📝 [Devlog] The Secret Origins of Rule the Dungeon

Instead of a standard progress report this week, I want to share the "behind-the-scenes" story of the long and winding road Rule the Dungeon took to get where it is today.

1. It Started with 5 People—and a Wedding

Believe it or not, Rule the Dungeon first took its baby steps in 2024 as a mobile game developed by a 5-person team. Back then, it wasn't the tactical style you see now; it was a fast-paced survivor-like shooter, similar to Survivor.io.

Our goal was simple: "Let’s make a mobile game with a soul, featuring a deep story and characters that players can truly fall in love with." We churned out a prototype in just one month and spent the next two months polishing it day and night. Our "deadline"? My own wedding day.

Yes, we were those people. On my wedding day, I was handing out game links and asking the guests for feedback. I even sent a game promotional trailer to be played during the ceremony. The venue staff called me in a panic right before the wedding started, asking, "Uh, we think the wrong video was sent... is this supposed to be a game trailer?" I just laughed and said, "Nope, that’s the right one!" That wedding day was truly the most intense "pre-launch" preparation of my life.

2. The Trap of Hyper-casual: "What do we really want?"

However, the mobile market was a brutal "Red Ocean." Without massive marketing capital, breaking into the rankings was nearly impossible. To survive, we dove into the'Hyper-casual'market, tossing a new game into the wild every single month.

The process of checking market data for a new game every 30 days was cold and heartless. It was a constant cycle of: "I love this feature, but users don't care," or "I hate this mechanic, but users love it." Following the data felt like a way to make money, but it left me feeling empty. I’ve always prided myself on finding fulfillment in whatever work I was given during my 7+ years in the corporate world, but I finally realized that'what truly makes me feel fulfilled'was something else entirely.

3. Dusting off Rule the Dungeon: The Path of a Solo Dev

Eventually, I pulled the shelved Rule the Dungeon back out. I decided to go where "people who love what I love" are gathered, rather than just chasing where the money is. I wanted a place where a complete story could be told and where personal taste is respected over cold metrics. That place was the world of Indie Games.

To focus on this dream, we scaled down the team, and I am now walking this path as a solo developer. Between developing and promoting, I’m busier than ever, but my life satisfaction has never been higher. Of course... the fact that my current income is exactly $0 still gives me the chills in the middle of the night sometimes. Hahaha.

Because I’m no longer swayed by market data and can focus on a story I truly love, Rule the Dungeon is becoming the most "authentic" project of my life. Even though I’m currently battling a scary bank balance, I’ll keep grinding away at the dungeons next week to deliver the best "Investigator" experience possible!

See you in the next update!