One of the reasons that many of us find games so enjoyable is because of the music. Music can really help to enhance a players experience of a game and to immerse them in it. When choosing what music to put to your game, it is important to have in mind the various ways that music can be used throughout the game…
Read More
Interview By Ninichi | Contact | Follow
Please introduce yourself to everyone...
'I'm Jeroen (@pixelscripter)! I'm married, am father to two beautiful daughters and I live in the Netherlands. I started programming games when I was about 9 years old. Throughout my youth I developed and played a lot of games. Later in life I worked as a professional game developer for multiple companies, and kept developing games in my spare time. At the beginning of 2016 I decided to “go indie” and I founded my own company, now called E-Genic. I'm currently developing my first independent title called "Gladiators of the Underworld".'
How exciting! What's your game about?
'Gladiators of the Underworld is a fast-paced, combat focused, arcade survival game, in which you battle as a gladiator in the underworld arena. For ages, gladiators have been competing in the underworld arena. You are a Necromancer and you need to prove yourself in battle against the most foul creatures, including Demons, Warlocks and Grim Reapers.
From the start, you are equipped with a skeleton staff which you can use as a ranged weapon by shooting fireballs. It can be used as a melee weapon, by striking your opponents. You can also perform a force push attack, by slamming it into the ground.
Furthermore you can obtain special weapons like bombs and lightning to attack your opponents with more devastating force. You can also get hold of a flying demonic skull, that will help you in battle by flying to, and attacking all enemies in the arena.'
What should we look out for in the game?
'I've tried to balance the game in a way so that it's quite challenging to beat. It's quite unforgiving compared to most games. It has more of an arcade kind of approach to it. If you die...well, you're dead, and you'll have to start over. But every time you play, you'll get better and better at judging how to respond in a specific situation in order to survive.
You'll also develop better insight in which abilities you will want to upgrade first in order to get the most out of your preferred play-style. The type of enemies (each with their own strengths and weaknesses) and type and amount of powerups you'll encounter will also change as you progress into the arena rounds.'
Tell us about how you developed the game
'The game is built using the Phaser framework. Phaser is a fast, free and fun open source framework for Canvas and WebGL powered browser games. It is maintained by Richard Davey (Photon Storm) who has been active in the HTML5 community for years. The game itself is developed in JavaScript ES2015, using Babel to transpile to ES5.
When I first had the idea to develop a game, I created a prototype. The fighting mechanics were so much fun! I decided to make the game revolve around fast-paced combat, and leave the large procedurally generated worlds and dungeons, for another game (maybe a sequel? :).
I extracted the battle part of the prototype and started iterating on it. I added more weapons, powerups, enemies and player/enemy abilities to improve on. It wasn't long before the concept of fighting in an underworld arena popped into my head: Gladiators of the Underworld was born. I estimated that a beta version would be achievable within the 4 months I had for it, and it worked out perfectly.
All in all the core development took just under four months to complete (exluding creating the website, description texts, animated gifs and trailer movie).'
What an amazing journey! Where can we go and check out your wonderful creation?
Gladiators of the Underworld Beta is now available for free here: https://pixelscripter.itch.io/gotu
About the author: Ninichi is a game music composer. She is the in-house composer for games company Quinton Studios and works on a range of freelance composing projects including games, films & other media projects.
Want some great custom music for your game? Listen to ninichi's game music and contact her now to discuss your game music needs.
Follow her @ninichimusic
Interview by Ninichi | Contact | Follow
This week I have the pleasure of sharing my interview with Angel Polanco (@VeyeralGames), the maker of The Void Rain Upon Her Heart video game...
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into game development?
'I have basically wanted to create video games for my entire life. When I was in third grade, my friend let me play the game Crash Bandicoot: Warped on his PlayStation. This was the first time that a video game had hooked me. I remember that I started imagining and drawing my own levels for that game almost immediately after playing it for the first time. I knew right away that my dream was to create my own video games.
By the age of 9, I had Flash installed on my computer and I was already programming some basic games. I didn't have the internet on my own computer at the time, so I would only rarely be able to get online and copy down what I could. Then I would slightly tweak the code and see what would change in order to figure out what exactly how it worked. That was how I taught myself to program.
By the age of 12, I had started (but never finished) about 20 different games, but the one I remember the most was a Worms clone. Instead of worms it was a game about a war between slugs and snails. I was somehow able to implement a timer based turn system and some decent enemy AI. I really can't remember how I was able to do it with almost no help. Unfortunately, I lost all of my flash game files and never published them anywhere.
