89o has developed multiple games throughout the years, like Planet Doom, Nocturnion, 1000-BIT, and Crystal Ninja. 89o has been an active game developer for over 3 years with a goal to show people that videogames are the artform of the 21st century.
GDWC: Hello 89o, we'd love to know more about you! What got you into game development?
89o: Ever since I was 5, I wanted to make games in the future. I have literal stacks of old notebooks with game ideas. I've been making small things with Scratch a very long time ago, but almost 4 years ago, during the summer of 2016, I just decided "I'm bored, I'll learn how to program normal games." And so I did.
GDWC: That sounds pretty cool! Must have been quite a piece of work to learn it all by yourself! Is this your first game made in a Game Jam?
89o: My first game made for a Game Jam was Thunderstorm, made for LD39 with the theme "Running out of power". It was mediocre by all standards - not bad, but not shockingly good.
GDWC: Yeah, sometimes it might be better to first start simple and make it more complex with time! What do you consider one of the biggest challenges?
89o: For me, the trickiest part to get right is to get rid of all bugs. No matter how long I playtest, there will ALWAYS be something wrong, and the bigger the game, the worse it is. For my latest big project, 1000-BIT, I got a bunch of playtesters back when the game was still a very early prototype. Still, even the current version has bugs. It's unbelievable.
GDWC: That really does sound like a real challenge, haha! What has helped you the most in participating in a Game Jam?
89o: The #1 tip from me is to prevent stress at all costs. Plan your time, take breaks, and always have a finished product. If you crunch, you'll actually spend more time procrastinating than working. Plus, stress is always bad for your mental and physical health. Ever since I adopted this strategy, I finished my jam games and even had some time for playtesting and additional polishing.
GDWC: Yeah, stress really kills creativity, so that does sound like a good tip! What have you enjoyed most in Game Jams?
89o: At this point in game development, I have a big list of game ideas which I have been stockpiling over the years. Game jams are for me a great excuse to stop my current 'big' project and bring to life one of these ideas. In addition, they helped me invent cool game ideas, like Beyond (which I have yet to turn into a full game), which is based on time flowing either for you or the rest of the world. It was originally made for the 1st GamesPlus jam.
Thank you 89o for taking the time and having the interview with us! Getting rid of all bugs in a game can be a mountain of work. Lots of developers have recommended to focus on a simple scope and not overdo things during a Game Jam. Limiting the scope of your game will also help with not letting the bugs run rampant, which will save time and enable one to focus developing actual features. We wish 89o all the best for the future.
Thank you dear readers, and stay tuned for our next interview!
