Our scene opens on a dark ocean as a crash of thunder rends the sky and lightning streaks like skeleton fingers.
Upon a craggy storm-wrecked cliff lies the imposing Fireshine Publishing Castle and Luxury Dungeons.
A shabby, rag-clad figure shuffles down a dimly-lit flagstone corridor to the room at the end where the developers sleep. He is the Custodian. The corridor echoes, but he moves silently, atop a pair of pristine running shoes.
Muttering to himself, he withdraws from his billows a large iron key and opens the door. A sliver of light fills the gloom. The room reeks of rotting food and is heavy with the stench of pestilence. Three lie prone in chains. In front of them a bucket, a scroll and ink. They have been here for a while.
The Custodian shuffles up to Tim - the Lead Developer. He takes out a small notebook, already full of arcane scratchings. He prods the sleeping man with a metal rod on his belt.
Custodian: Tim…it’s time again.
Tim: (Groggily)...Oh God, no…I just can’t…
Custodian: IT’S IN THE CONTRACT (The walls shake).
Tim: Ok, Ok, what do you want to know?
Custodian: Tim, the people want to know, how did you come up with the idea for the Deadly Path?
Tim: If I do this…I want the first turn with the boil lance.
Custodian: Granted.
Tim: Sick Bastards.
You know…it wasn’t always like this. I used to make nice games. For nice people. Where did it all go wrong eh?
A few months ago, I had started playing games like Stacklands, Dome Keeper, Cultist Simulator - nasty games that kill you quickly and make you desperate to play again. It was then I had the thought ‘what about a game where you build a dungeon and protect it.’ You could have timers and cards, but also in real time. It would be like a boiled down RTS management game.
I wanted to make a game that was addictive but brutal - one where you got distracted by pretty things and then it kicked you in the teeth
Custodian: A Dungeon Keeping game…seems familiar.
Tim: I appreciate that. Dungeon Keeper was obviously a reference, both for setting and style. I’ve always loved dry British humour - Pratchett, Adams. In a way, I try to put it into everything I do…
Custodian: No Meta!
Tim: Ok! Unlike Dungeon Keeper, I wanted to have no simulations and boil things down to their root nature. Computers are great at simulating, but historically games - particularly board games - are abstracted. For instance Chess doesn’t have real horses in it. I didn’t want imps running around, I just wanted the *idea* of Imps. This is great for indie developers because it means we don’t need to make a thousand animations for one character - just a card and the players’ imagination will do.
Originally the game was still more complicated - you had building trees, upgrade trees and training wheels. However, these were quickly winnowed to just a few things.
1. You can excavate a tile
2. You can build on a tile
3. You can place workers in that building.
And that…is it. Everything else flows from this point - you want an upgrade, go up an era, train a servant - make a building and put something in it. It’s a very simple game!
Custodian: It is said that you sacrificed your first systems designer to appease the Dark Lords at the Games Developers Conference.
Tim: That is unproven. However, it’s a busy market out there and you need to get the edge somehow. And use it.
Custodian: Good, Goood…Right lets get you out of here.
Tim: Out?!
Custodian: Well, just for a while, we’re going to have you show the game at the Digital Tabletop Festival. Now remember, you’ve got an hour and then its straight back. And…er, don’t mention the boil lance.
