When will the game be released?
I don't know, it might take several more years. There's a metro construction near my home, and I joke that we'll see whether the metro finishes first or my game gets completed first (the metro has been delayed several times too).
What is the core experience of the game?
I've been pondering this for a long time. There are many things I want to express in the work, but it's hard to convey in a few words. The current keywords I can reveal are "Flying x Romance x Adventure". There are also some hidden themes that may be revealed slowly in the future.
Who is the target audience of the game?
I've been struggling with this even longer. From the start of the project until now, I've been thinking about it. I want to create a romance/adventure/action game from a female protagonist's perspective. However, so far, I've found that the player gender ratio is about 7:3 or 6:4, with more males interested in the game. Nevertheless, mainstream male-oriented games are not what I want to make, and many female-oriented games on the market don't appeal to my tastes. The industry environment seems to force people to choose sides, but if possible, I still hope to stay neutral.
Have you considered the commercial aspects?
I tried, but after seeing many commercial methods, I realized I'm not cut out to be a businessperson. At heart, I'm a creator, hoping to express my ideas through my works rather than making money. I am the type that might accidentally starve while holding on to ideals.
Have you considered crowdfunding?
Yes, but considering the game's uncertain completion date, I don't want to take money without being able to give players anything for a long time. I actually enjoy designing merchandise, using trial prints as an excuse to make a lot of goods. However, by the time the game is finished, these items might be collecting dust, so I give them away as opportunities arise. In short, creating goods makes me happy.
Have you considered shortening the game to release it sooner?
I tried, but after cutting too much dialogue, friends who tested the game said the emotional development felt abrupt, so I had to put it back in. I'm still learning how to make it more concise while conveying emotions and character interactions.
How long have you been working on this game?
The original concept was a drawing I made in 2015. I created a simple prototype around 2016, but I was not familiar with programming at the time, so I got stuck and moved on to other things. I later tried making a simple game to release (which was my previous project). The current version started around October 2021.
Are you making the game alone?
Mostly, yes. About 70% of this game is slowly built up by me. The original concept, art, and most of the programming are done by me.
Are you working full-time on the game?
I tried working full-time for a few months, but the speed at which my savings decreased scared me. Considering I can't let my family starve, I quickly found a job when my savings hit a critical level. Currently, I work on other people's games, so progress on my own project has slowed down significantly.
Who are the other members of the project?
[Writer] Because I wanted to create a romance plot but I'm not good at writing emotional parts, the main storyline and dialogue are written by a novel author I met through a fan event. We have very different (or complementary) personalities and preferences, which took a lot of effort to coordinate the plot.
[Programmer] A friend who is also making indie games. We have complementary skills, so we sometimes support each other. I ask for his help with parts involving mathematical calculations I can't handle, and I've learned many programming techniques from him.
[Music Composer] Met a foreigner through the Tokyo Game Show. His work was impressive, but his style was very different from the Japanese style I'm used to, so it took some time to adapt. He's very professional and creative in music. Due to budget issues, some music and sound effects are from material packs I bought (so if there are strange volume adjustments, it's definitely my fault).
[Game Designer] I'm not very good at designing gameplay, often having a rough idea without knowing the details. So when it comes to planning gameplay, I often leave it to him to handle. He's my family member, so we can discuss it anytime.
[Interns] I previously tried hiring programming and art interns to see if we could spark any new ideas. Some parts of the current project were done by interns, and the current studio logo was also proposed by an art intern.
There are other friends I've contacted, but I haven't incorporated their work into the project yet. I'll introduce them when their work is included in the future.
Let me know if you need any adjustments or additional information!