PLEASE START US OFF BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF:


 Hello, I'm kantal, an indie game developer from Poland. I've loved indie games ever since the first Humble Bundle, which means I've been supporting them for about 12 years now.

Firstly, I'm a YouTuber with over 3,000 videos about indie games. Secondly, I've been a game developer for about 5 years now. I create games in my spare time, as my day job is working as a game tester for a video slots company.

TELL US ABOUT 1-BIT CASTLE REMAKE.

My new game, 1BIT CASTLE REMAKE, is, as the name suggests, a remake of my first game ever published on Steam, 1BIT CASTLE. The idea for this game came to me after releasing Otherwar, my most ambitious and extensive project, which I developed with a talented team including my friends Cicha and Mariusz. I wanted to work on something smaller and suitable for solo development, so 1BIT CASTLE REMAKE became a solo project. I've recreated features, added new mechanics and perks, and incorporated a nice soundtrack into the game. The art was done by a pixel artist because I believe it's always good to get help from contractors. Being solo doesn't mean doing everything alone, as it can take ages to complete, release, and market a game by oneself.


HOW HAS THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY BEEN

Creating games isn't an easy task, but I find joy and fulfillment in doing it. Every new feature added, bug fixed, and milestone completed brings me fun, a smile, and a sense of accomplishing my personal goals. My games start small, as just a few notes, then I add more and more until the planning phase is complete. After this, I create a graphical prototype, a functional prototype with temporary art, and finally, the finished game.

Throughout each stage of the process, I share the game with my friends because their feedback is very important. It helps me avoid time-consuming problems and mistakes.

WHICH GAME ENGINE DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?


For my games, I use Unity, which is the most popular engine available. I use it because the user base is so large that I can easily gain new knowledge and get help from the community.


WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT HURDLE SO FAR?

My biggest struggle is always to start somewhere because there are so many ideas, and I need to narrow them down to a reasonable timeframe, within my skills and art possibilities. I watched many "how to make games" videos, which advised against creating big games. This has become my main principle now – to make smaller games, even a few each year. Small-scope and fast projects bring freshness, reduce boredom, and prevent burnout. This approach is best for solo developers because each completed game provides valuable experience and insights that we can carry into the next project.


ADVICE FOR FELLOW DEVS?

Take it one step at a time. Recreate old classics like Tetris, Arkanoid, or Snake and add something new to them. Start with a few smaller projects, and don't forget to share videos, GIFs, and screenshots from them. Once you've learned enough, you can move on to slightly bigger games. Don't quit your well-paid job to become the next famous indie developer; you still have bills to pay, so having a stable job is a good thing. If you need help, team up with friends or connect with someone you meet online or at a game conference.


ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?

- Don't forget that making games should be fun. If it's not fun anymore, step back and ask yourself if it's still for you.

- kantal

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2641810/1BIT_CASTLE_REMAKE/

❤️