PLEASE START US OFF BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF:
Hi there, I'm Simon Larguier, I'm game designer and founder of a French indie studio called Sunny Peak.
We're developing our first video game, a musical and precision platformer called Symphonia.
TELL US ABOUT SYMPHONIA.
The game is a 2D platformer in which you embody Philemon, a violin virtuoso trying to gather musicians to form an orchestra that will bring life to the world of Symphonia. He can use his violin and bow to play the violin, to bounce around and to catapult himself in order to overcome obstacles.
The idea of the game comes from a will to develop an interesting platformer in which you use a tool to navigate alongside walls and ceilings (the violin bow), but also a game that would be very art and music oriented.
HOW HAS THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY BEEN AND WHICH GAME ENGINE DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
The development is going well! We chose to develop using Unity for its relative ease of use, all the documentation, and because this is an engine we all already experimented on during our studies. Sometimes, the native Unity tools are not quite fit for what you need, but it is a strong baseline to develop new ones.
WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT HURDLE SO FAR?
The biggest difficulty would be the development of little animated scenes (cutscenes) in 2D. We have been using the timeline tool from Unity and enhancing it, but it can get quite complicated. If you're planning to use it, make sure to experiment with it beforehand!
ADVICE FOR FELLOW DEVS?
Sure! I recommend finding good friends that will support you and help you develop a common vision, because developing can be very long and you will need the help! I also recommend always keeping in mind the "game's pillars", which are the few core ideas you absolutely want to convey with the game. Keep referring to it and they will help you find your way through development when you're in doubt.
ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?
- Good luck on your journey and try to have fun making games! You got this.
And if you want to help us with Symphonia, you can wishlist it on Steam (or buy it, if you're from the future!) and follow us on twitter/X
@symphonia_game
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1865960/Symphonia/
❤️
