Interview with Lux developer Dustin Sacks

Risk + Network Ladder + Coolness = Lux
By Russell D. Carroll [February 19, 2005]

Q: For everyone reading out there, who are you and what was your involvement with Lux?
A: My name is Dustin Sacks, I'm 23 years old and I live in Montreal, Canada. I was the guy who started work on Lux and have done most of the coding along with all of the website and business stuff.

Q: What do you think makes Independent games distinctive?
A: Well, the 'independent' games field comprises a huge variety of games - from hobbyist creations to shareware to small teams working as a real business. The only thing that I think they all share is that they're made on a tiny budget and they can be downloaded quickly over the web.

Within that huge field there are lots of distinctive games though. I suppose that the variety of the games themselves could be one of the distinctions. Most of the 'mainstream' games are easily identified as a first-person shooter or a RTS game. A lot of independent games can be easily genrefied as well - but there are also some really wacky undefinable indie games that you will never be able to find in the mainstream biz.

Hmm, another distinction that I just thought of is the close connection between the users and the game creators. This can be a big advantage of indie games - as long as you're nice to your customers. Much like a mom n' pop shop can build up a loyal following so can independents - by staying close to the customers and in tune with what they want.

Q: How did your studio get your start in working with independent games?
A: The start of Sillysoft stemmed from my boredom while attaining my CS degree. In my spare time I work work on games for fun, and Lux was born out of that.

Q: What is the most innovative feature of Lux and how is it innovative in your mind?
A: Lux is largely a clone of the board game Risk, so that sort of rules out innovation in terms of the basic gameplay ;). The interface itself abandons some of the things that other Risk games have - like seeing the dice or choosing how many you want to use. This makes it possible to play very fast.

Something else that I can't really claim is innovative, but which I think a lot of indie games lack is the network-aware aspects of Lux. There's a Plug-n Manager built into Lux where users can preview, install and rate all the available plug-ins (there's a ton available - check out http://sillysoft.net/plugins).  Also there's a game tracker where users can easily find and join network games. These aren't really innovative, but they add a lot to the overall package and the user experience.

Q: What do gamers appreciate most about Lux?
A: The Luxers that I observe seem to greatly appreciate that they can have an influence in the evolution of Lux. Many of the features that have been added to Lux have come directly from user requests. I have a forum set up for users and I hang out there as well. So it's easy to get in touch with the Lux 'management'. Also, just the fact that I reply to customer emails quickly. I've gotten a ton of 'I really appreciate getting such a prompt reply from software vendors...' type emails. Users hate unresponsive customer service, so treating your customers well really makes you stick out.

Q: What was the single most difficult part of Lux to program?
A: The multiplayer ranking system has been very difficult to get right. The goal was to have a system sort of like in chess, where every user has some kind of rating that gives some idea of how good they are. However, in Lux there can be up to 6 players - both computers and humans - and not everybody plays the same number of games. This complicates things dramatically. Add on top of that friends who like to play together (sometimes teaming up on other players) and the fact that some people will do whatever they can to get to the top (like play 100 games on the smallest map in 20 minutes only against friends) it makes it difficult to get right. The ranking system has gone through a number of changes to get where it is right now. It's pretty stable at the moment, but I bet it will need to be tweaked more in the future as new events unfold.

Q: Other than your own game did any one of the IGF finalists or Student Showcase games stand out to you? Why?
A: I haven't played all of the games in the IGF. One that I had played and enjoyed even before it was selected as a finalist was N. It's a pretty hilarious game where you play a freaked out ninja avoiding death at every jump. The artwork is pretty simple, but it comes with an awesome physics system that really makes it work. It's totally free as well - everyone loves free stuff.

Q: How do you think Independent Games will evolve in the future?
A: I think the line between independent and mainstream games is going to become more blurry as internet distribution continues to take off. You can see it now with some bigger players entering the downloadable games space. However, I think there is always going to be a spot for that guy sitting along at his desk working on the game of his dreams.

Q: What is the biggest challenge facing Independent games?
A: The biggest challenge I can see is getting your game out there and into people's hands. A lot of the indie developers I see are totally ignoring this part - which falls strictly on the business side of things. If you don't have a plan to get people to find your game then you're left reeling on other parties to distribute your game. The whole 'independent' thing is lost.

The internet is a very level playing field. It's cheap and simple to set up your own website and start selling things. The playing field is more slanted by money when it comes to getting distribution and advertising, but there are still many ways that indies can get people to their websites. They just have to really understand that it's a core part of business on the internet - just as much as creating a game is.

Q: As one of the leaders of Independent Games, what is next for you?
A: Hehehe, me as a leader...

I'm planning to just keep doing more of the same. I've started working on another game - in the same vein as Lux but adding some more complexity and focusing more on team-based play. I've set myself the deadline of October to get it done by, so hopefully I'll have some more news for you in the not-to-distant future.