, it was the promise of full creative freedom that drew him into the world of solo development.){kind=link}
For Chad Crumbaker (working as KRUMP Games), it was the promise of full creative freedom that drew him into the world of solo development. “I was an early adopter of Unreal Engine 4 and always wanted to get into game development,” he says. Originally envisioning a role as a 3D modeler on a team, the accessibility of Unreal Engine inspired him to take on the challenge of crafting every aspect of a game himself. The result of this ambition is Mekkablood: Quarry Assault, an upcoming retro-styled mech game featuring a deeply flawed protagonist and a gritty, 16-bit inspired universe.
Balancing the rewards and demands of solo game development has been a significant part of Crumbaker’s journey. “The largest advantage is having full control of the creative process and obviously not splitting the revenue,” he says with a laugh. Yet, the challenges are as steep as they are numerous. “Making games is extremely hard. You have to not only be creative in a way that appeals to others but also have the technical skill to do every part of the process,” he explains. With the finish line in sight, Crumbaker is putting in seven-day work weeks, and has been for a while. “I didn’t think it would be this difficult, but I’m happy I did it though.”
Why did you become a solo developer? (when did you realise this was for you?
“I was an early adopter of Unreal Engine 4, and had always wanted to get into game development. Originally I thought I would go this path via 3D modeling and work on a team, but Unreal Engine gave me the idea of doing the whole process myself.”
What are the biggest advantages of working solo?
“I would say the largest advantage is having full control of the creative process and obviously not splitting the revenue with other devs.”
And the biggest pitfalls?
“Making games is extremely hard. Doing this yourself, you have to not only be creative in a way that appeals to others, but also have the technical skill of doing every part of the process. You have to really be driven to complete your vision and have the time to make it happen.”
What’s your creative process?
“I usually just walk around in nature, and just think about what I would like to play that would be unique and doesn’t already exist. I write down all of the ideas, and pick the best ones that I think would appeal to other people, and be feasible to make in a reasonable amount of time.”
How do you stay motivated through (years of) development?
“I look at houses I could never afford on the internet, and think about how much I want to buy one.”
Will you ever work in a team or is it only solo for you?
“Might consider a team for some of the larger projects I have in mind, but I prefer solo for most of them.”
How did you get the idea for Mekkablood: Quarry Assault?
“I was always fascinated by the idea of mechs, and just came up with my own spin on a universe that involved them. Mekkablood: Quarry Assault is a story about Bill, a guy who not only isn’t a hero, but also not someone you’d want to be friends with. He’s a dirty, grizzled man who just wants his figurines back that were stolen from him by TorxCorp, who really just wants to force him to sell his mining claim to them. He also had his girlfriend Beth kidnapped by them but they haven’t been getting along, and he considers saving her an afterthought… As I said, he isn’t a great guy.”
How did you decide on the visual style?
“I was just thinking about how no retro (or retro looking) game ever did mechs right, and it just sort of popped into my head.”
What’s the biggest lesson learned from this project?
“Making video games is difficult, but I didn’t think it would be this difficult. I’m happy I did it though.”
The toll on your mental health can be quite high for solo devs. How do you deal with that?
“Walking and exercise helps a lot. A routine also helps. I’m currently working 7 days a week on this and have been for awhile. I would recommend giving yourself more time than what I did to finish the project.”
Mekkablood” Quarry Assault is out in January on Steam.