I joined the development team in 2018, but before that, I had already created indie games on my own. Starting in 2016, I released several games such as “Charlotte’s Corridor” and “Mistry Fantasia” on the Google Play Store, and some of them garnered a considerable number of downloads. Though they might not have the greatest art, UX, or writing, those projects taught me that with enough creativity and perseverance, someone who will appreciate your work – a valuable lesson for any young creative person.
As I grew more experienced, I wanted to create more ambitious, high-quality games. So I used the work I’d done as a portfolio and joined a larger studio, where I was tasked with conceptualizing how to present our game world.
<Powerpoint slides of old reference art for Lost Eidolons. As you can see, the finished game wound up with a much different vibe.>
What games do I enjoy as a player?
Glancing through my Steam data, it seems I spend most of my time on strategy and simulation games. I was particularly devoted to RimWorld, spending close to 1,000 hours constructing settlements and experiencing both joy and frustration. I’ve also cleared all achievements in Slay the Spire, achieving Ascension 20, and I’m a huge fan of titles like Sid Meier’s Civilization and the Danganronpa series.
Outside of PC, I’m also a fan of anime-style games. At the moment, I’m playing a lot of Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail (and spending a little too much money to unlock characters), to add some spice to my life.
<It was fun and not all that difficult.>
Thoughts on Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch
The Lost Eidolons series is very important to my story as a game developer. They’re the first games I’ve been involved with from inception to release as part of a larger team, and to say I’ve learned a lot would be an understatement. My goal moving forward is to improve my skills in everything I work on, including metagame content, UI/UX, character art, and more. With Veil of the Witch, I believe we can streamline what made the first game fun, eliminate things players found tedious, and in so doing, create a game that connects with players more deeply .
What games do I dream of making?
To me, an enjoyable game is one with an immersive world. I appreciate games where the characters aren’t simply there, but are integral parts of the setting. Players’ imaginations are often richer than developers’, and I love settings that leave room to imagine what might live in the margins.
To create worlds like that, you don’t necessarily need massive amounts of text or complex systems like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Disco Elysium. Games like VA-11 HALL-A and Papers, Please are great examples, and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim plays in a similar space, while taking it further with amazing presentation and art. I’d like to create a world that captures the imagination that way. Beyond that, questions like genre or IP don’t concern me as much; it could be a sequel to Lost Eidolons or something entirely new.
<A game I love, with an immersive world, compelling storyline, and captivating characters.>
Parting thoughts
Now that we’ve gotten to know one another a little better, I hope you’ll come back and read by dev blog, where I’ll share more about the metagame and overall flow in Veil of the Witch. Specifically, I’ll be talking about how the camp system in Lost Eidolons came to be, and how we’re changing things up this time around.
Stay tuned!
Minyoung/Mocha