[Interview] How do developers feel the current address of indie game development?

This year's Play Expo has been able to open to the event with so many indie developers. In three years, the play Expo, which came to an offline show, did not leave the face of the indie developers. The opportunity to listen to the raw feedback of users doesn't come easily.

On the other hand, the opportunity to encounter numerous indie developers in one place does not come easily to the level of staring in the sky. You can't miss this golden opportunity. Therefore, I took this opportunity to collect the questions to the indie developers.

DVORA Kim Min -ho (hereinafter referred to as DVORA) - Indie developer has been developing games since its establishment in 2014. His masterpieces include snake brace and coma series. After changing the company's name to DVORA from Devez Presso, he is currently working hard to develop new works such as Parka's Coffee and Roast Lady Story.

Growing Seed Lee Soo -ho (hereinafter referred to as MAZM) - Orthodox story game MAZM is a game director of 'Dai Creature'. MAZM's masterpieces include Jekyll and Hyde and the Phantom of Opera. The new work 'Dai Creature' is MAZM's first PC game and is the motif of Frankenstein's story.

Kassel Games CEO Hwang Sung -jin (hereinafter Kassel Games) - Indie Developer established by students from Sogang University Game Education Center. Representatively, 'Rat Ropolis' has been expanded to a mobile platform after the PC launch. Currently, the next film, Latopia, is a game of simulation genres and is being developed as a PC and console platform.

Two months studio co -representative Lee Kyu -won (two months of studio) - Indie developer consisting of six students from Seoul National University. The team's name was made to make a game for two months of winter vacation, and it was established by the company. It is currently developing a platformer game 'Lafin' and is scheduled to be released in the third quarter of this year.

Anti -Aliasing CEO Kim Min -ho (hereinafter referred to as Anti -Aliasing) - Indie Development Team with 5 people developing adventure games based on storytelling. In the early days, the company was developing the KIN: D Barrabin Exploration Team, which was aimed at creating animation but changed its route to the game, and aims to launch this year.

** Q. It's been a long time since an offline event was held.

dvora- I was so impressed that I was very impressed with the size, and there were quite a few people who wanted to find such an offline event than I thought. For production, I think it is an event that is necessary for the atmosphere for promotion or business relationship. You can think that you can see this play expo and you can grow the size on BIC and the other side.

mazm- There are also offline events, and many visitors have come to see and see and see this. I wanted to watch and introduce our game from behind, but I am glad.

Kassel Games- First of all, I was so happy that I was able to face a lot of users, and I was proud to develop hard whenever I heard that we had played our game around. I thought there was a lot of dissatisfaction because it was still insufficient, but there were a lot of feedback that it was fun.

Studio Two months - It was a pity that the offline event of the Play Expo in 2021 was canceled. The booths were also spacious, and many visitors were given, so I could get meaningful feedback as a developer.

Anti -Aliasing- This is the first offline event.

Q. I wonder how you prepared this play expo.

MAZM- I prepared a lot of banners and events in the original way. I think I had to do better than usual.

Kassel Games- Actually, our game is not the right genre for the exhibition, and the preparation began late. It is most memorable to focus on tutorials and UI work to lower the barriers to entry while testing new games for a month ago.

Studio Two months - I wanted to get feedback from the story. Then, we prepared new products such as goods so that users can be interested in our games.

Anti -Aliasing- Originally planned to attend play X last year, but because of Corona, the event was delayed, so I attended this year. The teams who decided to attend last year were not able to review this year, so they prepared the booth.

Q. What is the hardest moment in developing an indie game?

Dvora- When days continue to repeat. So it's hard to see when the routine will end because the routine doesn't go out. Most indie developers are not in a stable money situation, so they have no choice but to get pressure every time. To be honest, if you can't make a game, you can't sell it and your profit is zero. Since someone doesn't give money, I think that I have to run like a marathon with my pride that my game will sell well.

mazm- difficult moments seem to be the hardest just before launch. It's a level design or continuously putting content, so it can be the most boring section in some ways. It's the hardest to go beyond that ridge.

