Hello everyone! With PAX East 2023 right around the corner, we decided to share our preparation for the event. PAX East 2023 is not only our first live event since COVID, it is also the first time we will showcase Towers of Thana publicly. We were very excited, but also a bit nervous by this opportunity. Moreover, we will provide the PAX demo to all of our subscribers during the event. Back to topic, here are the main things we've been working on for PAX.
Demo: Adapting the Experience for PAX East 2023
To start off, our priority was to create a demo catered to the PAX audience. Obviously, PAX is packed with people, things to see and games to try. Fans have limited time to try out games and, when they do, want a simple and engaging experience.
However, Towers of Thana is quite different from our first game Light Fall. Going from a 2D platformer to a 3D action & strategy game is quite the leap. Our main concern was that a strategy game requires a level of thought and mastery to be fully appreciated that is higher than a platformer. On the other hand, we knew most attendees wouldn't want to sit down for a long period of time to learn everything about our different systems and mechanics.
This is why we tailored our PAX demo exclusively around our mission gameplay. The player will still experience the strategic layer of Towers of Thana and be confronted with meaningful choices, but these will happen in the middle of the action, during a mission.
For example, which towers and abilities do I want to play with? What type of mission do I want to complete? What objective do I prioritize, which one can I let go? How do I use my toolkit to repel the invading hordes of enemies and protect the mythologies? At the core, this is what Towers of Thana is all about.
The Trailer: Planting the Seeds of the Story
Additionally, we wanted to display a shorter version of our official trailer during the event. Indeed, a trailer is not only useful to attract the attention of the showgoers but it can also plant the seeds of the game's story and universe.
Since we are creating the trailer in 3D internally with softwares like Blender and After Effects, it was another first for us. We had a bit of outside help for the storyboard from Thom, the same guy who helped us for Light Fall, but the rest was entirely done in-house. From the thumbnails, to the blocking and high-res versions of the shots, with animation and visual effects right at the end.
The Logistics: Starting from Scratch
Finally, we had to figure out the entire logistics surrounding the event. Since it was our first one for Towers of Thana, we had to start from scratch. Ordering brand clothes, merch and press cards, booking the hotel, filling up the various forms to secure a booth spot and the appropriate furnitures... the list goes on.
Yet, the biggest challenge was to design a branded booth for the game. We decided to go for a different setup than what we had for Light Fall. As such, we went with three smaller and cozier gaming stations to support the player's experience. To attract fans, we designed a branded back wall supported with a frontal module to display the trailer throughout PAX.
In the end, it was a lot of back and forth but we are very happy with the result. We can transport the booth easily by car or airplane since it's all foldable, kind of like a camping tent, and its visual simply look amazing.
That covers up our road to PAX. We hope that you enjoyed this behind the scenes outlook and we thank you for your support. Don't forget that you can subscribe to our newsletter to play the PAX demo from the comfort of your home during the event! Cheers!