GamesCity BuilderTo survive as an indie dev, “I must reuse everything,” says solo designer who pivoted from an aerial combat sim to a hotly-anticipated city builderWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesCity BuilderTo survive as an indie dev, “I must reuse everything,” says solo designer who pivoted from an aerial combat sim to a hotly-anticipated city builderWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Tomas Sala)
The developer of anticipated city builderBulwark: Falconeer Chronicleshas explained the design philosophy that’s led to the connective tissue between his two very different games.
In a recent tweet, Sala outlined his “personal rules for indie dev survival,” starting with the need for originality and a sensible scope. He explains that without “ridiculous funds/means,” if a game idea exists already, or if his own idea is too detailed, then he either won’t be able to compete with the first game, or won’t be able to bring his own offerings to life. Woven into those rules are the idea that “I cannot make a universally beloved game,” and that “luck, random chance, or external multipliers” aren’t something that a developer can rely on.
My personal rules for #indiedev survival (a draft)1. If it exists already, then I cannot compete, unless I am famous or have ridiculous funds/means.2.If it is too detailed I cannot scale up, unless I have ridiculous funds/means.3.I must make everything attractive but…February 4, 2024
My personal rules for #indiedev survival (a draft)1. If it exists already, then I cannot compete, unless I am famous or have ridiculous funds/means.2.If it is too detailed I cannot scale up, unless I have ridiculous funds/means.3.I must make everything attractive but…February 4, 2024
But the thing that interests me most is Sala’s sixth and final rule, which states that “I must reuse everything, starting with the IP, everything I create must become part of my brand/world/setting. So it can grow into something ridiculous.” That rule is something that Sala has clearly stuck to - with little connective tissue between Bulwark andThe Falconeeras games in their own right, it’s their shared world that’s at the heart of Sala’s emerging portfolio.
It’s a philosophy that’s clearly a major part of game development - any member of any studio will tell you that learnings and assets are re-used wherever possible to enable simpler, cheaper pipelines. In the indie space, you can see that in direct sequels, like theZelda-inspired turnip Boy games, and in highly stylised follow-ups like Deltarune orHaunted Chocolatier. All that said, however, it’s comparatively rare for a studio to try and weave a narrative thread through two such different games.
While Sala suggests that visual clarity and narrative consistency are both important parts of his design process, one traditionally key aspect of game development isn’t: fun. Plenty of devs have discussed their attempts at ‘finding the fun’ in a development prototype, but in a follow-up tweet, Sala says that “my core failing is this lack of obsession with fun,” and that he’s never been interested in making “second to second fun” in his games. In another tweet, he notes that “I am simply not interested in making that perfect addictive gameplay loop you can just slip into,” and that “fun is nice but a side project.”
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”