Roguelike Radio Episode 85: 2013 Retrospective
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Feb 24, 2014 This episode features DarkGod, an independent developer renowned for Tome, and Jim Shepard, the creator of Dungeonmans. They delve into the challenges of getting their games greenlit on Steam and share personal insights from their Kickstarter experiences. DarkGod discusses integrating live server features to enhance player interactions, while Jim reflects on community feedback driving ongoing development. The conversation also touches on the evolution of roguelikes, with thoughts on genre blending, mobile adaptations, and exciting future plans for both games.
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Kickstarter Turned Hobby Into Full-Time Work
- Jim Shepard described how his Kickstarter for Dungeonmans succeeded after years of independent work and community building.
- He used that success to make Dungeonmans his full-time job and continue development.
Greenlight Surprise And Rush To Ship
- DarkGod recalled the surprise and stress of Tome being greenlit on Steam after worrying it wouldn't happen.
- He rushed to integrate Steam APIs and ship quickly to avoid long post-greenlight delays.
Greenlight Changed Steam's Gatekeeping Role
- Steam Greenlight evolved from gatekeeping to suddenly approving hundreds of titles, changing distribution dynamics for indie roguelikes.
- Many greenlit games still weren't finished, so greenlighting didn't guarantee immediate Steam releases.