The Indie Diarist
By Anthony L. Wolf
The Indie DiaristMay 13, 2024
Indie Diary #45: Figerox - Getting Horror Right, Learning From Mistakes
In this third and last episode in the collaboration with Indieverse, I spent some time with indie dev and content creator Figerox, who's currently working on a couple of horror projects to help bring his vision to life. Figerox is a super energetic dev, and I hope his story will inspire you! Enjoy!
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Support Figerox đđ
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Figerox
- Itch: https://figerox.itch.io/
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Support the show đđ
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: â https://patreon.com/theindiediaristâ
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediaristâ
- Follow on Twitter: â https://twitter.com/theindiediaristâ
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
Indie Diary #44: Renee Gittins - Overcoming Challenges, Connecting People, Creative Problem-Solving
In this last episode of the Women-Led Games mini-series, I spent some time with Stumbling Cat creative director Renee Gittins, a passionate advocate and connector for devs in the indie games community! Renee is developing her own game about overcoming challenges with her studio, and her background was incredibly interesting to discover. Enjoy!
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Support Renee:
- Wishlist Potions: https://store.steampowered.com/app/378690/Potions_A_Curious_Tale/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rikukat?lang=en
- Insta: https://www.instagram.com/rikukat/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneegittins/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GinRyuChan
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Support the show đđ
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: â https://patreon.com/theindiediaristâ
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediaristâ
- Follow on Twitter: â https://twitter.com/theindiediaristâ
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
Indie Diary #43: Villainous Games - Finding a Publisher, Making Horror Games, Listening to That "Itch"
Finding a publisher is as much about you finding them as them finding you â and in this episode, I discussed this and more with Mark Drew and Valentina Chrysostomou from Villainous Games, a wonderful indie studio making "unusual" horror games. From Amnesia to Resident Evil, the namedropping of great horror examples was real for this one. Enjoy! đđ
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Support Mark & Valentina:
- Wishlist Harvest Hunt: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2009620/Harvest_Hunt/
- Mark: https://twitter.com/markdrew
- Val: https://twitter.com/valentinaChrys
- Villainous Games: https://twitter.com/wearevillainous
Indie Diary #42: Isa Hellström - Of Dreams, Chemistry & Soulmates
In this last episode of my collaboration with the Indieverse community, I spent some time with Isa Hellström, a game developer based in Sweden who's currently working on a cosy/magical farming sim called Magical Harvest. Together we explored the meaning of chasing your dreams, moving from a decade-old career into games, soulmates, and why game development is so powerful. Enjoy! đđ
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Wishlist Magical Harvest:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1906970/Magical_Harvest/
Find Isa online:
- Game Twitter: https://twitter.com/MagicalHarvest
- Personal Twitter: https://twitter.com/IsaVII_Games
- Game Discord: https://discord.com/invite/8tXMkrMDyy
Footnote #6: Past, Present and Future of the Korean Gaming Market (ft. Minimap)
Trying to market your games for a Korean audience? Or are you simply curious about the Korean gaming market? In this episode, I spent some time with George Jeong from Korea-based game management platform Minimap, to discuss the Big Three Ns and a lot of other incredibly interesting topics on gaming in the region â including the rise of new and talented indie studios! đđ
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Find George / Minimap online:
- Minimap website: https://minimap.net/
- Minimap Discord: https://discord.com/invite/cbNQMya8sG
Indie Diary #41: Doot - Minami Lane, Cosy Gaming, Working With Your Partner
In this episode I spent some time with Dorian "Doot", one half of a couple of developers who created the beautiful cosy masterpiece Minami Lane, where you manage a single town's street. As expected, this chat was incredibly cosy through and through, and we covered anything from the beauty of developing for the cosy niche, to creating games with your partner. Enjoy!
