BBG interview：Investing up to million on domestic indie game, almost kneel

Article from: BBG Author: 怪物马戏团

we attended the Weplay Exhibition. The vibe there was amazing, featuring Chinese domestic indie games and console games. I met some ingenious indie games producers in the indie game section. Their eye-catching game style attracted players’ attention at the first sight. Among these producers, I interviewed an interesting bro about his indie game production story. He is NPC, the producer of card game— Endless Voyage. I knew him by serendipity from a post they released in NGA before this exhibition. The post was so pure and simple that I found it very amusing: NPC asked a question, he have invested over million in indie game, how many purchases could pay back his investment? As he might probably sink his knees on the washboard if not.

First from left: NPC

As for a two-year production game, one million has done little support. This folksy post has attracted attention in NGA. I decided to make contact with this indie game producer on WePlay exhibition, knowing that they will participate in this event.

Q: Hi, may you introduce your team and yourself?

NPC: There are three members in our development team, I am a planner, the others are programmers. We also hired a part-time operational manager for publicity. We outsourced the art and sound effects as we did not hire any designer initially. We failed to hire designers for the lack of proper office. We worked, ate, lived at one programmer’s apartment, it was a joyful time.

Initial work environment

Speaking of this, NPC told me a rough story. Since they couldn’t afford the high art payment of market and ex-colleagues, they resorted to students and users on art’s website.

When they realized the need for desingners

As they got the final drafts, they recognized the inconsistency with current characters’ art style and UI. They realized the urgent need for a chief designer. And for several misses of the deadline and an interior argument among those amateurs. We had to seek help from friends and proper art outsourcing. This fumble led to the inconsistency and unrefinement in the game art style. Yet they have no money to fix it.

Q: According to your post on NGA, you spent one million yuan in this game. Yet mere one million yuan investment for a two-year indie game is not enough usually. Is that the real case

NPC: Yes, that is true. But the human cost was not included. Our development team is underpaid, so we actually spent one million yuan, yet the project cost is way mor higher. We haven’t expected it would take so much time and money but it is worthy.

The cost of publicity is also high

Q: I heard that you didn’t do any market research before the project?

NPC: Indeed. Data-driven is essential for a project. But we are hardcore TCG&DBG players ourself, we believe in our taste in this genre.

Q:Gossip has it that the heroine took protocol as your wife?

NPC: Not really, in light of her characteristic, outlook and behavior. But it is named after my wife. That is the charisma of indie games. It is quiet free. I couldn’t make indie games without my wife’s support, rumor has it that I had a sugar mommy. The former post has mentioned that I must kneel on the washboard if the investment couldn’t pay back. Back then, the producer of Amazing Cultivation Simulator, laughed at me, saying that I