Somewhere around that time I discovered a little program called GameMaker. It was super easy to learn and I was amazed at how much my games were improving by using it. GameMaker was far less powerful back then but I stuck with it and it basically grew up with me. It always seemed to get an upgrade just when I needed it. I still use GameMaker to this day and it has never let me down.'
What is your game called and how do you play it?
'My game is called The Void Rains Upon Her Heart. It is a bullet-hell shoot-em-up game where you only fight bosses. The main game has you play through 10 bosses which are randomly chosen except for the final boss. Each defeated boss will give you random power ups that stack together. It has permadeath so you have to start over if you die, but a successful run should only take about 15 minutes. There is also a Quickplay mode where you can practice against bosses that you have unlocked and try to get high scores on them.'
It sounds really fun! What should we be looking out for in your game? What makes it special in your view?
'The theme of this game is very unusual as far as I know. You play as an alien woman who is trapped in a cave surrounded by monsters. You actually control her heart while shooting love bullets at bizarre eldritch monsters. She is actually trying to befriend the monsters while they try to resist with tons of bullets. It has a dissonant mix of cute and creepy visuals that I think helps set the mood. There is obviously a lot of inspiration from Undertale in there, but I also get a lot of ideas from the Kirby series. I always loved how Kirby games start out cute and cheerful, but they always end up with an otherworldly monstrosity as a final boss.
This game also changes up the common bullet-hell formula. Usually they go through very scripted sequences of bullets to dodge, this way players are able to memorize the game and eventually master a perfect run. That is a fine design choice, but I wanted my game to be a bit more random. All of the bosses' attacks are set so they can be memorized to some extent, but they always attack in a random order. On top of this, the power up items you get are also random so you might be able to defeat a boss with ease one time, but then struggle on the same boss next time. A lot of this randomness was inspired by games like The Binding of Isaac. Some veteran bullet-hell players may not like this randomness, but I think this gives the game more replayability for those who are not purely motivated by highscores.'
What can you tell us about the game development process?
'I have actually been working on a much larger scale game called Eye Attack for several years, but I really needed a break from that game. The Void Rains Upon Her Heart is a side project I started to not only take a break, but to also get actual experience in releasing a game. If all goes well, this game will be my first commercial release! I'll be able to return to my main game with more experience. I have already learned so much from this little game.
Unfortunately, the initial conception of this game was not during a happy time in my life. A while ago, I began exhibiting symptoms of an anxiety disorder. I could not eat, or sleep, or go outside without a constant fear that I might have a panic attack in public. During that time I was playing a bullet-hell game and it suddenly occurred to me that the relentless bullet patterns could be used as an interesting way to visualize anxiety. This is when I had the idea to make a bullet-hell game with the themes of depression and anxiety and how people are able to cope with it. Every boss battle represents an anxiety or fear of some sort. Many of the power up items represent different coping mechanisms. Despite all the negativity, the game constantly reminds you not to give up.
Anxiety disorders are a problem that a lot of people face and I have noticed it in many other game creators that I follow. I hope anyone who plays my game while living with these issues will come out feeling like they are not alone in their struggle. Feeling like I wasn't alone would help me out on the worst days. I am one of the extremely lucky ones who was able to recover after only taking one type of medication for a few months.'
How did you go about creating the game music?
'First I will talk about how I was creating music for Eye Attack since a lot of the soundtrack for The Void Rains Upon Her Heart will be similar. I took a music 101 course at my college which was perfect for introducing me to reading and writing music. It taught me just enough so I could start creating some beats and melodies that at least sounded fine. It was good enough, but I wanted to be able to write game music that would be praised as one of the main reasons to play my games.
About a year later I played through Undertale and I was completely in love with the music. I wanted to know how that music was so well designed, so I started reading some analyses on the soundtrack. I was completely fascinated by it, so I began studying all of my favorite game soundtracks. I looked at Kirby music, Undertale's music, and other soundtracks that inspired me. I'm also a fan of heavy metal music, so I started analyzing my favorite bands too. I took everything I learned and just started writing more songs for Eye Attack. I noticed the quality in my own music was improving very quickly!
Very early into the development of The Void Rains Upon Her Heart, I decided that the two games would be connected in story. A lot of the bosses will be showing up in both games. This meant that I could use a lot of the music that I had already written for Eye Attack in this game. Each boss type has it's own musical theme that I tried to match with their personalities. I really hope the music is memorable for those who play my games. At the very least, learning how to write the music was very fun for me so it was already worth it.'
