Who doesn’t like cats? who isn’t curious about solo dev stories? …Unreal engine? Ok, ok we all agree! sit down and read about this sweet project by GTZAStudio.
Let’s start from the beginning! How did you jump into the GameDev world?
I’ve always been passionate about video games. During my Post Grade in Bim management (2015), I was attending a boring lesson, and I found the Unreal Logo in the school computer desktop. I remembered that logo from the Unreal Engine Tournament (I spent lots of hours playing that game when I was younger).
When I double clicked that Icon, I discovered that this was a game engine.
First thing that came into my mind at that moment was: I must use this to let people visit their project houses before they are built and make decisions during the design process.
I started to study UE4 on my spare time (I had 0 programming knowledge in that moment)
From that date, tons of youtube hours, after some years producing “serious games” and tools related to the AEC industry, I decided to pursue my dream, creating Games.
Could you tell us something more about how you switched from your full-time job? if we are not wrong you are an architect, how does this change impact your life?
I was full-time working on a big project, the FCB Nou Camp Nou stadium, as an architect specialized in Bim management, automatization processes and VR.
I started to develop MTC:3D puzzle after work (2019), from 7pm till 1am. In the early stages, it was just a way to express the creativity that I had inside, and I was not able to use in my job.
As the game started shaping, I decided to quit, focus on my game, and also develop archviz projects as a freelancer to get some funding.
It was not until 6 months ago that I decided to reject some projects and job offers to be fully dedicated to MTC:WR.
When I made the decision, I had some savings but I had to assume that my life would be just working on the game. No spare time, no luxury, no money.
I think this is the hardest part of being a full time indiedev without any income, because knowledge can be learnt, you can overcome difficulties, but having to say NO to some plans with friends and family due to the lack of time & money, that’s definitely not easy…
On the other hand, the positive feedback and watching how your project is growing is so satisfactory that it is worth more than money.
I am really proud to share that my first-ever made game can be played on one of my favorite consoles: Nintendo Switch.
All the effort I did to learn Unreal Engine and turn from Architecture into Gamedev got rewarded when I saw my friends having fun while playing my game.
At first, having my game ported and published on Nintendo Switch felt like a big achievement. It was so motivational and encouraged me to keep working as a gamedev.
But a real fact about, being a solodev and deciding to give your project to someone to publish it, is that you make a leap of faith. You have to trust someone you don’t know, and give them your “baby” expecting they will care about it as much as you do.
In MTC:3DPuzzle case, some circumstances turned this sweet moment into something bitter.
Despite this bad experience, I tend to face problems as a way to learn a lesson.
Now I’m open to finding new publishers for my next game, but this time I will choose more carefully who I partner with.
I’m currently working to release the Steam version of MTC:3D Puzzle that will be available soon and will include extra content with a new improved control system.
How did you start working on this game and why?
Mojito the Cat: Woody’s Rescue is my second game. I decided to start my second project after 3-4 months of releasing the first one (Mojito the Cat: 3d puzzle), but this time with more experience, knowledge & ambition.
The Idea of Mojito as a cuberized Cat, comes from my first development. I created a puzzle with almost no knowledge about modeling and animation, but I wanted to have cute aesthetics.
I tried to turn my weakness into my strength by creating a simple shape as a cube, painting it to look like my Cat and make it roll as the main mechanic (Curiosity: Rolling on that game is mathematics driven, there is no animation).
As soon as my modeling and animation skills started to improve, I decided to make it more complex but without losing the essence of my character.
And why Mojito? you might wonder, well He is my Cat and it is his name.
In MTC: WR, my starting point has been very different. I had already gone through the entire process of creating and publishing a game. Now I’m able to scope better, I have the confidence to aim and create a more ambitious project because my modeling and animating skills are not limiting me any more, and I can fully focus on player experience and fun.
Tell us something about this amazing game now 🙂
It all started when a suspicious storm hit Mojito & Woody’s Island. After that night, Mojito wokes up and Woody had disappeared with all his trophies.
You will play throughout this story driven 3Dplatformer adventure trying to find your best friend and all the trophies in different cute sandbox worlds.
Super Mario Odyssey & Crash Bandicoot are my 2 main inspiration references.
Is there any particular any aspect that you think makes your game unique?
Someone told me once: The world is so full of stress, that we need more games like this!
That’s just the feeling I want to achieve, a place where players can complete many different objectives and can choose the kind of gameplay they want depending on their mood
MTC:WR will combine action, platforming, brain challenges, cuteness and humor.
I’m highly focused on making this game fit the players mood. I want to bring the opportunity to the player to decide if they want to have a session of hard platforming or if instead they want to chill around and discover secret places. There will also be room for those who love to solve puzzles.I’m following the risk-reward principle, hardest challenges will be optional, but will reward those players who have the courage to try and achieve it.
Would you mind sharing a nice “behind the scene” of MTK ? You know… we do love tech details!
One of the features that was more important for me was customization and Mojito’s facial expressions.
As the main character is so simple, I had to find a way to make it memorable by its cuteness.
Furthermore I wanted that players who love and have cats, could customize Mojito to look like their own cat, and make it become the main character of their game.
This is achieved by three shaders, One for the body, another one for the eyes and the last one for the mouth expressions. Body material is applied to the main mesh, while the other parts are applied to separated meshes with a tiny offset from the main body.
As a curiosity in terms of numbers, for now, Mojito has more than 74 animations.
How your background has been useful for this project? let’s move the lights on your pipeline!
I’m combining my programming and artistic archviz skills with Unreal Engine, my creativity from architecture to design levels and characters and the managing knowledge from BIM Management to organize the project timeline and milestones.
I’m so grateful to the Epic team because Unreal Engine has given me the possibility to develop this game. I’m scripting blueprint only, and most part of my knowledge comes from youtube tutorials and unreal academy free courses.
I use Blender to model, paint and animate the characters, enemies and everything that is unique and identitary from this game.
Most part of the generic environment assets come from the Marketplace and are made by this great artist: https://www.artstation.com/bpr
How do you stay organized?
I’m solodev, so I just have to manage myself, which is easier.
I have my own methodology. I assume that your mood and your motivation are not always the same.
Some days you have a brimming creativity, other days your mind is so focused that you can code for hours and everything works perfectly at first try, and sometimes you are more lazy and less motivated to think or create, these days are perfect to do repetitive and tedious tasks.
To face this reality, I always have a list of the most important things that have to be done, and depending on my mood I choose what to work on.
In the end, everything has to be done, so I do each task when I feel more comfortable with doing it and this increases my productivity.