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Wishlist Minami Lane: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2678990/Minami_Lane/
Doot's Links: https://linktr.ee/dodoot
Indie Diary #40: Lilliana Kendra - Of Being a Multipotential, Time Management, and Challenges to Diversity
In this second episode of the mini-series in collaboration with Indieverse, I spent some time with writer, game dev, trailer editor (and more) Lilliana Kendra, an amazing and restless member of the indie game dev community with a passion for... having countless passions! As a tireless multipotential myself, I could really relate with her struggles. We discussed anything from the wonders of time management to being a queer developer in a still much old-fashioned industry. Enjoy!
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Find Lilliana online:
- https://twitter.com/lillianakendra
- https://www.twitch.tv/lillianakendra
- https://www.youtube.com/@lillianakendratrailers (Trailers channel)
- https://www.youtube.com/@lillikendra (Gaming channel)
- https://lilliana-kendra.itch.io/
Indie Diary #39: Lorena CĂĄceres Arias - Designing Puzzles, Developing in Spain, Carving Your Own Path
In this episode, I spent some time with Mycelium Heaven developer Lorena CĂĄceres Arias, a game development and math student with a burning passion for developing engaging puzzle games that people will love to play. Lorena started playing all the way back in the Flash era, and her passion hasn't gone out since then. This is also a slightly shorter episode than usual, which will be a breath of fresh air to some! Enjoy!
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Find Lorena online:
- https://twitter.com/3DGoblinDev
- https://3dgoblindev.itch.io/
Wishlist Mycelium Heaven: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2656520/Mycelium_Heaven/
Indie Diary #38: Falinere - Funding Your Passion, Developing For a Hyper-Niche
In this first episode of a mini-series in collaboration with Indieverse, I spent some time with Falinere, a game dev / content creator who's developing interactive RPGs in a very specific niche: live-streaming chat games. We discussed the beauty of finding your own path, among other things. Enjoy!
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Find Falinere online:
- https://www.falinere.com/
- https://www.youtube.com/falinere
- https://www.twitch.tv/falinere
- https://twitter.com/Falinere
- https://discord.com/invite/6y9UJJ3
- https://ko-fi.com/falinere
Footnote #5: Dear Games Industry, Please Name a Woman...
It's International Women's Day week, and for this bonus Footnote, I wanted to get together with a very special guest from the indie game development community: Charmaine Duff, founder of Women-Led Games!
In this episode, Char and I discussed the core challenges to diversity and inclusion in the industry, explored the ways in which we can all do better, and fortunately, named a few female developers!
Hope you enjoy!
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NOTE: The name of the episode is inspired by (and a tribute to) a splendid Kotaku article by Senior Editor Alyssa Mercante, written shortly after PC Gamer's 30th anniversary controversy. You can read the full article here: https://kotaku.com/pc-gamer-30th-anniversary-women-games-1851021562
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Find Women-Led Games online:
- Website: https://www.womenledgames.com/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/womenledgames
- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ffGubbcPVd
- Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/womenledgames
Indie Diary #37: Tanja Lind Tankred - Making Games That Matter, Creativity On Sale
In this episode, I spent some time with Tanja Lind Tankred, co-founder of Other Tales Interactive and currently working on a beautiful narrative-led game anthology called Miniatures! Tanja tuned in all the way from Denmark, and together we discussed anything from the value of creativity to the power of meaningful game experiences. Enjoy!
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Find Other Tales Interactive online:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/OtherTales
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/othertales/
- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/othertales
Indie Diary #36: Ashley 'Aemixx' - Connecting with People, Writing Interactive Stories
In this episode, I had a chat with Ashley 'Aemixx', developer of episodic CYOA game Gods of the Twilight, as part of a collaboration with Gentleland.net and Jacky Martin. Together we discussed all things narrative, as we dove into the details of her love for Sonic and beautifully written interactive stories.
Hope you enjoy!
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- Wishlist Gods of the Twilight: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1528970/Gods_of_the_Twilight/
- Follow Ashley: https://twitter.com/godsoftwilightÂ
- Join Ashley's Discord: https://discord.gg/j9U5BCkn53
Indie Diary #35: Andrea Saravia PĂ©rez â Of Leadership, Representation and Role Models
In this second episode in collaboration with Women-led Games, I spent some time with Andrea Saravia PĂ©rez, a narrative designer from Colombia, to talk about her AAA experience and the struggles of developers from underrepresented backgrounds who reach for success in the industry. Enjoy!
