The Journey of Creating the Indie Game 'East Shade'

💡Quitting their jobs and going full-time on the game was a risky move that paid off in the end.

🎮The game's core loop was based on creating a strong sense of place and rewarding players for going slow and appreciating their surroundings.

🚀The development process was full of Eureka moments, such as the painting mechanic and the inspiration mechanic, which greatly enhanced the gameplay experience.

📣The developers employed various marketing strategies, including polished marketing assets, PR services, social media engagement, articles, streaming, convention appearances, and interviews, to promote the game.

❄️On the day of the game's launch, the developers faced a major snowstorm and power outage, but with determination and the help of family members, they managed to overcome the obstacles and release the game on time.

How did the developers fund the game's development?

—The developers used their life savings and lived frugally during the development process.

What inspired the game's core loop?

—The developers wanted to create a game with a strong sense of place, and the core loop of the game centered around going slow and appreciating the environment.

What were some key moments in the game's design process?

—The development process had several Eureka moments, such as the creation of the painting mechanic and the inspiration mechanic, which greatly improved the gameplay experience.

How did the developers promote the game?

—The developers employed various marketing strategies, including polished marketing assets, PR services, social media engagement, articles, streaming, convention appearances, and interviews.

What challenges did the developers face on the day of the game's launch?

—The developers experienced a snowstorm and power outage, but with determination and the help of family members, they managed to release the game on time.

00:00The developers quit their jobs and went full-time on the indie game 'East Shade'.

02:50The game's core loop revolves around creating a strong sense of place and rewarding players for going slow and appreciating their surroundings.

05:50The development process had several Eureka moments, such as the creation of the painting mechanic and the inspiration mechanic.

06:55The developers employed various marketing strategies to promote the game, including polished marketing assets, PR services, social media engagement, articles, streaming, convention appearances, and interviews.

10:12On the day of the game's launch, the developers overcame a snowstorm and power outage to release the game on time.