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 developer interview is with Nathan Sheppard, solo game developer and owner of Twin-Stick Games. Here at LadiesGamers, Paula reviewed BouncyBoi in Puzzle Land which she gave our highest score of Two Thumbs Up to.
Of course, LadiesGamers is always about the personal story in an interview, so we asked Nathan how Twin-Stick Games was founded, what’s the story behind the development of BouncyBoi in Puzzle Land and what cool games we can expect in the future. Plus, Nathan has some tips for aspiring developers!
Twin-Stick Games
Introductions
Who is Nathan Sheppard?
Hi Readers, I am Nathan – developer of BouncyBoi! Outside of game development, I have a wide range of hobbies including; going to the gym, leathercraft, music and tango! A few years ago I became a full-time home dad, which has perfectly suited my solo game developer journey as I can work when I want, without sacrificing my family time.
How did you start out as a game developer?
I don’t think my story here is too unique. I have always been interested in modding games ever since Doom. Over the years I have taught myself other skills such as 3D modelling and programming, and one day a friend suggested “we should try and make a game”. Well – he lasted maybe a week, but my hunger and interest just kept growing. It seemed the more I learned, the more I realised how much I didn’t know, and MUST KNOW!
My studio is a nice quiet place under the air conditioner at home – my ‘home office’ is also my sacred space and I have all the gear required for making games set up there, musical instruments, 3 monitors, drawing tablets and about 300 different types of game controllers and console devkits!
Inspiration for BouncyBoi in Puzzle Land
Where did you take your inspiration from for BouncyBoi In Puzzle Land?
At the time, there were a lot of artists doing these amazing isometric dioramas and these really inspired the idea of having the player sitting on top of these little tile pieces. When it came to creating a new world, I would think up a general theme, such as a cemetery, and then think about what kind of creatures and props would both fit that world and also keep in the aesthetic of the game. Sometimes I would get halfway through a world and scrap it because it just didn’t belong in the world of BouncyBoi.
How did you come up with the design for BouncyBoi and the puzzle mechanics in the game?
The design of the game characters was pretty much born from necessity. Being a solo developer, EVERYTHING takes time. So early on it was decided that everything was going to be simple, but it still had to look amazing…..
Want to read the rest of the interview too? About where Nathan got his inspiration for the puzzle game, what other games has he planned for the future.
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