âââââââââ Find Andrea online: - Twitter: https://x.com/asaraviapt - Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/asaraviapt/commissions - Itch: https://asaravia.itch.io/
Indie Diary #34: Kay Anderson - Of Dreams, Ambitions, and Doing What You Love
In this episode, I'm proud to kick off a mini-series in collaboration with Women-Led Games! Over the next month or so, I will feature some female developers from the WLG community â with the ambition to host even more in the future. The first one in the series is German narrative designer Kay Anderson, a former aspiring biologist turned game dev, who brings her empathy and passion for stories in everything she does. Enjoy!
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Kay's email: kayandersonms@gmail.com
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Learn about Women-Led Games:
https://www.womenledgames.com/
Indie Diary #33: Jake Kordus (Nibble & Byte Games) - Indie Aspirations, From Aerospace to Game Dev, Learning From Yourself
In this episode, I spent some time with Jake Kordus, Director and Founder of Nibble & Byte Games â working on The Fall of Aether Station. When he's not busy managing a team of developers in aerospace software, Jake dedicates most of his free time to a burning passion for game dev â one that clearly shines through this beautiful episode here. Hope you enjoy! đđ
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- Wishlist The Fall of Aether Station: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300690/The_Fall_of_Aether_Station/
- Subscribe to Jake's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4DQsoxIW7xNW2mmRIPPMKg
Indie Diary #32: Alex Kanaris-Sotiriu - The Act of Creation, AAA vs Indie, and an Island of Myths!
In this episode, I spent some time with Polygon Treehouse co-founder Alex Kanaris-Sotiriu, an ex-Sony developer turned creative director of his own Scotland-based studio. Alex has discovered a lot about the joy of "finding your own balance" in life, and this episode explores these themes and more. Enjoy!
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- Wishlist Mythwrecked: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2000210/Mythwrecked_Ambrosia_Island/
- Alex's Twitter: https://x.com/kanaratron
- Polygon Treehouse Twitter: https://x.com/polytreehouse
Indie Diary #31: Rob Madden - Of Loss, Love, and Cherished Memories
New year, new Indie Diary â with a new podcast theme made by video game and film composer Yuri Gore! đđ
In this very special episode, I spent some time with Rob Madden, creative director of Hyperluminal Games and the mind behind the beautiful upcoming puzzle-adventure Pine Hearts. Rob has an incredibly personal connection to his game, and I feel incredibly grateful to him for having wanted to share his story with me.
Plus, The Indie Diarist's new and shiny YouTube channel is now live! That's where you can find all the past, present and future episodes of the show â plus some extra content coming soon. Give it a follow here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist/
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Find Rob online:
- Wishlist Pine Hearts: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1781010/Pine_Hearts/
- Little Nook Twitter: https://twitter.com/LittleNookGames
- Little Nook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlenookpublishing/
Indie Diary #30: Tony Gowland - Creativity & Constraints, From AAA to Indie, Creating the Familiar
In this 30th Indie Diary and last episode of 2023, I spent some time with a former Rockstar veteran turned indie, to discuss the value of familiar experiences, laughter, and creativity under constraints. What a beautiful way to end the first year of the show!
Hope you enjoy! đđ
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Buy Dungeon Golf:
- Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2144040/Dungeon_Golf/
Find Tony and his team online:
- Twitter: twitter.com/AntWorkshop
- Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/tonygowland.bsky.social
- Discord: discord.com/invite/P6NFbuf
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Rbt-MNHfYJt008xdlse4Q
Indie Diary #29: Tom Curtis - Learning From Gamemaker, Trigonometry, and HopDodge Shenanigans!
