Gaming has a new level of artistry


What do you think makes Independent games distinctive?
Developers that are not independent do not have the funds to bring a game to the market on their own. They need external funding, usually from a publisher. To get that funding, the publisher has to be satisfied that the game is going to sell well. Unfortunately this is often calculated by looking at other games in its genre and looking at their sales. Publishers are not interested in taking risks and as a result tend to produce games that are similar in game play to what they released last year, but with this years graphics or games with a big name attached. What makes independent developers different is that they are much more willing to take risks and innovate. Some of the games entered in the IGF are really interesting and things you would not see coming out of a mainstream publisher. It would be good if publishers could evaluate games in a more effective way and some of these innovative ideas could make it through to the gamers. I hope as the industry matures we'll be able to do this more efficiently.

How did your studio get your start in working with independent games?
We managed to self fund ourselves through the completion of our first game without any publisher investment. We were in an unusual position to be able to do this as most people cannot afford it. We kept ourselves very small scale and worked from home to avoid the cost of offices etc. We wanted to maintain our independence, as none of us liked having publishers come in and dictate how the game should be developed. Sometimes publishers will do this just for the hell of it and to make sure you know who is boss - e.g. making you change the boots of your warriors from brown to beige and then in 2 weeks time saying "No, you were right, brown was better" and having to change them all back again! When we started Slitherine, we all new each other and had confidence in each others ability. When working alone like we did for long periods you need to be able to trust everyone to get on with their jobs.

What is the most innovative feature of Spartan and how is it innovative in your mind?
The most innovative part of Spartan is our combination of turn based game play with real time battles. The battles are not controlled like an RTS, but more akin to a football manager game where you set it all up in advance and then press go. We've taken a lot of stick from publishers and especially the press about this and keep getting told its not like Total War. Well they're right! It's not like Total War, it's a different style of game. We have many things Total War doesn't (such as a multiplayer campaign) and Total War has many things we don't (such as RTS battles). We just wish people would stop comparing the two games! Despite the pressure, we have no intentions of changing over to an RTS format as we know what our fans want.

What do gamers appreciate most about Spartan?
Our gamers come from a number of different backgrounds and different things appeal to different people. Some are interested in the history of the Greeks and the research we have put into the game. Some love watching the battles and prefer the limited control we give to the click fest of a full RTS because their reactions may not be as fast or they just don't want such a frantic game. Most come to the game because to be honest there is so little competition that they have no choice but to play Spartan! Once they try it they get hooked and hopefully they'll want to buy our next game too. If you look at the market, there are very few turn based strategy games out there, especially ones based on real history. Civilization is the only real competitor and we've already had one preview call Spartan "Civilization with 3D battles". The beta testers love it and we can't stop them playing it!

What was the most difficult part of Spartan to program?
The multiplayer has probably been the most difficult part. The game was not initially designed to be multiplayer & as a result we had to do more work than would have been required if we had implemented it from the start. The biggest difficulty with multiplayer is that its very hard to test it and verify it works. Problems that arise in a "real game" don't appear for the programmers in their test games. Part way through development we sat back and reviewed the game and decided a number of areas need the quality bar raised. Adding multiplayer, a new rendered campaign map and 3D battles were things we decided to add part way through development. We can't believe how well its all turned out and are really looking forwards to seeing it in the shops!

Other than your own game did any one of the IGF finalists or Student Showcase games stand out to you? Why?
To be honest we haven't had much time to check out the student showcase in detail because we have been trying to master Spartan in the last few months so have been very busy. From what I have seen there are some nice new takes on old ideas & the quality is really impressive.

What is your definition of an Independent Game?
For me it means a game developed without the input of a publisher. I.e. the game is designed and built exactly as the developer intended without any "marketing/publishing" influence J

How do you think Independent Games will evolve in the future?
From the look of the IGF, independent games are looking very healthy. In the future I see them moving towards online distribution if they cannot get the publishers support and shelf space in shops. If the games are good enough people will play them!

What is the biggest challenge facing Independent games?
Getting started! A new team will have a hard time getting a publishing deal. You need to have a completed game to stand a chance, but on top of that you need to have someone with good business sense, able to negotiate deals and chase up publishers who can take months and months to respond! Once you've got your first game to market things get easier - assuming it sells! If you game bombs then you're going to find it even harder the next time round, as all publishers do is base sales of your next game on the last one. If the numbers are not good enough you wont get an offer. Its a tough world! Its not impossible, as we've proved it can still be done, but it is hard work. We've been doing it now for 3 years as a fully established company with long hours and lots of stress, and we think Spartan is going to be our chance to make a mark and hopefully pay ourselves a half decent salary! We all earn a lot less now than we did 4 years ago in our old jobs in larger game developers & publishers.

As one of the leaders of Independent Games, what is next for you?
We can't say too much for now because nothing has been announced. We're looking at two main options, both in the strategy game genre but pushing the boundaries in two very different directions.

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By: Russell Carroll
Posted: Monday March 15, 2004