What are your plans for your game and where can we download it?
'The game is still currently in development, but there is an alpha demo currently available at http://www.veyeralgames.com/
There are only 8 bosses in the alpha but I plan on making that total well over 30 before the final release. There will also be a much more diverse set of power up items and plenty of other unlockables.
The game is currently on steam greenlight now so if you like the look of the game - please help to vote for it!
'I would also like to mention that I am incredibly grateful to have a family that fully supports my dream. They have always been 100% supportive even as the development time on my games has stretched into years. Thanks to them, I have not had to worry about getting a job so I have always been able to work full time on my games. I just hope for enough success to be able to support myself financially while still continuing to create more games.'
Thank you for reading this article and for your interest in indie games! Are you a game developer needing some help with your game music? If so, perhaps I (Ninichi) can help. I'm a game music composer and would be delighted to support you with your game. Contact me now at ninichimusic@gmail.com to explore how we might work together.
Did you enjoy this article? If so, read about more indie games and game music tips on Ninichi's music blog.
Follow me @ninichimusic
Interview by Ninichi | Contact | Follow
On my blog this week, I'd like to introduce you to an interesting project that I came across - currently called armageddon, but whose real name will be revealed shortly! It is an animated series created by Berserker Crow (@massacre_crow)
Please tell us about yourself and your animated series...
'I'm an aspiring graphic novel author who is a huge gamer and a geek for comics and manga. My story is a post apocalyptic dark fantasy with modern elements thrown in there. It will be a series of books first and then I will make it into an anime series on YouTube for everyone to watch!'
Tell us about the story behind the series. What is it about?
'The story takes place in modern day society. The main Character is Mercutio Crow who is a high school senior who was bullied and abused by his peers and teachers. He never knew what it's like to have anything he wanted, nor did he know how it felt like to have power over others.
One day in school, he was being tortured and beaten by bullies, his sanity shatters into pieces. In the middle of metal working class, he violently murder his bullies and desecrated their corpses in front of the whole class. As they watch in horror, he begins to cannibalize their bodies by eating chunks of their heart.
Before Crow could do more, the authorities show up and put him in a straight jacket. This is where he is sent to a mental hospital for many many years. Now labeled as a psychopath, he trained and changed his mind and strengthen his body, he wants to become a weapon. His eyes now open, he sees how truly cruel and twisted the world is and will turn against it before the world turns against him. After his many years of failed research, there was no way to cure Crow's twisted and tortured mind. Keeping him inside the hospital will do him no good, so he was discharged.
With nowhere to go and only wearing the clothes on his back, he wanders the world seeking his family. Then something unexpected happens! The sky turns red and it begins to rain blood and fire, the world forever changes! Out of the sky, lightning strikes the ground and it opens portals from hell and other plains of existence - summoning massive hordes of demons and monsters, dark knights and dragons!
The world around him was invaded by all things mentioned in biblical folklore and legends! Society is at war with the supernatural and humanity is being slaughtered like cattle by these creatures! Crow has only one thing to do...survive! As he fights for his life, he must figure out what is really going on and the human world twists and changes into a world of dark fantasy. Every character and companion he meets is inspired by real people that i know in my personal life!'
What are your plans for this project?
'I will try to get my work published and released as a series of books, and if the demand is high enough, i will make the animated series on YouTube for all to see. I will hire voice actors and of course Ninichi will be making the soundtrack for the series!'
Where did the idea behind this story come from?
'The story was inspired heavily from my favorite game Dark Souls. I thought to myself one day, what would happen if the horrific creatures and demigods attacked and invaded modern day society? Would we survive? The survival and drama aspect was inspired by The Walking Dead and Berserk! You will see many references and easter eggs from different games and stories that i have been a big fan my whole life! Lets see if you can find them.'
How important is music for this project?
'The music behind the animated series is what brings the story its atmosphere and ambiance. The World of my stary is very dark and grim but also epic and at times beautiful! Whenever i draw characters in my free time, i usually listen to Two Steps From Hell and Future World Music! It helps me imagine the epic world of my Story. So the music is extremely important to me.'
Where can we find out more?
Most of my concept art is on my twitter! Give me a follow if you want to see more updates on my work! My twitter name is "Berserker Crow" i cannot wait to show you guys my work!