Remember the good old days when playing games wasn't a game dev exercise? đ In this episode, I spent some time with Tom Curtis, a US-based developer who's been thinking about games differently since he was 11. Tom has recently delisted his HopDodge to make it the best version of itself it can be. Get ready for a journey, folks â this one feels very intimate! Hope you enjoy!
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Find Tom online:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HopDodge
- Website: https://blankgamesonline.com/
- HopDodge (Steam): https://steamcommunity.com/app/1965680/workshop/
How to Promote Your Game With Influencers & Creators - Brought to You by Drope.me
Influencers and creators can make a huge difference to bring your game to success. In this episode, I spent some time with Drope.me's CEO, Dima Okhrimchuk, to discuss the challenges of indie game influencer marketing, chat through the rise of micro-influencers, and share some practical tips to level up your creator marketing campaigns. Hope you enjoy!
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Use the promo code INDIEDIARIST0 on Drope.me by 31 Dec 2023 to launch your first influencer campaign with 0% commission!
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- Try out Drope.me: http://bit.ly/47pcZRR
- Drope.me's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dropeme/
- Drope.me's Twitter: https://twitter.com/drope_me
- Dima's email: dima@drope.me
- Dima's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dima-okhrimchuk/
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[This episode was sponsored by Drope.me, an AI-enabled influencer marketing platform]
Indie Diary #28: Jan Mysior (Yellow Dot Games) - The Value of Simplicity, Developing Games for Your Loved One
Jan Mysior is developing co-op games so he can play them with his wife and kids â and I think that's beautiful. In this episode, I spent some time with the co-owner of Yellow Dot Games, tuning in all the way from Poland to tell me about his story â and why he loves co-op games so much. Hope you enjoy!
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Find Jan and his studio online:
- Website: https://www.yellowdotgames.com/
- Studio Discord: https://discord.gg/Y7yAD9K4vY
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/YellowDot_Games
- Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/yellow_dot_games
Footnote #4: The Power of Detail in Sound Design - with Immersed Productions
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Find Tony online:
- Website: immersedproductions.com
- Twitter (Immersed Productions): twitter.com/ImmersedProd
- Twitter (Tony): twitter.com/TonyWijsVA
Indie Diary #27: Far Owl Studios â Making Turn-Based RPGs, The Isolation of GameDev, Blending Narrative & Gameplay
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Find Kai online:
- Ethereal Metropolis Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/etherealmetropolis/ethereal-metropolis-intense-tile-based-combat
- Far Owl Studios (Twitter): twitter.com/far_owl
- Far Owl Studios (YouTube)
Indie Diary #26: Peleg Harel - Of Meaningful Creations, Game Design and Puzzle Games!
In this episode, I spent some time with one of the show's closest supporters, Peleg Harel â a solo developer from Israel who's making a beautiful little puzzle game called Exodus. Peleg is such an amazing member of The Indie Diarist community, looking to create meaningful games and experiences for his players â with a wonderful puzzle game to match. Enjoy!
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Support Peleg:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExodusPgame
- Wishlist/try Exodus: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2293540/Exodus/
Indie Diary #25: Balcony Softworks â What If Your Indie Game Failed?
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Find Balcony Softworks online:
- Wishlist Deepest Chamber: store.steampowered.com/app/1552080/Deepest_Chamber_Resurrection/#app_reviews_hash
- Team's Discord: discord.gg/DeepestChamber
- Team's Twitter: twitter.com/BalconyTeam
Footnote #3: Answering Your Indie Game Marketing Burning Questions â with Alex Harding, Jacky Martin & Maren Sunderland
How do you even start with marketing your indie game? What is the best approach to game marketing, and how do you find your audience? In this special episode extracted from a Discord-only event, I connected with three amazing professionals in the indie game marketing scene to help answer burning questions from the community! I hope you guys find it useful đđ
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Connect with my guests! đ
Alex:
Personal TW: https://twitter.com/alexdharding
TW: https://twitter.com/TheIndiEXP
Website: https://theindiexp.com/
Jacky:
TW: https://twitter.com/TheJackyMartin
Website: https://www.gentleland.net/
Maren:
TW: https://twitter.com/ManekiSocial
Website: https://www.maneki.social/
Indie Diary #24: Bromantic Games - Being a Family Studio, Connection Through Game Dev, and Why That Card Game Is Probably a Bad Idea
As someone who left his home country at 21, I can really empathise with stories of siblings living apart. That's why in this episode I spent some time with two brothers from the Bromantic Games bunch, Daniel and Simen, who are developing an amazing settlement builder called Folklands â and who are keeping close to each other thanks to their work as game devs. đđ
Enjoy!
