of your capabilities and limitations. Once the game is
complete, be open to critiques and suggestions for improvement; don’t
take negative comments as insults, but as constructive criticism.
Lastly, no matter what difficulties come up, do not give up hope.  Making
a game takes a LOT of time and work, but in the end, it can be extremely
satisfying and rewarding!

Bryan
Wiegele – A
few years ago while waiting in my dentist’s office for a checkup
I read over a poster on his wall containing a bunch of ‘advice’ from
a range of people. The one thing I remember from that wall was this:
‘If you wait until everything is perfect before you take that first
step,
you will stand in place forever.’

Gey & Silvio Savarese –
If you have a great idea and you feel excited about it, go for
it. Don’t be afraid of daring. You will spend several months of
sleepless nights (due to hard work) but the intellectual achievement
of creating an adventure game will compensate by far all of the
previous efforts.

Michael Clark – Yes, just DO it!  If you are passionate enough about it, you must follow through.  There is a wealth of information out there to help and guide you on your way.
 

Knut Mueller – Take your ideas and make a great game! If you have questions, ask another indie!

Keith Nemitz -Start with a clear idea of what you want to create. If you can’t imagine yourself playing it, working the actual interface, experiencing all of the sound, music, gameplay,
surprises, delights, agonies… you want a user to experience, then keep honing your
idea. Only begin implementation after sharpening your plan to a knife’s edge. Your design
will change. Keep yourself open to improvements during the entire development
process, but keep to a schedule. Discipline is essential.