Greetings Dungeon Monarchs!
Before releasing Vambrace: Dungeon Monarch later this year, we want to tell you more about the game with our "Into the Dungeon" update series. But not only about the game, but also about us: Dvora Studio - the team behind titles like The Coma, Vambrace and Scarlet Hood.
Dvora Studio was created on the 28th August 2015, but I spent one year working in cafes in order to make the first game in the Coma Series. The formal company name was Devespresso Games (Dev + Espresso Coffee), as this was what shaped the first few years of the indie game development life. I changed the name to Dvora Studio later on, because it was easier to remember:
Back then, we struggled to secure a programmer who can actually build the game. I’m a graphic artist with a bunch of cool stories, but I need to have someone who actually makes the games with me. Those seats were taken by two programmer friends, who were later replaced by my cousin, and eventually filled with three indie game programmers now.
To create the narrative stories and events, I requested custom modules and DB forms to shape the visuals of the games by myself for Vambrace: Cold Soul, The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters, and Scarlet Hood and the Wickend Wood. It added a lot to my workload, but I think it was possible because I wasn't married with kids back then, because it was so rewarding to work day and night to get the game done and to share the story and the characters and the world with gamers.
T. L. Riven and KYNO have been a huge part of that journey. They've kept my imagination and inspiration flowing and helped me stay on track to keep making games. The stories that T. L. Riven has built on top of my ideas have been amazing and exciting, and he's gone on to do some amazing things as a game writer and is now a game producer for another company. KYNO is now a brand new game designer, designing and creating sophisticated and highly playable games.
I’m grateful that the games we make have been described by many as having 'unique artwork, beautiful music, and immersive, detailed worlds', which has led to a lot of people who love and remember these game worlds (The Coma Series & Vambrace Saga), and it's a pleasure to work for them.
Now I'm married, and I'm a dad with two babies to look after. Obviously, I look at the world differently, I have a different sense of purpose, and making a game with those experiences adds a different depth than before. I want to continue to make games that people remember. I want to make games for as long as I have the energy.
There are currently six developers working at the company, including myself, and we're braving the unbearably hot Korean summer weather. I know a lot of people are surprised at how six people can produce two game projects, but it's actually happening. We have a lot of ideas in our heads, and we can't wait to show them off.
Talk to you again really soon!
Minho & Dvora Studio
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2753600/Vambrace_Dungeon_Monarch/