For Friday the 13th, we’ve got a special Getting To Know Your Developer [GTKYD] interview with a developer from the upcoming horror game, Dementium II. Jools Watsham, from Renegade Kid, answers a few questions on Dementium II, a Mature horror game coming out in 2010 for the Nintendo DS. You may know Renegade Kid from their previous DS games, the original Dementium: The Ward and Moon. Both of them were excellent FPS games on the DS. Dementium II is set to push the experience further. Make sure you read all the way through the interview and see how you can help game developers get support from game publishers to bring unique and original game concepts on the Nintendo DS and Wii platforms.
Who are you and what do you do in the gaming industry?
My name is Jools Watsham. I am a Game Director and Producer. I am also Co-Owner of Renegade Kid, along with my business partner Gregg Hargrove.
What are you currently working on or have recently released?
Right now, we’re wrapping up Dementium II for Nintendo DS. Dementium II is our third DS title.
How do you think Dementium II has evolved from the original game?
In almost every way. Our approach was to try an improve upon everything, and I think we’ve achieved that. The save system is manual, which works much better. Enemies do not respawn. There is more variety in the environments and enemy design. The map is automatic, and shows you where you’ve been, which doors are locked, and were you need to go. You can now jump and crouch. There is a new set of 1 unique weapons, some of which are used to progress past obstacles. The music is dynamic, reaction to the on-screen tension. We added a new "Survival Mode", which is a fund kill fest basically. There’s a lot of new stuff in the game. :)
What were the challenges in packing the scares of Dementium II into the portable format of the DS?
Having already developed two FPS titles for the DS, we’re very familiar with what the DS can handle. It is no longer so much a matter of what "can" we do, but but what "will" we do. The main challenge in developing an original game is always the limits of your imagination and the ideas you can create within the allotted concept phase. Fortunately, we have a great team that created an outstanding set of features and implemented those with care and precision. Another challenge, was to ensure we did not stray too far from what Dementium is. We didn’t feel as though we needed to reinvent the game, but focus more on improvements and new features that help support the original vision.
Did other horror games or films inspire you to create the Dementium series?
I don’t think it is possible to create a survival horror series without being inspired by Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Both of those series have achieved amazing things. For Dementium II, titles such as Bioshock and Half-Life played a larger role in some of the features. And as far as movies there’s a little sprinkling of Hellraiser and In the Mouth of Madness.
What’s the name of the game engine you use in Dementium II and your previous first-person games, Dementium and Moon?
Our proprietary Renegade Engine.
Have you ever considered licensing your DS game engine to other developers?
Yes, but that can easily turn into its own business in regards to support so we haven’t pursued that avenue at this stage.
Do you feel the "Mature" rating market has a bigger following on the DS than the Wii?
Hm, no I think they’re probably about the same actually.
Would you ever consider releasing a Dementium game on the Wii?
Sure, but I don’t think any publisher would. :)
How did you get into the game industry?
I started as a video game journalist reviewing games in 1991, and then moved over to being a pixel artist on NES and SNES games. I eventually moved over to the design / production of games and then up through the ranks until I eventually had enough of making games under someone elses direction and went independent in 2007 when Gregg and I founded Renegade Kid.
What is your favorite game you have every played on any console and why?
Mario 64. It is pure, simple, and brilliant. It was a stunning masterpiece when it was first released on the Nintendo 64. Not many platformers have matched the quality of design and gameplay since.
What game(s) are you currently playing?
I just picked up COD: Mobilized. Good game, but I wish it ran in 60fps like our games do. :) I also picked up COP: The recruit, which is pretty cool. I still find myself drawn back to play Hatsworth – it is just a fun game.
Which games are you looking forward to playing in the next year?
Zelda: Spirit Track, Bioshock 2, Shantae, and Dementium II.
What is next for you?
We’d love to continue developing games for the DS, but also want to move onto other platforms. We’re in talks with a few publisher now, so we’ll see how it all pans out.
Anything else you’re itching to tell us about Dementium II or Renegade Kid?
I am very proud of Dementium II. It is the best game that have ever worked on. If you enjoyed Dementium: The Ward or Moon, I think you’re going to love Dementium II. I still can’t believe what we have been able to achieve in the game – it is very gratifying as a developer. If you want more original games on the DS from Renegade Kid, go to my you tube page (jools watsham) and view/comment on the video named "YOU CAN HELP!".
###
A big thank you to Jools Watsham, Aubrey Norris, Renegade Kid and game publisher SouthPeak Games for making this interview possible. See more on Dementium II here. Support Dementium II and original content on the DS with your pre-order and reply to the "YOU CAN HELP!" video.
[click to continue…]
