Interviews With the Team: Ryan: Lead Producer

Hey there guys, Adam here again from Angry Ghost Games.

This week we've had a week away from each other, and gave ourselves a larger workload to make up for it; so expect a longer blog post this week to make up for the lack of this week's update.

In place of a regular post this week, I pulled our lead producer aside for an interview (which because of time constraints is why this post is going up a little late).

Ryan had a lot to say about the work that's gone into the project so far; as well as the current state of the game, and his hopes for the rest of the project.

I hope you all enjoy this interview.

Could you give a brief description of the game?

Ryan: The game is a local multiplayer party game in which up to 4 players compete to destroy one another and claim victory. They do this by manipulating the nature of platforms scattered around the stage with magic projectiles, lighting platforms on fire, turning them to ice or even detonating them. It's a fast experience that aims to give the typical party game brawler a fresh twist.

You've been working on the game for about half a year now, how has your original idea changed in that time?

Ryan: Surprisingly the game in its current state isn't too different from how I originally imagined it. This might be due to the fact that my original idea was very bare bones and I think because of that we've managed to stay true to it. I never nailed down any real ideas for what the characters would look like, what the stages would look like, how the UI would work. Because of that these aspects of the game have grown from the core idea rather than tweaking it. The only real changes have been the elements we decided to go with - I think I originally planned to use earth and electricity as elements, but when we came together as a group we realized there were better options and so we went with those instead.

In terms of your role within the project, can you explain exactly what parts you've been working on.

Ryan: So for this project I'm the producer, which essentially means I'm responsible for ensuring that everything runs as smoothly as possible. For the most part that involves heading team meet ups, kicking off scrums, making sure everybody has something to work on and making sure they know what that something is. I talk with the team to help discern how long tasks will take and set deadlines where appropriate. In addition to this I've also modeled our character, Bob, and done a lot of the coding for the gameplay of our game. Currently I'm working with another team member on integrating all the bits and pieces the rest of the team has been working on, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of that come together.

How well do you feel the project is going? Are you happy with the amount of progress made; and are there any areas in particular which could use more work?

Ryan: I'm really happy with how things have been progressing, I think the team works really well together which helps us get more done faster. Everyone on the team knows that we all have to compromise in certain areas which makes decision making faster and easier. I think that we've had a big focus on the art aspect of the game and while we're still on top of everything coding is something that's definitely been pushed to the side for a while, so that will be our next area of focus.

There's been some change in the group members, the loss of one and addition of two new members. How has this affected the project if at all?

Ryan: It's been exciting to have the team switched up a little bit, with the introduction of our newest members Jess and Christina. It's definitely been a real benefit to us, not just because we've gained one extra member overall but also because they've integrated into the group so effectively. Since they've joined us they've both produced some great work, and they get along great with the rest of the team, so its definitely something I'm happy about.

What part of the game that you have worked worked are you most proud of so far?

Ryan: For this project the thing I'm most proud of has got to be our 3D character model of Bob. Although he isn't very complex I learnt a lot as I made him, such as how to model realistic folds in clothing as well as how to model a relatively detailed eye. I'm quite pleased with how he turned out, and I'm excited to see him running around in our game later this year.

What have you enjoyed about the process of creating a game from scratch, and would you do it all again if give the chance?

Ryan: I think I've enjoyed the role of producer more than I expected, which isn't what I thought my answer to this question would be when I first started this project! I really enjoy working on Magefest and putting the pieces together, but I never really saw myself as a leader figure so having the opportunity to lead has been a really cool experience for me. If I had the chance to do it again, I would.

Do you have anything else you want to say about any aspect of the project?

Ryan: I think you covered everything! I'm really grateful to the whole team and I'm really looking forward to seeing our final creation. Keep your eyes peeled for Magefest, coming this November!

I'd like to thank Ryan for this interview, it was a great time getting to look into the mind of the man whose idea the game was in the first place. Check back in in a couple of days for our two week catch-up blog.

Thanks for reading!