Especially for our Patrons in Tier 2 and 3, we have made another Indie Dev interview Consider joining us on Patreon in Tier 2 or Tier 3 for as little as $3.00 a month and unlock it all!
This time our Indie Dev interview is with Matt Sharp solo indie dev from Momiji Studio in Delaware, USA. James reviewed Video Game Fables and Video Game Fables: Nightmare Arena DLC an RPG that was developed by Matt. James loved Video Games Fables, and gave it our highest score of Two Thumbs up and had this to say in his conclusion.
Video Game Fables is an example of a game you shouldn’t judge by its cover or in this case graphical style. It’s clear the solo developer has put a lot of hard work into creating this world whilst adding some unique flavour to the RPG mechanics with its levelling system and use of critical moves.
With flexibility in the levelling system, it allows the player to really create the RPG experience that suits them. Sure the game has a little grinding and some sections feel they go on longer than needed. However, the sheer originality and effort on display here, is why I decided to give this the highest recommendation. I found plenty to love and hopefully you will too.
Momiji Studio
Who is Matt Sharp?
Hi everyone, I’m Matt Sharp. I’m a solo indie game developer, and I just released Video Game Fables this year on Steam. I love playing games too of course. Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Etrian Odyssey, and Smash Bros. are just a few series I love just off the top of my head. I’ve been making games in some form for almost 20 years, and I taught game development at a university for 4 1/2 years.
How did you start out as a game developer?
I stumbled across a Japanese ROM of an RPG Maker game for Super Famicom when I was about 12 years old. Then I did some research and moved on to RPG Maker 2000 for PC. It was really cool to realize as a kid in the 90s / early 2000s that you could actually make games. Keep in mind, this was long before software like Unity and Unreal were accessible and free.
Ever since then I just kept learning new coding languages, development software, 3D modelling, etc. and kept growing. Even after 15+ years of making games I always challenge myself to keep growing and learning new skills related to game development and all the aspects related to it, such as marketing and video editing.
Video Game Fables and Video Game Fables: Nightmare Arena DLC
Where did you take your inspiration from for Video Game Fables and the DLC, Nightmare Arena?
Video Game Fables, at its core, was designed around the idea of creating a game that would make people laugh. I also wanted to craft an original world and story that had enough jokes and allusions for RPG fans and retro gamers to enjoy, but without just being lazy and relying only on parody or satire. There are many inspirations from games like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Mario, but those don’t overpower the characters, world, and narrative that you play through.
I also wanted the game to be challenging and make you have to really use your brain in battles, especially in the boss battles which usually have some kind of unique mechanic layered on top of the base battle system.
The Nightmare Arena DLC basically just came from the idea of taking the systems and mechanics of the game and turning the difficulty up to the max.
I wanted players to be able to do it at their own pace alongside the base game, but I also didn’t want them to be able to just grind or come back to it at the end of the game and blast through it. That’s why I implemented the XP restriction system, so basically, the challenge will be the same no matter when you decide to do these fights.
The RPG battle system is quite unique. Spending exp to level up. Is there a story about how this came about?
I think pretty much all the unique systems in the game–whether it’s the XP allocation system, the battle timer, the CRIT system, etc.–came from me breaking down almost every part of an RPG (or games in general) and asking myself, “What could I do to twist this or make it more interesting?” I wanted things to feel familiar but also fresh and unique.
Challenges of being a Solo Developer
What are the challenges but also joys of being a solo developer and developing Video Game Fables and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge of being a solo developer is just the sheer amount of work you have to do. I know that gamers are aware of how much work it is…but I think they need to take their thought of what is required and just multiply that by 100.
If I had to specify one big struggle of being a solo developer it would be marketing. I’m not great at marketing, to be honest. I think people underestimate just how hard it is. Not only is it difficult for me, but it takes up an insane amount of time. Doing that alongside development was extremely draining on my time and mental health. Even after release, I couldn’t relax because I was basically working full-time hours on just marketing alone.
I wouldn’t really say I overcame it, I just pushed through and forced myself to do it. I’ve always struggled with my mental health, and I have to say I didn’t handle this in a way that was healthy for me. I need to figure out how to do this better when I inevitably start working on a new project. However, I do enjoy the freedom and control I have over my projects working by myself. That would be one major positive side of it.
What did the early versions of Video Game Fables or prototypes of the game look like?
I actually have something for that. This is the oldest footage I can find of the game:
Want to read the rest of the interview too? Find out what Matt’s favourite characters are from Video Game Fables. What advice Matt would you offer aspiring developers working alone and what his plans for the future are?
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