Finding inspiration for your indie game project.
Before I dive into this post, I want to first introduce myself, as this is the first of many blog posts! My name Joe and I am a solo indie developer creating a game called Smoothcade. Smoothcade is my first commerical project, set to release on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Playstation. I have learned a lot from the time of inspiration, to the point on "going gold" on the projects final build.
Make a goal and get inspired. I wanted to make a game for the Nintendo Switch.
Set a Goal
Wow, you're a genius! How on earth did you come up with such a brilliant idea? I bet it's a mix of your wild imagination and a dash of inspiration from all those hours spent gaming. I mean, who hasn't played a ton of video games and then thought, "Hey, I could totally make one too!" As a die-hard Nintendo fan, I've had more lightbulb moments than Mario collecting coins. Sure, I had grand dreams of creating a mind-blowing MMORPG with fancy 3D models, but let's get real, that's like trying to ride a Koopa Troopa to work. And seriously, how many times can one say "commercial" in a sentence? Before diving into Smoothcade, I whipped up a bunch of mini games to get the hang of development tools, nail down a workflow, and wrap my head around the whole game-making process. So, I settled on a more down-to-earth goal of a 2D platformer game. Yeah, I know, it's a crowded market out there, but hey, I'm doing it anyway because... well, just because!
Alright, listen up folks! I've got my project genre all locked in, but hey, that's not all! Oh no, I've got a grand dream, a dream so big it's practically wearing its own zip code! I'm talking about playing my game on a Nintendo console, folks! I know, I know, it's a colossal goal considering how many indie projects never see the light of day, let alone end up on a console. But hey, dream big or go home, am I right?
Get inspiration by playing video games
So now this is the fun part! What is your games setting, characters, items, controls, playstyle? Let your creative juices flow! For me, I literally drew (poorly drawn) sketches of character and enemy ideas. I created more and more ideas as I reflected on the games I use to play growing up. Once that stuck BIG for me was Bubble Bobble. This was an arcade game involving bubble-blowing dragons (with a co-op experience, thanks brother) and clearing the single-screen from all enemies. I LOVED this game. And the series hasn't advanced in a decade. I wanted to take that niche genre and expand upon it. So I did. Smoothcade is the spiritual successor of Bubble Bobble.
In Smoothcade, character spit projectiles called cloudies to take on enemies
But wait, there's so much more than just Bubble Bobble! I've combined the best elements from iconic games of that era such as Solomon's Key, Snow Bros, and Super Mario World to craft a vibrant tapestry of creativity. Drawing inspiration from these classics, I'm weaving together a rich tapestry of ideas, characters, and themes that will transport players to a whole new world of adventure! And guess what? I've listened to your frustrations too - no more starting from level 1 if you lose all your lives. Keep the fun going and let the excitement never end!
Keep playing games, keep doodling on your napkins, and let yourself be inspired! Set a realistic goal and commit to it. You have the ability to achieve anything you set your mind to! You've got this!
Wrap this up
TLDR: Play games, get inspired!
Make sure to wishlist Smoothcade on Steam! Get inspired by it and build upon it in your own project!
I will dive deeper into the first enemy in Smoothcade, a Pinehedge, in my next post.
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