Kassel Games- I think it's time to be blurred. You have to look at one vision inside the team, but everyone has a different direction and users are different. This offline exhibition actually helps to brighten the blurred vision again, and I think that I should develop it to the end.

Studio Two months- I think it's a moment when we don't know if we're going properly. When I first started, it was fun to be together, but as I became my job, I suddenly came to mind that I was in the right direction. It's very hard if these questions are changed to anxiety, but I think that the opportunity to solve it is an offline exhibition. It seems that we can fix the way we should go by receiving the raw feedback in the field.

Anti -Aliasing- Since there is no fixed profit like a job, it was difficult to hold it in the early days, so I was able to continue developing little by little through support projects such as my parents or support projects such as Smilegate membership. It takes a lot of time to develop, and I think it's hard to have a lot of money in proportion to it.

Q. On the contrary, what is the happiest or rewarding moment?

dvora- It's a bit vague, but it's hard to come out before the game is made and the good part comes after the game is made. After the release of the game, I leave a testimony on SNS or make feedback while analyzing in -depth, and I think that I made a good game by watching the second creation like cosplay.

Mazm- It is the most rewarding tea that many people play and comment or SNS support. The fan came and gave me a gift before, and it seems to be the most proud.

Kassel Games- I'm not sure about other big companies, but I think I was happy to communicate with users. It is also a big merit that you can feel homogeneity while talking with other indie developers.

Studio Two months - It is best to listen to feedback that is fun at the exhibition. I'm making a game to make people fun, but I hear it is really fun. In fact, I am grateful to write a comment at the online event, but the comments are not well conveyed. It's very important to be very important because you have fun and how you play it.

Anti -Aliasing- It's not a good time to release the game, so it's a happy moment to say it's fun. When the demo version was posted on the Internet in the past, many people did not play because of lack of publicity. But the person who had fun then came to me and talked about this time.

Q. What do you think is the most needed, whether it's a policy or education for the current indie developer.

DVORA- A complaint in the national policy is that it tends to invest too much in trends, whether it's VR or multibus. If it's new, there are many places you can't get? Now, I hope that the country's support directions will be discerned with a price, such as overseas response of the game, the game show participation, and user response.

mazm- Currently, Korea is too much. There is a large game company that makes triple A -class games, and there are real small developers who are in the midst of a crowded with real small developers. Because such companies are getting bigger and acting as a middle leg, the game industry in Korea will be solid.

Kassel Games- I have been experienced directly, but it is often not duplicated in various government support or competitions. There is a situation where you have to give up one when you apply for both A and B. You have to think about what benefits you want to decide first. For example, A can receive labor costs, and B can be supported by marketing costs and offices, but he has nailed that it should not overlap with other places.

In fact, there are a lot of support projects, and there is no organization and integration, so it may be a problem. I hope that indie developers will be able to apply to various places and receive benefits accordingly.

Studio Two months- It's a problem now, but it's too hard to get a good person. Nowadays, programmers also tend to flock to large companies as developers' ransom increases. Indie developers can't help you, so I can't help it.

Currently, I rely on networks, or I contact the development center in each region to ask if there is an internship program. Or you may be saved by the power of community and SNS. However, if you recruit this way, there is a realistic problem that you have to draw around new recruits.

Anti -Aliasing- I was failing to challenge Tumblebuck in the early days, but I heard that the change in the purchase rate is not bad compared to those who received feedback from acquaintances in the marketing industry at the time, but the inflow was too small.. Of course, there are some failures because we lack, but I thought that the window for promotion was too limited. At that time, I wrote it in the community for promotion, and the community banned it as an advertisement. It was a pity that even if there was no money for advertising, there was no way to make up for this problem.

Q. What preparation and efforts do you need to become an indie developer?

dvora- First, you need a persistence to do a marathon. If you look around these days, there are many people who start developing university teams and start -ups after graduation. Development tools have become easier to create, and making games as planning is not so high that the entire market inflow barrier is lowered.

Of course, you must have technical skills. And