The post's topic was my question to one of my teammate, the passionate programmer who is the second most active developer in my remote-working team. The other two can barely find him/herself any free time so I save this question for later.
It all started the moment I finished this article
http://www.polygon.com/features/2014/7/2/5858032/towerfall-matt-thorson
TowerFall is a very cool party game started as an Ouya exclusive. I have seen my seniors playing it in the game company I just left a month ago.
Looked awesome, especially in this age where every indie devs seems to take advantage of our retro-nostalgia-ish by throwing pixelated art with modern lighting and smooth animations. This game is the epitome of that approach.
The meat of the article is not that the game is a overnight success, but, the indie house. The developer was like me. He get into the game development company immediately after graduation but soon quit and develop his own game instead.
But, he got to do it with his team, like really sit there together in an indie house and collaborating. I felt envious of his team because this 1 month after I quitted my work I make game alone. It's alright but the process would be a hell lot of fun if my friends are here with me... you know, real-time discussion and problem solving, have dinner together and chat while we enjoy the meal, these stuffs.
Unfortunately, my friends work/study career did not permit that.
But I haven't give up. There are still 2.5 more months before I go to Japan, so I asked my programmer if he wanted to quit his work and join the development for real, not remotely like always been. Because I heard he said he's sick of his job and wanted to quit multiple times in the past.
The first problem which I also anticipated was that his mom would not allow him to. Without job how would he earn any money? I then reveal my trap card and offer him a salary. My 1 year worth of savings can pay him 3 months of 25,000 Baht each (771 USD), which will completely deplete all of my savings when added up with my own cost for food but I offered him anyway since I thought this is the moment I saved my money for.
Sadly, he really planned to quit his work but he planned to do it next year. My delusion from that Polygon article shattered.
Four of us will still remained separated for now, which is really a shame, because I fear that when I came back from Japan after I got my Master Degree my team would be already go on their separate ways. I would miss this once in a lifetime 'developing game together' experience forever.
The 'success story' I often read about sure is dreamy situation, but I could not follow it. Damn, this blog started to became.. well, 'struggle story'... would not be much fun to read, but I have fun typing all of this anyway!
PS. Name of the game might change into something more interesting soon. Factora is a legacy name when the game is still about fighting in factory!
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