Introduction:
(Note: This is an old post so it’s a bit out of date!)
Hello!
My name is Harrison, aka Switchback Studio. I’m an aspiring indie game developer, and I’m currently diving headfirst into solo development!
Making video games has been a pet project of mine for a long time, but for a while it wasn’t something to take all that seriously. However, the past couple of years have forced a lot of self-reflection in a lot of people, myself included. And so, I’ve decided to take the plunge, leave behind my rigid engineering job, and try my hand at being a solo indie dev.
Wish me luck!
The Game Plan:
Step 1: Fallen Spirit
Fallen Spirit is my current project, a short VR experience with an emphasis on exploration, puzzle-solving, and abstract storytelling! You can get it now on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1849880.
I’ve been working on this game in my free time for the past six months or so. It was initially intended to be a bit of a placeholder project, but I ended up getting pretty invested. Now that I’m committing to game dev full-time, I want to wrap it up nicely so I can move forward with a clean slate (though I imagine there will be some updates in the future, and perhaps a retrospective).
Step 2: 10 Games in 10 Weeks
The next step is a self-imposed challenge to create 10 games in 10 weeks, one week per game! I see this as a great way to practice some skills, test a bunch of prototypes, and maybe generate a bit of interest on social media.
I also have a suspicion that it will be far more taxing than I expect, but fingers crossed. There will be a post explaining the rules of the challenge, coming soon.
Step 3: ???
This step is still pretty open-ended. Maybe I’ll decided that the challenge is going well, and extend it past 10 weeks? Maybe I’ll take one of the 10 games and expand it into a full, year-long project? Maybe I’ll choose a different game idea from my ever-growing spreadsheet? We’ll play it by ear!
Step 4: Reassess
After about two years, it will be time to step back and reassess. How do I feel, and how successful have I been? Can I keep going, or does something have to change? This is still a ways off, and anything can happen in the meantime. Until then, I’ll just have to keep pushing, and following this dream.
Thanks for reading!
Switchback Studio 