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Find Bromantic Games online:
- Wishlist Folklands: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2282890/Folklands/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/folklandsgame
Indie Diary #23: Chaz - The Flash Era, Game Jams, and... Final Fantasy Fun!
What do you remember of the Flash era? In this episode, I spent some time with UK-based solo dev Chaz, an incredibly passionate developer who learned to code all the way back in the age of Newground and Miniclip. We also had the chance to discuss our shared love for Final Fantasy VII. Enjoy!
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Find Chaz online:
- Website: https://madebychaz.com
- Try out Soulvester VS Lil' Beezey: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2368510/Soulvester_VS_Lil_Beezey/
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Support the show!
Website: https://theindiediarist.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
Indie Diary #22: Eric Manahan - From Architecture to Game Design, Following Your Heart, LUCID Dreams
Who would have thought architecture and game design had so much in common? In this episode I spent some time with Eric Manahan, game designer and founder of The Matte Black Studio, who's currently working on his dearly beloved "Celest-oidvania" LUCID. A former architect with a burning love for games, Eric made the jump to game dev just a few years ago â but he's been harbouring this passion for way longer. Enjoy! ----- Support LUCID: https://lucidkickstarter.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/matteblackstudio Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/_theMatteBlack Lucid Discord: https://discord.com/invite/PQYTsAZQZu
Indie Diary #21: Adrian Spencer - Wormholes, Conventions and Chainmail Jewellery!
Who knew chainmail jewellery and game development could go so well together? In this episode, I spent some time with Adrian Spencer, founder of Lakea Games and developer of Wormhole Adventurer (among other things), to discuss anything from getting into games to showcasing your project at conventions. Adrian used to stream online while making chainmail jewellery, and at some point, this passion turned into something a bit more game-related.
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Find Adrian online:
- Get Wormhole Adventurer: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1959940/Wormhole_Adventurer/
- Adrian's Website: https://lakeagames.co.uk
- Adrian's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lakea_gaming
- Adrian's Twitter: https://twitter.com/GamesLakea
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Support the show:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Patreon: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
Indie Diary #20: Joe Sullivan - From Freelance to Indie, Imagination & Growth, Farming Spells (Literally!)
In this episode, I spent some time with Joe Sullivan, a former freelance contractor who made the move to independent game development with his upcoming game â FloraMancer: Seeds & Spells. From the role of imagination in game dev to his vision for his game, Joe and I had such a lovely chat together! Enjoy!
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Find Joe online:
- Wishlist FloraMancer: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2259300/FloraMancer__Seeds_and_Spells/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sullygamedev
- Threads: https://threads.net/@floramancergame
Indie Diary #19: OKJOY Studio - Bringing Joy to People, Being a Developer/Publisher, Games & Culture
In this episode I spent some time with OKJOY Studio, a developer/publisher tuning in all the way from Hong Kong, to chat about their games and what it means to both create and publish titles within the same team. Enjoy this slightly-shorter-than-usual episode and make sure to support the OKJOY team, so they can keep... bringing joy to people all over the world! :)
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Find OKJOY Studio:
- Check out their games: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/OKJOY
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/okjoy_studio
- Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/okjoy.studio
Indie Diary #18: Jan & Sakura (RainLight) - Steam Next Fest Learnings, Making Multiplayer Games, The Beauty of Play
Is the Steam Next Fest worth it for an indie dev? What is it like to make a game that many people can play together? In this episode I spent some time with Sakura and Jan, co-founders of small indie studio RainLight and developers of Tricky Tracks â a hide-and-seek game with a twist!
