This submit is a part of day three of itch.io week. We’ll be interviewing builders all week. Learn extra right here: https://itch.io/week

View on itch.io:
https://managore.itch.io


Follow on Twitter:
@managore

Daniel Linssen, also called Managore, is a prolific sport developer producing video games of nice design primarily throughout sport jams. He lately gained Ludum Dare 35.

I used to mess around with RPG Maker a very long time in the past, however I by no means got here near ending something, and earlier than that I used to attract Sonic ranges on graph paper and make up ridiculously overpowered bosses for shmups.

The first sport I really completed was in 2011, a flash sport a good friend and I made for a small sport jam. The sport was a single room platformer and it wasn’t actually all that attention-grabbing.

I’m undecided whether or not this counts, however the second sport I ever completed was a platformer known as Violet, and I keep in mind very distinctly how amazed and blissful I used to be when the sport was lined in a Youtube video

.

At the time, I could not imagine that had really occurred.

I actually do not keep in mind! I believe the rationale I began utilizing itch.io is as a result of I wished a spot to place an online construct of Javel-ein, one among my earliest video games, and I will need to have already performed a number of video games on itch.io by that time. Shortly after that, jams have been launched and the Flappy Jam was introduced, and so I caught round for that as effectively. And then by no means left.

It’s fast and painless to arrange a easy webpage for a brand new sport, however you can even (should you’re neurotic like me) spend an hour tweaking the web page to look precisely the way you need it to look.

Leaf (in addition to everybody else who works on itch) appears to wish to make the absolute best platform for builders (and gamers), and is exceedingly pleasant and approachable. I do not know if that counts as a function, however both approach it lets me segue into speaking about itch.io’s lower from gross sales and donations. The minimal lower itch.io asks for is 0%, and the default lower is 10%, which is extremely beneficiant.

One of my video games, Sandstorm, was really impressed by a sport known as Step by takorii, so I suppose I’ve already finished this! Anyway, droqen has launched an enormous variety of actually attention-grabbing video games and I might like to discover among the concepts in them myself.

I’ve performed an entire bunch of video games for Ludum Dare 35 and the bit jam I organized, however the final sport I sunk a while into was Stephen’s Sausage Roll by Increpare, which I actually loved. I’ve additionally been taking part in Mini Metro so much. I do not know if it is as a result of I’m getting older or what, however I’m beginning to actually like puzzle video games!

Daniel’s Ludum Dare 35 entry,
windowframe, was voted #1 total.

There’s one thing about sport jams and the loopy deadline which suggests video games get completed. Instead of making an attempt to do one thing the best approach, or essentially the most environment friendly approach, I’ll do it the way in which that works instantly. I do not know if it is a good thought in the long run!

I additionally love the group really feel that sport jams have. Even ignoring the truth that you will be taking part in and ranking one another’s video games (and getting suggestions and ideas), understanding there are dozens or tons of of different folks struggling alongside you is admittedly encouraging. Even should you’re making a sport by your self, it feels such as you’re all in it collectively.

The greatest factor I do not get pleasure from about sport jams is the extreme lack of sleep, however that’s at all times very a lot my very own fault!

I’m certain there are many good approaches to this, however what has labored for me is to determine what facet makes your sport attention-grabbing or distinctive, and use that as a lot as attainable. If you are still determining the small print of your sport, take into account making an attempt to discover that attention-grabbing or distinctive facet as a lot as you’ll be able to, and construct the sport round it. Obviously that is not at all times attainable or applicable.

If you’ll be able to showcase this facet of your sport visually, make use of this by posting photographs or (even higher) animated gifs or movies on no matter social media you utilize, and spend a while ensuring that no matter you are posting is as cool as attainable. If you are posting gifs, make them loop should you can. If you are posting pixel artwork, verify what dimensions work finest (for instance, twitter apparently likes widths of 506px for photographs and 560px for gifs).