Welcome to our Game Creators interview series, where we feature creators and members of The Sandbox community, giving them a platform to share their stories.
In this edition of Game Creators, we interview game creator and winner of the Glitch in the Metaverse Game Jam: Tepes. In this interview we learn about the creation of his game studio, his submission to our Game Jams and the amazing game experiences he is creating.
I started making games in 2017 using a no-code engine, with no previous experience or any relevant studies. The first few games took long to create, were really just small experiments and getting people to play them was quite hard. But I didn’t lose hope and in time I got better at it, the games started to get featured on the App Store and Google Play, some even hit the top charts and making games became my favorite activity.
Whenever I feel inspired and get a game idea, I quickly write it down in my notebook and create a small list of the main features the game should have. I have hundreds of ideas, but as a solo game developer it’s important to try to keep the game small and simple or it will most likely never see the light. I get inspired from nature, other games, movies, scrolling social media or design feeds (like dribbble) and daily life.It usually takes 2–3 months of full time work to create a game from scratch.
As a big fan of voxels, I’ve made a few games that feature this blocky art, the most notable being My Winter Album.
I’m always seeking new ways to create immersive experiences that can be enjoyed by everyone, and my partner, Carina, recommended Sandbox to me. The moment I started playing around VoxEdit and the Gamer Maker I knew that I had to get myself a land and start making games there.
After following a few tutorials I felt ready to start tinkering around. I was amazed by how easy to use and how convenient the software is. Most of the game engines and game makers have a really steep learning curve that makes the idea of creating a game by a single person almost impossible. By combining Game Maker and Voxedit, ways to monetize our games, the only limit is our imagination.
Building in Sandbox is like a dream come true for indie game developers. Everything is super straightforward, the pre-built behaviours and components make the development very fast. After a few hours of starting the Transylvania Fair project I had the base structure ready and a clear vision of how the game is going to look like. Making games inside the Game Maker is almost like playing a game. I felt relaxed and confident all the way, I recommend anyone who wants to make a game, no matter if they have experience or not, to try the Sandbox Game Maker. Can’t wait for the upcoming features, like visual scripting or the reintroduction of presets!
