Game Culture — #gaming news

Ribbity rabbity boo! What happens when carrot-hungry moles invade the world? Who's gonna save the day? We believe it's going to be Murti!

Mega Cat Studios had the amazing chance to interview Xavi Gomez the Producer of the up-and-coming fast-paced arcade game Murtop! Count your coins and get ready to hop as we check the development of the game!

How was this game born?

Murtop was born in 2019. But before being a game, it was an arcade cabinet which I built from scratch in my spare time, from 2015 to 2018, to play old arcade games. The name Murtop comes from “Murti” (a bunny that my partner and I had) and “Bartop” (an arcade cabinet without the base, or pedestal, which was the model I was building). Once I had the cabinet built, I decided that I wanted to create my own game to play on it, and that’s when Murtop, the game, was born.

What was development like?

Murtop was a hobby for me for almost 3 years. I was working from time to time, at night, on the weekends, mostly getting used to Godot (the game engine I use). Basically, I was just having fun learning about everything related to game development while creating a game. I didn't have in mind publishing at all. I was casually posting my journey on Twitter and Reddit and people seemed to like it, which encouraged me to keep going. But in a drastic turn of events (in a good way!), Flynn's Arcade, my publisher, contacted me in the summer of 2022 and they offered me a deal to publish Murtop.

From this point onward, I could say I turned into a "serious game developer" by force. First of all, Murtop didn't have any music nor sfx and I also needed some promotional art and such, so I hired a professional musician and an artist to help me. Now, I only had to finish the game, hehe! And having a full-time job, managing game development, work, family, hours of sleep... The last few months of development were challenging. But I made it through and now Murtop is going to be a reality!

What did you learn about yourself through this game?

That I need to learn to focus. Do one thing at a time, and do it properly. I tend to do multiple tasks at once and it nevers ends well. I also learned that I’m actually capable of creating pixel art, which was a new thing for me.

What makes this game special?

It’s a new take on the 80’s arcade games. It has more pace, better playability and controls. It’s also designed and programmed having in mind the restrictions those games had, so it could be easily ported to actual older systems. Murtop can run natively on a "potato computer" (e.g. a Raspberry Pi).

How does sound play a role in the game?

Sound is crucial in Murtop. Thankfully, Valen Haralambidis, a great musician, helped me with the music and sfx. He designed the whole sound to be resemblant of the old arcade sounds but with a modern twist. This type of games rely a lot on sound because the graphics are kind of basic.

What games influenced this one the most?

Murtop is mostly based on Dig Dug and Bomberman. I took the digging and killing subterranean enemies with rocks from Dig Dug and the bombs and their explosions in multiple directions from Bomberman.

Any fun stories or wild moments during development?

I would say that the wildest moment was when Flynn’s Arcade contacted me. I was in my bed, ready to go to sleep, scrolling through Twitter, when I received a DM asking if I would like to publish Murtop on the Nintendo Switch. I just couldn't believe it! First of all, someone wanted to publish my game, which was bonkers, and secondly, on none other than on a Nintendo console, which are the consoles I grew up playing with.

Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?

Yeah, I think it is important because usually older gameplay mechanics are easy to understand and the players can pick up and play the game more quickly. But preserving older gameplay mechanics doesn't necessarily mean that new games can't introduce new mechanics or innovate in other ways or mix them with older ones. This can lead to a more enjoyable and satisfying gaming experience.

What's your favorite memory as a gamer?

In terms of arcade games, I remember fondly playing Pang and Puzzle Bobble with my father in the bar next to my childhood home. I spent so much money on it! I also remember having a blast playing multiplayer games with my friends, such as Age of Empires, Warcraft, and StarCraft. We also liked to gather to play GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark, and later on, TimeSplitters 2.

Who will enjoy this game the most?

I believe that everybody will enjoy Murtop, but I think people who played arcade games in the 80’s and the 90’s will appreciate it the most.

Bottom line, why must someone play this game?

Because it’s so funny to see a cute little bunny poop bombs! 

How do you want this game to be remembered?

I would like Murtop to be remembered as a “classic new arcade” game.

What's next?

