Developer Q&A: Aveyond

Aveyond was our Game of the Month winner for March. After playing the game for a good bit questions started filling our minds that we just had to have answered and Amanda Fitch of Amaranth Games was nice enough to sit down and chat with us for a minute about how this stellar RPG came to be. So strap on your gear, we're headed deep into the world of Aveyond!

Q) Aveyond doesn't appear to be the first release for your company. Can you give us some background on Amaranth Games?

Sure! Amaranth Games (a.k.a. me) has been making games for four years. It all started when I graduated from college, walked into a game store and couldn't find a game that I wanted to play. So, I started making games.

Q) RPG's are the classic game everyone starts, but it seems no-one finishes them. What was your secret in completing not one, but two RPG titles?

RPGs are time consuming. They aren't the most difficult type of game to program, but they require lots of resources and planning. Because they are story-heavy, lots of text is needed to complete them. Aveyond has over 300 pages of dialog!

To finish an RPG, it is important to pace yourself and do lots of planning. When you estimate your time for completion, add an extra 30% to your total development time and avoid adding new features after you've finished the planning stage (very, very important!!!).

Writing an RPG is a lot like writing a novel, in my opinion. It helps to make an outline of where you want to start, where you want to end, and note the important events that need to happen in the game (story points). If you have strong story points and they are evenly spaced, it makes it easier to work from one point to the next.

This is a high-level overview of the process I use:
1. Plan the game & write the story (4 months at least!)
2. Build the maps.
3. Build the menus & high-level look-and feel of the game.
4. Build the quests & populate the maps with NPCs and items tied to the quests.
5. Test the game.
6. Populate the maps with NPCs and goodies (treasure chests, bookshelves, etc.)
7. Build the monster system.
8. Test the game.

Q) A lot has been said about the use of RPG making software in creating the game, can you speak to that for a minute?

It all comes down to time. I didn't want to spend 3 years developing a game, so I used an engine that was specifically designed to create RPGs. With a pre-built engine, I was able to finish Aveyond in only 1.5 years. I wish I could have created the game from the ground up, but I simply didn't have the time.

Q) The music in Aveyond is quite good and sounds fully orchestrated, how did that come about?

The music IS fully orchestrated. The composer I worked with, Aaron Walz, created the music scores for Aveyond, and all of the instrumentals are real. Aaron, has a troop of musical friends who play a variety of instruments. The flutes, harps, violins, etc are real. Aaron is a gem that the game development community has yet to discover. When I heard his music two years ago, I realized that I had found a rare talent. I was even more amazed when he agreed to work with me on Aveyond. Aaron was completely professional, fast, and needed little direction to create amazing music. I highly recommend him to other game developers. To learn more about Aaron Walz, visit his website, www.walzmusic.com.

Q) With RPG games, a lot of the game is really about the quality of the story. Who is your story writer and what did you do to make a quality story?

I wrote the story. I spent several months writing and rewriting. By trade, I'm a writer, so this part of the project was easy for me.

Q) What do you expect that gamers will enjoy most about Aveyond?

I think gamers are going to like exploring the vast world, the battle system, and the wit. The maps within the game are huge. There are many places to explore and get lost. Many players like to create maps as they play the game so that they don't get lost. The battle system is another plus for the game. I've blended the things I like about action and strategy battles together. Monsters chase you around on screen, and when you touch one, you fight it in turn-based mode. If you defeat the monster, you can loot its body for gold and items on the map. The wit is also a high point for the game. Fate can be cruel to the characters, and with your help, they can be turned into vampires, have their souls enslaved, or married off to their companions.

Q) What lead to the decisions of using a female hero (heroine) in the game?

That's an easy one! I'm female, so making a female protagonist was easy. I'm still trying to understand guys and their odd behaviors!

Q) What type of player do you think will most enjoy Aveyond?

I think Zelda and Final Fantasy lovers will enjoy Aveyond.

Q) How did being an Independent Developer help you in the creation of Aveyond?

I was able to make Aveyond exactly the way I wanted it to be. Because I didn't work with a publisher, I didn't have to give into demands that would alter the game.

Q) Independent studios have much shorter turn-around times, meaning games are often released every 6 months instead of every 2 years. What do you expect the future holds for Amaranth Games? Are you planning to get to work on another title or focusing on the success of Aveyond?

Well, if everything goes well, Amaranth Games will become a huge gaming empire! Er… okay, maybe not next year, but expect to see more fantasy-style games from us. There will be a sequel to Aveyond, but to keep things fresh, the next game is going to be a 3D game like Y's (an awesome Japanese game). I'll have more information about it in July. When development begins, I'll announce it on the Amaranth Games website, www.amaranthia.com.

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We want to thank Amanda for taking time out of her schedule to chat with us. Now it's time to get back to the game! If you haven't yet checked out Aveyond, the demo can be found here.