The vision of an independent developer for a RPG

In 2021, there were more than 60,000 Steam games. According to the statistics provided by Video Game Insights, 96% of these games are independent games. It seems that there is an influx of games developed independently. Yet, with this incredibly high percentage, independent games represent only 40% of steam sales. Why is it? Does this have to do with the fact that players are just not interested? With games like Among US and Latham, Hades and Fall Guys, this idea is hard to believe.

Noah CAI developer, better known on the Internet under the name of Pixel Architect, has both a term and an explanation for this phenomenon. He calls it: Indiepocalypse. CAI, independent game developer and founder of World2studio, is currently working on his own game called RPG Chief. It refers to a term used by independent developers to designate the end of the golden age of the independent game. However, CAI has its own ideas about the phenomenon of Indiepocalypse.

I think we're talking a lot about Indiepocalypse, said CAI in an interview Zoom, people think it's the number of games that causes Indiepocalypse. But I'm actually thinking that it's not the number of games, but really just the growing standards that people have.

Thus, CAI argues, as part of his statement, how he understands Indiepocalypse. The era of independent games is not over, on the contrary, players just expect another type of independent game. According to CAI, the old adage of quality on the quantity seems to sound true.

If you were doing a game that was competitive, let's say five years ago, I think it would not do so well today. You have to work to make your game a really nice experience. Artistically, in terms of gameplay, says CAI.

Navigating Indiepocalypse is both a process of creating and satisfying expectations. Pixel Architect, while creating his own game, brings his unique experience to the design of Chief RPG. An independent developer attempt to meet the contemporary standards of independent game fans. Yet, who is pixel architect as developer?

Honestly, the name of the online character of Noah CAI suits better than it already seems. Graduated from McGill University in architecture with a talent for design, CAI wanted to transfer his design skills into the world of games. He spent a lot of time traveling YouTube, watching game videos made by independent developers. Therefore, breathtaking by the fact that many of these developers had only small teams, he became inspired.

I saw that Star dew Valley was created by a developer who is crazy, said CAI,... because of my experience in design, I thought I could perhaps create something cool In the play area.

Soon, CAI started experimenting with game design. By focusing mainly on pixel graphics. Wanting a place to share his work, he turned to YouTube. Thus, Pixel Architect is born. Architectural and design tutorials for development newspapers of his own work, Pixel Architect has become a space for the name of CAI as a developer. Today, with nearly 70,000 subscribers, its YouTube channel is a place of learning and growth as an independent developer.

I can both show my job, but also provide tutorials, so I wanted to create an interesting string around that. Declared CAI about the Pixel Architect chain.

With the idea of ​​Chief RPG boiling in his head and the first designs appearing on his YouTube, CAI was inspired by his inspirations to really give the world that he was trying to understand. Game worlds like Sadden Valley of Eric Baron eat the restaurant games of the early 2010 as a restaurant City, he had a lot of inspiration. With overflowing design ideas, from her architectural training, he started creating a new world that would eventually train the world of Chief RPG.

I think that in general, people like bright colors. They love the opportunity to create your own space. I like that too, declared CAI about his love of games based on pixels, less realistic.

In addition to video game inspirations, CAI was inspired by another creator in a way. Famous, master cook, Gordon Ramsey. Ramsay's show, Great Escape of Gordon Ramsey, showed CAI another facet of the culinary experience. An experience where the chef leaves the safety of his cooking and travels the world to gather ingredients, hunting and learning new recipes.

I thought it was (Gordon Ramsay's Great Escape) an interesting concept. A concept that few games have explored, says CAI.

CAI himself claims to be a passionate player of RPG games. He felt that, playing them, there had been many missed opportunities. Missed opportunities on which to build. He says that the gender RPG, although many claim large worlds of exploration, are often limited by gender expectations. He thinks that gender often turns into a collection of weapons and armor, while killing harder monsters. Once again, he considers Star dew Valley as a revolutionary example of deciding expectations in an independent game.

I think Star dew Valley did it well... I think RPGs can be much bigger than that (RPG action of killing monsters) and Star dew Valley has focused more on things like socialization. It's a very complete RPG.

A kick start completely supported behind him, and a small team of 3 people too, it seems that Pixel Architect has survived Indiepocalypse. The Kickstarter for Chief RPG exceeded the desired goal of more than 250%. As a small developer, CAI attributes to the success of the Kick start the skills of his team, as well as his, in the design of things that people really like. Yet another part of him thinks that the attractive lies in the promise of Chief RPG and not just in his look.

We want to create this full RPG experience. We do not work yourself. You create the type of restaurant you want, and you build it as you wish, said CAI about the world he creates in Chief RPG.

The game should play as a sandbox piloted by the player with RPG elements according to CAI. He says he will include a detailed skill tree, instead of focusing solely on statistics. All the design of the restaurant at his menu, passing through the staff, everything depends on the player. Animal hunting, collection of ingredients and more. This is where CAI feels the attraction, why the community has flocked towards its independent game. He thinks that the fundamental foundations of Chief RPG as a game for the player and the player are really what has done an exceptional game.

However, success does not come without a challenge. A small developer who builds his name in the middle of the sea of ​​independent games is not without adversity. Whether it's learning a new coding or directing the workload of a small team, being an independent developer is not the glory of a fully funded game. Much of the development of a game is to do it.

We really want to push the limits on several fronts and not just create a nice game, but repel our artistic limits. »

Currently, Pixel Architect and World2Studio are targeting a Steam exit in September 2023. A Nintendo Switch exit will arrive a few months later. For the moment, the small team of independent developers continues to navigate in the dangerous waters of Indiepocalypse, heading towards the luminous shores of the day of the exit.

Learn more about COCOONED RPG Chief here.