Sakura and Jan were just "recovering" from the Steam Next Fest when we recorded this episode â give it a listen for a lot of tips on the event!
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Find RainLight online:
- Try Tricky Tracks: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2122000/Tricky_Tracks__Early_Access/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tricky_tracks
- Tricky Tracks' Discord: https://discord.com/invite/EurYgCAYj4
Indie Diary #17: Lente - Life on a Boat, Flash Nostalgia, The Value of Nature
As far as wholesome games go, Lente's "Spilled" is a great example of what happens when love for nature meets game development. In this episode, I spent some time with a talented indie dev living on a boat in the Netherlands, who's channelling her passion for the environment in her upcoming water-cleansing and oil-removing game. Enjoy!
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Find Lente online:
- Wishlist Spilled: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240080/Spilled/
- Website: https://lente.me
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lentegamedev
Footnote #2: The Rise and Impact of Indie Games on Video Game Culture (Ft. Still Loading Podcast)
Indie games and developers are the foundation of our medium: they've always been around, and they will never leave.
For this very special bonus episode, I invited over Josh from Still Loading podcast to chat together about the origins and rise of indie games, trying to figure out the impact they had on video game culture â and where we're headed next.
The result is an amazing episode full of historical facts around indie games, and something I'm personally very proud of! Thank you Josh for being such a splendid guest. đ«¶
Enjoy this little collab!
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Find Josh and Still Loading online:
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/stillloadingpod
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/stillloadingpod
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/stillloadingpod
- Threads: https://threads.net/stillloadingpod
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stillloadingpodcast/
- Website with podcast links: https://www.stillloadingpodcast.com/
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Support the show:
- Twitter: â https://twitter.com/theindiediaristâ
- Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
- Patreon: â https://patreon.com/theindiediaristâ
Indie Diary #16: Kevin Wu - The Indie Game Dev Raft, Passions & Regrets, Developing RPGs
Product manager by day, indie game dev by night â Kevin Wu lives a double life, and his game dev work oozes with passion and creative love. In this episode, I spent some time with Kevin, solo developer and founder of Little Bear Studios, who just launched his turn-based RPG Magic & Machines on Steam at the end of June. From his experience developing his game to secret insights into his dream game, this episode is heartwarming and fun in equal measure.
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Find Kevin online:
- Get Magic & Machines: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2341800/Magic_and_Machines/
- Kevin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilbearstudios
- Kevin's website: https://www.littlebear.studio/
Indie Diary #15: Kenny Engelsen (Rain Games) - The Value of Nostalgia, Being a Game Developer, Working with Someone's IP
How is it like to work with someone else's IP? In this episode, I spent some time with Kenneth ("Kenny") Engelsen, game director at Rain Games â a passionate Norwegian studio currently working on the video game adaptation of graphic novel Girl Genius. From the story of Rain Games itself to Kenny's current work at the studio, there's much to look forward to in this episode!
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Find Rain Games online:
- Kenny's Twitter: https://twitter.com/RainGames_Kenny
- Studio's Twitter: https://twitter.com/rain_games
- Website: https://rain-games.com/
- Get Teslagrad 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1698220/Teslagrad_2/
- Try Girl Genius: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1789370/Girl_Genius_Adventures_In_Castle_Heterodyne/
Indie Diary #14: LIVE with OutoftheBit - Founding Your Company, Taking Risks, and a Lot of Vintage!
I spent some time with Out of the Bit, an indie studio based in Wimbledon (UK) for the very first LIVE recorded episode of the show! I was hosted by Ali Motisi, Rosalia Trupiano and Leo Halwart, for a fun hour chatting about their pixel art adventure game Full Void, vintage games, and what it means to chase your dreams and take risks for what you really love to do.
By the time this episode goes live, Full Void will also be ready to hit Steam in the same week â so hit that Wishlist / Buy button and support this lovely multicultural bunch of devs!