I’m in talks with some companies to release Murtop on their platforms. I would love to  see a physical release of Murtop and I would also like to have a dedicated “Murtop” arcade cabinet, with a vertical CRT monitor, its own art and controls and so on. So I will do everything that’s in my power to make those things happen.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you all for having me. It’s been a pleasure. Let’s keep arcade games alive!

Check out Murtop on Steam

Check out trailer here:

Follow Hiulit on Twitter, Github, and Youtube to get the latest updates from them! Support them on Ko-fi and Patreon!

Livingin the shadows is quite a sad and hard task, but Ewoud, the Producer and Game Developer, of SCHiM, made us see how easy and fun it looks!

The player plays as a SCHiM, the soul and spirit of an object, thing, or living thing. Everything in the world has one. A SCHiM should NEVER be separated from their thing! This does happen to the SCHiM the player will play in this game. This SCHiM who is attached to a human being is separated from him early on in the game and you as the player will have to get back to him before it's too late! 

Come out of the shadows quickly because here's how our interview with them went!

How was this game born?

The game was started out as a project for my college exam for my Game Development course. I was able to collaborate with my previous intern company, Extra Nice, after a lot of social media and press attention, we decided to make SCHiM a full fledged game.

What was development like?

During the development of SCHiM, I was able to get a real grip of what (indie) game development actually looks like, compared to my time back at school. I found out that it takes a lot more planning and a lot of concepting, testing and reiterating. Things that I wouldn't have gotten a lot of experience in otherwise.

What did you learn about yourself through this game?

Through the development of SCHiM I learned what kind of games I want to make and how I go about working on my own. The development of the game started during the pandemic so I had to adapt to working at home and staying productive.

What makes this game special?

I think what makes SCHiM special, is that it is a universally relatable concept. Almost everybody remembers jumping on the cracks in the pavement or the lines at a crossing, or in this case the shadows.

How does sound play a role in the game?

We are glad to work with a company called Moonsailor, who is producing the audio and music for the game. The audio in the game helps with the world building of the game, but we are careful to also implement visual cues, to better aid those with trouble hearing.

What games influenced this one the most?

A game that I took inspiration from in the beginning was Splatoon, even today we get many people referencing that same inspiration when they see the game in action.

Any fun stories or wild moments during development?

The biggest moments during development have been the reactions to the game online. The game has gone viral a few times, and the reactions from players were a big inspiration to keep going, and seeing that our hard work is being seen.

Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?

Games are still a relatively new medium, I think it really is up to the developer to have the creative freedom to create their game the way they want to make. Of course there are basic mechanics and interactions that have matured along with generations of games (e.g. pressing a button to jump, using a joystick to move, etc). These mechanics are easy to implement and are usually expected in any modern game, but if your game works (better) without, let's say a jump button, then I don't see why that has to be preserved.

What's your favorite memory as a gamer?

My favorite memories are from my early days playing Minecraft with my friends, and making playable minigame creations in the singleplayer mode. I think this is where I was able to have an early creative output as a kid.

Who will enjoy this game the most?

Ideally I think everyone should be able to enjoy SCHiM, I think the people who will enjoy it the most are the platformer and the exploration players.

Bottom Line, why must someone play this game?

You should play this game to know how it feels to live in the shadows!

How do you want this game to be remembered?

If this game would be remembered in any meaningful way, even to a few, then I consider it a job well done. A childhood favorite, an inspiration for one's own project, or just a good time, that would be fantastic.

What's next?

For me, I'll probably work on new game prototypes while doing a simpler job in the game industry for a little while.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Wishlist SCHiM! :D

Check out SCHiM trailer here:

Follow Ewoud on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Discord, Tiktok to get the latest updates from them!

Have you ever had dreams about the apocalypse or maybe fighting off zombies? We did, and Mega Cat Studios had the awesome chance to interview the Producer from Coldwild Games, Vladimir Slav, about the development of their up-and-coming turn-based zombie RPG, Stories from the Outbreak. Get your guard up and prepare your weapons as we get to know their story on making this game.

How was this game born?

We want to make fun games that try to tell a story or provide a specific experience. The main idea is to combine and reflect on the fragmentation of society through gameplay mechanics and the fates of different people.

