Win Conditions Forest Willard on Creating Among Us and Staying Indie...
Nov 28, 2024
Forest Willard, co-founder of Innersloth and co-creator of the viral hit Among Us, shares his incredible journey from retro gaming to building a successful indie studio. He discusses how the game's design focuses on simplicity and social interaction, making it a cultural phenomenon. The conversation covers transformative partnerships, handling popularity during the pandemic, and tips for aspiring game developers. Forest emphasizes the need to maintain an indie culture even as the team grows, ensuring creativity and fun remain at the forefront.
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Forest's Upbringing
- Forest Willard grew up in small-town Oregon with limited game access but a nerdy upbringing thanks to his parents.
- His parents owned a computer store, giving him access to hand-me-down PCs and sparking an early interest in programming.
Early Programming
- Forest, lacking artistic skills, focused on program art, creating a unique tag game.
- The game featured a grid of dots where players tried to tag red dots with a blue dot, focusing on AI and movement.
Finding a Co-founder
- Find collaborators who complement your skills and share a gameplay-first approach.
- Prioritize gameplay and iterate on prototypes to find what's fun, even if it means starting small and simple.