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Find Out of the Bit online:
Buy Full Void: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1859580/Full_Void/
Follow the team's Twitter: https://twitter.com/outofthebit
OotB Website: https://www.outofthebit.com/
Indie Diary #13: Astral Clocktower Studios - The Problem of Funding, Being a Women-Led Studio, and Cats!
Are you into cats and action RPGs? In this episode, I spent some time with the co-founders and directors of Astral Clocktower Studios, a mid-sized indie studio currently developing Kristala â a game of cats and magic. Together with Allie, Tiffany and Sarah, we touched upon many important topics, such as finding your way as an indie studio and what it means to be a women-led company. Unfortunately, the answer is precisely what you're thinking about.
Make sure to support the team with the links below!
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Support Kristala:
Back the Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kristala/kristala-dark-fantasy-arpg-for-pc-console
Wishlist on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1206410/Kristala/
Find the team online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACS_Games
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acs_games/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalagame
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ACS_Games
Website: https://astralclocktowerstudios.com
Indie Diary #12: Steve Hollis - On Roguelikes, Creativity, and a LOT of Outer Wilds
This episode was SO MUCH FUN to make! I spent some time with Steve Hollis, founder of Noisy Head Games, to learn more about his story and the development of Beyond The Long Night â a delightful roguelike published by Yogscast Games. What started off as an episode to learn more on Steve's game quickly became a chat about creativity, the beauty of roguelikes, and â like most conversations I have lately â the absolute masterpiece that is Outer Wilds. Also, the second longest episode of the podcast yet! Hope you enjoy :)
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Find Steve online:
- Buy Beyond the Long Night: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1730080/Beyond_the_Long_Night/
- Steve's Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoisyHeadGames
- "Very Badly Updated" Website: https://noisyheadgames.com/
Indie Diary #11: Evin Oxley - Why Horror Games Are Great, Life of a GameDev Student, Making People Smile
In this episode I spent some time with Evin Oxley, a game development student from the UK who's just released Kiki's Here â a game she developed for her university programme. Evin is a self-driven student who loves horror and making people smile â which may seem two opposites on the surface, yet come together in Evin's incredible passion for game development. Listen to us chatting about anything horror, indie and gaming, then try out her game at the links below!
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Join the podcast's Discord! -> https://discord.gg/J84aPfSSvj
Find Evin online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvinOxley
Website: https://evinikuyama.itch.io/
Play Evin's Game: https://evinikuyama.itch.io/kikis-here
Footnote #1: Kelsey Beachum - Outer Wilds Special: The Making of Outer Wilds, Player Immersion, The Beauty of Discovery
This episode features special questions from the Outer Wilds subreddit (r/OuterWilds), which I thank very much for being one of the most lovable communities on the whole internet. Also, Elwensa's stories may well be canon soon.
Safe travels!
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Find Kelsey online:
- Twitter: twitter.com/VanKelsing
- Website: kelseybeachum.com/
- Play Outer Wilds, you heretic: store.steampowered.com/app/753640/Outer_Wilds/
Indie Diary #10: Ramon Bocca (Tiny Bull Studios) - Story-driven Games, Development in Italy, Immersive Storytelling
In this episode, I had an amazing chat with a fellow compatriot from my country of birth: Ramon Bocca, a studio producer from Turin, Italy! Ramon and his team are working on a beautiful series of lovecraftian, story-driven games called Omen Exitio, and they're currently finalising their work on their first sequel - 1927. As you can imagine, it will feel very much noir indeed. :)
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Find Ramon and Tiny Bull Studios online:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TinyBullStudios
- Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/tinybullstdios
- Wishlist Omen Exitio: 1927: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1466520/Omen_Exitio_1927/
Indie Diary #9: Erik Andersen - The Beauty and Loneliness of Game Development, Looking After Yourself, Love for Languages
In this episode I chatted with US-based solo dev Erik Andersen, a fellow language geek who's now working on "So to Speak" â a game about the Japanese language. If you played and loved Heaven's Vault, you're going to love this one: the references were many, and Erik's passions led to a much relaxed conversation about the beauty of game development, how to learn to take risks, and more incredibly interesting topics.