What was development like?

The project was overambitious at first, but we toned it down and focused on a few systems that we wanted to perfect. The map became smaller, but much more intense in terms of events. The Combat was the primary focus for multiple months of development.

What did you learn about yourself through this game?

That longer projects are still tough to complete but are doable. We’ve learned that we can rely on one another and solve things together, through ups and downs.

What makes this game special?

Eastern/northern-European setting. There are not many games that take place in Latvia, showing a pretty unique fusion between different cultures.

How does sound play a role in the game?

We’ve tried to create an apocalyptic atmosphere with a soundtrack made by Roman Lamcev: he actually built some of the instruments that he used to record it, to give the soundtrack a “makeshift” vibe, as if it was made with instruments built after the apocalypse.

What games influenced this one the most?

Octopath Traveller, Darkest Dungeon, Slay the Spire, Faster than Light

Any fun stories or wild moments during development?

When I had to describe a conversation system between characters to the team, I took a chat log and split it algorithmically: * person 1 does something -> * person 2 reacts -> * person 1 gives a reply. Based on this, we’ve built an in-game conversation engine.

Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?

I think every mechanic should serve a purpose and answer the question “what am I trying to achieve.” If an older game mechanics achieve something best – there is no need to discard it only because of its age.

What's your favorite memory as a gamer?

Playing Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and appreciating every part of it.

Who will enjoy this game the most?

People who like JRPGs and games with roguelike mechanics; people who like apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic games.

Bottom Line, why must someone play this game?

Zombies, stories, amazing turn-based combat.

How do you want this game to be remembered?

I want the final version of the game (post-early access) to be not only great gameplay-wise but also a storytelling tool that shows the fates of different people and how they deal with hardships and go through the apocalypse together, as different as they might be.

What's next?

Early access release, then a marathon towards the full one. More characters, more items, more stories to tell.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you for your questions and good luck with your own games!

Check out the game on Steam

Check out Stories from the Outbreak trailer here:

Follow Coldwild Games on Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube to get the latest updates from them!

*Ding ding ding! Think slapstick, pixel art, and boxing rolled into one. This is how our showcased game for this month is seen. Mega Cat Studios had a chance to interview one of the founders of Soupmasters, Martin Calander, about their upcoming slapstick boxing game, Big Boy Boxing! Ready for the punch? Here’s how it went! 

How was this game born?

The game was born after we created many funny characters with personalities during school time. And we needed a game to showcase them, first, we tried to make traditional smash bro like fighting game, but that didn't work out. After a while, we decided to try making a punch-out-esque game with our characters, and it evolved from there.

What was development like?

We are still in the development phase, but it's been souper fun!

What did you learn about yourself through this game?

I've learned that things take double the time I think they will when developing a game!

What makes this game special?

The characters, the slapstick humour, and the fast-paced boss-rush gameplay!

How does sound play a role in the game?

In gameplay, sounds are used as "tells" for the bosses' attacks. And the voice acting gives the characters another level of personality and relatability.

What games influenced this one the most?

Punch-Out!! for the Wii, Cuphead by Studio MDHR, and Undertale by Toby Fox.

Any fun stories or wild moments during development?

One really fun thing I've worked on is new approaches and ways of animating Pixel-Art, which hasn't really been developed since 3D in games was introduced.

Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?

Yes, definitely worth preserving.

What's your favorite memory as a gamer?

My time creating plugins and mods for Minecraft.

Who will enjoy this game the most?

Lovers of 2D Animations or pixel art will surely enjoy this game.

Bottom Line, why must someone play this game?

You won't find another retro pixel art game with this level of animation and over-the-top characters. 

How do you want this game to be remembered?

I want the players to remember the characters in the game, and the journey those characters have been through! 

(Here are some of the characters that will appear in the game!)

    

What’s next?

We are working on getting this game ready for testers!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Be sure to wishlist Big Boy Boxing on steam! It's the easiest and best way to support us for now!

Check out Big Boy Boxing trailer:

Follow Soupmasters on Twitter, Instagram, Discord, and Youtube to get the latest updates from them!