About the author: Ninichi is a game music composer. She is the in-house composer for games company Quinton Studios and works on a range of freelance composing projects supporting talented game developers with their games & game music.
Want some great custom music for your game? Listen to Ninichi's game music and contact her now to discuss your game music needs.
Follow her @ninichimusic
Who are you and what is your game, A Robot Named Fight about?
'I'm Matt Bitner (@ARobotNamedFight), a 32 year old game dev from Bowling Green, Kentucky. I've worked on a few games for mobile like Draw A Stickman Epic and Battlepillars, but now I've set out on my own to make a PC game called A Robot Named Fight.
Read MoreThere comes a time in every game development process where one will start to think about the music. Can you create the soundtrack yourself? Should you try to find some royalty free music to use? Should you hire a composer? There are many options available to you, but which way should you go!?
Read MoreI'm delighted to have Chris Cunningham (@Kreediddy) back again to feature another one of his games Stones Throw...
Describe your game to us and how you play it?
'In "Stones Throw", you skip stones across water to hit targets. Its a casual game similar to golf that features beautiful environments with relaxing music & sound fx. It has simple point-and-click controls so it's easy to learn and play.'
Read More
Interview by Ninichi | Contact | Follow
Who are you and how long have you been interested in games?
'I have played video games my entire life. I had a rough childhood growing up and games were always my escape. I would put hours and hours into the games I played and always pushed myself to accomplish as much as I could in one game. It wasnt just about beating the game to me. I enjoy getting lost in the game as Im sure most gamers could agree!'
What made you decide to set up The Stone Zone & where has the name of your channel come from?
'The channel name kind of originated from a couple different things. First off, my name is Preston which growing up my family always joked around and called me "Prestone" or "Stone" :D and some friends actually stuck with the name Stone and it sort of became a nick name for me.
Now with that said, "The Stone Zone" originated from a very good friend of mine who came into my work one day, which I was just a dishwasher at a restaurant, and I basically had my own section where I worked and he made a comment about walking into "The Stone Zone" and it just kinda clicked. I liked the sound of it so I just stuck with it. A lot of people think it has to do with a "stoner" thing but the name has nothing to do with that. lol'
What kinds of things are you planning to cover?
'On my YouTube channel, I mainly do Let's Plays and I do some unboxings for game themed products such as Limited editions of games like statue collectibles and such. I plan on sticking with those types of videos mainly, but I am sure I will add some other game related videos. '
Why should we watch your videos?
'I'm not necessarily telling everyone to go watch my videos, I know some people may not like what I do and others will love it. It's ultimately up to the viewers to stick around and come back and watch. I'm just doing this for fun and sharing what I enjoy with the world. Of course i would love to have everyone come watch my videos and I will always try to keep things as entertaining as I can and I work hard to make sure my material looks as Professional as I can. All I can say, if you're into watching Let's Play channels, just come say hello and give my channel a shot! I try really hard to connect on a personal level with my viewers. '
What were you looking for in the intro music?
'It was hard to say exactly what I was looking for in the music, all i know is I wanted something that worked well with the animation and something that had a good vibe to it! I had a similar sound that I wanted that we used as a reference, but I wanted to make sure It didnt sound to alike. I wanted a unique audio track that would help keep the attention! '
What was it like working with me (Ninichi)?
'It was awesome working with Ninichi! She was very understanding with what I was looking for and she did everything she could to make sure that I got the sound I was looking for. She got the track done in a short time and was very communicative! '
(Check out my intros & jingles section if you want to hear some other jingles and/or get some help with your own)
How are you planning to grow your audience/channel?
'The main way I plan on growing my channels, basically just continue uploading as much as I can while making sure the quality is professional and let the viewers just decide if they like what they see. Now obviously I promote my channel on social media such as Twitter and Facebook and I try to continue sharing it around as much as I can. Either way, I will continue uploading videos whether people are watching or not because again, this is something I enjoy doing! :)'
Where can we find out more?
'You can find more information on my main social media page on twitter which is just @StoneZoneGaming. I am constantly posting on Twitter and it has links to all of my channels including my Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/stonezonegaming which is currently my main focus!
StoneZoneGaming on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxTTphG-YoSbHYS-mA4-Ysw'
Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I'm a composer and I write music in a range of styles for games, podcasts, tv series, films and more!
If you are looking for music for your youtube channel, game, film or any other project, I'd love to get involved. Contact me to explore working together or take a look at my bio: About me (Ninichi) and game channel intros & game music.
Follow me @ninichimusic