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Support Erik:
- Wishlist So to Speak (Demo available): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1779030/So_to_Speak/
- Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/elander99
- Game's Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoToSpeakGame
Indie Diary #8: Romain Mesa - The Art of Video Games, The Efficiency of Art, Working Class Heroes
In this episode, I spent some time with Romain Mesa, founder of KnightStudio and developer of Mama: Die and Retry, an old school platformer celebrating the heroes of the working class. A former lawyer, Romain is a dedicated believer of the argument of video games as a form of art â and as someone who did his dissertation on the topic, I couldn't miss the occasion to have a beautiful conversation around everything art, literature, aesthetic and game design. Enjoy!
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Try Romain's game:
Mama: Die and Retry on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2211800/Mama_Die_and_Retry/
Romain's Twitter: @KnightStudio1
Indie Diary #7: Tom Mead & Dom Clarke (Spiral Circus Games) - SILT, The Beauty of Creative Freedom, Dealing With Scope, The Pressure of Game Development
In this episode I chatted with the developers of SILT, a beautiful indie puzzle-horror game created by Spiral Circus Games â a UK-based studio. Two explosive creative minds coming together, Tom & Dom met by chance and have started creating games together since. They're now working on their next big thing, and they spent some time to chat with me about their story, their biggest achievements and fears â in line with the mood of their lovely little game.
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BUY SILT (available on all major platforms): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1325890/SILT/
Spiral Circus Website: https://spiralcircusgames.com/
Spiral Circus Twitter: https://twitter.com/gamescircus
Spiral Circus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiralcircusgames/
Indie Diary #6: J Wesley Hocker - Game Development as Catharsis, The Beauty of Self-Love, and Just a Lot of Doom
J Wesley isn't the first and won't be the last developer to use creativity as a form of relief, catharsis and purification. His story and amazing personality, though, make for one of the most powerful episodes of the show yet. In this new Indie Diary, J and I talked about our love for id Software, the importance of self-love and acceptance, and why everyone has the power to change â if they put their mind to it.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode focuses on the topics of addiction, rehabilitation and recovery through the power of creative arts.
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Follow J online:
Website: mindovermatterentertainment.com
Twitter: @MindOMatterEnt
Indie Diary #5: Enrique Dryere (Triple B Titles) - Creativity as Sacrifice, Secrets of Inspiration, DnD and... Poker?
Ever wondered what a mix of Dungeons & Dragons and poker (yes, the card game) would look like? Wonder no further, for this episode's guest is Enrique Dryere, co-founder of Triple B Titles and developer of Aces and Adventures! From the secrets of creative inspiration to MMOs and fantasy RPG games, we had a great deal of fun in this episode.
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- Buy Aces & Adventures: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1815570/Aces__Adventures/
- Follow Triple B Titles: https://twitter.com/triple_b_titles
Indie Diary #4: Aleksey Dmitriev - Success & Failure as a Dev, The Mafia Wars Engine, Creativity & Invention
Remember all those Facebook games back in the day? In this episode, I spoke to the man who made the engine for Mafia Wars, among others: Aleksey Dmitriev, a once studio lead now gone solo, tuning in straight from Turkey. We chatted about creativity, successes, achievements and pride as a game developer â delving into the brightest and darkest sides of game development.
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Follow Aleksey: https://twitter.com/dekart1234
Indie Diary #3: Mateo Covic - The First Game, Funny Bugs, The Duty of Community
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Wishlist/Buy Maki's Adventure: store.steampowered.com/app/1843110/Makis_Adventure/
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Follow Mateo and his game:
Twitter: twitter.com/Zoroarts_Dev
Tiktok (German Account): www.tiktok.com/@makisadventure_official
Instagram: www.instagram.com/zoroarts18/
Website: www.makisadventure.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYSfJQbbUV8dw_JtkbD3ZA