Category: Devlogs

Devlogs

Hamsterdamm Has a Script! – Indie Game Scriptwriting

Hamsterdamm finally has a script! Woot!

We’ve come a long long way, from ideating this game in 2017 to having to shelve development in 2020 to restarting late last year. And we’re so excited about the progress we’ve made in such a short time.

There have been quite a few developments in the past few months, but one we always struggled with being new indie game devs is….how do we convey dialogue and action in this game?

We literally wondered….”Do we need something like a script?”

“I thought they only did that in movies….”

We came to realize that while this is a game, it still includes quite a bit of immersive elements that are similar to film. So, we began the process of creating a full-on game script for Hamsterdamm.

via GIPHY

The Master Story Doc is a Lifesaver

First, we figured out that we needed to better organize and pull in the details of our game. We had loose Google docs of ideas, concept sketches, character bios, and plot points strewn over a variety of Google Drive folders and within Discord. While this is a natural part of the indie game dev process (and really any project where you’re idea may go through a variety of iterations), we realized that we needed to join everything together in a way that was easy for us to refer back to so we can begin creating a cohesive story.

So, we put together a master story document that included information about:

  • The entire story plot.
  • Narrative styling and tone.
  • Characters (including their personality, look, and the part they play in the story).
  • Chapters/levels.
  • Details about the world of Hamsterdamm.

It seems so simple, but this doc has become worth its weight in gold.

 

via GIPHY

 

It’s allowed us to more easily onboard contractors we work with so they can quickly get a good idea of the story and tone of Hamsterdamm. Additionally, it’s created a great base for us to start building out a complete story with plot points and dialogue.

Arc Studio is Immaculate for Scriptwriting!

Next, we began writing the script. We’ve been able to use the exceptional (and incredibly user-friendly) Arc Studio for scriptwriting. It’s been amazing for writing dialogue, scene set up, and assigning character actions (it literally allows you to seamlessly change between formatting for dialogue, action, and scene-setting).

However, it also makes it easy for us to repurpose the script to jot down player actions and directions for our programming team (which is the next step).

Lastly…we also contracted a new writer to help with this effort (can wait to talk about them in the near future).

Sooooo….What’s Next?

We are looking to be done with the script by the beginning of May (Woohoo!)

We cannot wait to share more exciting stuff that is going on with Hamsterdamm. We have quite a few things happening in development and programming that we’re saving for our newsletter squad, so if you want to keep up-to-date on those details, be sure to sign up here (we only send bi-weekly/monthly emails, so we promise not to spam :-D).

Until next time, stay nerdy!!!!!

via GIPHY

 

Devlogs

Songs, Ebooks, and a Gaming Mechanic Change-up – Dev…

Can you believe that it is January? Honestly, where in the world does the time go (January has always felt like the longest month to us). Nevertheless, when you are making an indie game, time starts to go at warp speed magically.

So, what are we up to at NBS these days? Well, we have some exciting things going on. Some of it is dev-related, while there are a few non-dev—but just as important—things going on regarding Hamsterdamm and our quest to make it an exceptional indie game experience. Check out our updates for early Feb:

What Will Hamsterdamm Sound Like?

As we all know, music—and audio in general—in a game matters. What would Silent Hill be like without that creepily ambient soundtrack? Would Mario still hit the same without that chime sound effect every time you get a coin? Well, we are one step closer to creating a sound that accurately conveys the vibe and story of Hamsterdamm.

We have the first song that is going to be included in the game. Will Dodson, music composer for countless video games, films, television projects, and other media, produced an exceptional track for our debut game.

Hamsterdamm has a film-noir/detective vibe, and we wanted the music to convey that. However, we didn’t want to go full-on Hollywood dramatic. While 1920s Old Hollywood and Dick Tracy influences the look and story, we still wanted it to have a whimsical feel. The final result was an eclectic electro-pop and swing mix (think Postmodern Jukebox). Music will be at the heart of this game, and Dodson gave us an exceptional piece to begin shaping the audio world of Hamsterdamm around.

Check out this sample 🙂

 

Dodson definitely captured our vision. We can’t wait to build on this and start to see how else music is going to be playing a role in this game 😉

Are You Signed Up to the Email List? An E-Book Awaits

We are still early in the process, but we have been discussing the idea for Hamsterdamm for the past few years. With that, we have gone through quite a few concept images. So, we took some of those drawings and pixel art and created a free mini-ebook that charts the journey we have made so far. We have included this ebook as a free gift for those who sign up for our email list.

Hamsterdamm Cover Art E-book
Hamsterdamm ebook cover art

If you are interested in the beginnings of a new indie game company or want to keep up-to-date on what’s happening with our projects, we invite you to sign-up. We only send updates twice a month (at the most), and you will be in the running for some freebies and have first dibs (do we even say that anymore? lol) on testing and demos. Again, as a thank you for signing up, we will be sending a free ebook your way.

Sign Up for the NBS Email List here

 

A New Gameplay Mechanic?

Well, we are happy to say that actual development has begun on the game. A schematic is being produced to test out the features. At first, we were going for a traditional 2D pixelated playing experience, where players control the characters and their movements. However, while the player’s actions will still impact the character, we have altered this gameplay dynamic a bit.

Who doesn’t? 😉

We have decided to really put the audio component of the game front-and-center, which means it will impact how you play. We don’t want to fully give away this new mechanic as we are still tweaking it and figuring out if it works, but rest assured that music will have a significant part to play in the gameplay.

That’s a lot to be excited about. As cool new things come along, we will be sharing them with you. Thanks for coming along on our journey!

 

 

Devlogs

Hamsterdamm Game Dev Updates 1/25- Prototypes and Menus

If you’ve been sleuthing around on our socials, you may have seen that we have announced our first game in development: Hamsterdamm.

We’re excited to be to the point of announcing this title finally. For details about the game itself and what to expect, slide on over to the Hamsterdamm game page (especially if you get hyped for comic-style noir games ;-D)

From now on, most of our dev logs are going to be related to this game, So, here is what we have to report:

Putting All the Puzzle Pieces Into Place

Sorta….lol 

While development is actively beginning on this 2D perspective-shifting infinite runner project, there were some questions that we had to ask before we started:

  • “What do we need to have in place before we begin?”
  • “Is the concept tight, or are there some missing parts?”
  • “What platforms is this game going to be playable on?”

Once those questions were answered, we started to look for designers to collaborate with to begin to set up the prototype to expand on. We found an awesome designer (who we will be sharing more information about in the coming month or so).

Game Creation and Game Menus

Game menus play a significant part in the gaming process. Think about some of your favorite game menus. What was one of the major qualities that made you stand up and take notice? Even if it didn’t look the greatest, the ease of navigation and usability was likely a major reason you felt good about it. Games like Destiny, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Metroid Prime come to mind.

This is something we are delving into for Hamsterdamm.

No one wants to spend time on a game they cannot navigate, and we wholeheartedly understand that. Therefore, we are putting our focus on this aspect within the next month. No one wants to feel like this guy after playing a game with poor UI:

We feel ya, buddy…

We have started drawing up in-game menus, designing the user interface, and setting up visual representations for how the game will play out. Additionally, we are also beginning to draw out the different perspectives the game will take on as players move through it.

On the non-game development front, we are ramping up our outreach. We can’t delve into detail right now, but if you are on our mailing list (which, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join), you know that some freebies and goodies are coming down the pipeline that reveals more of the Hamsterdamm story. Some of it will be exclusively for those on the email list, while others we will gladly share with everyone.

So, stay tuned! We will have even more updates to share by next week!