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Thirteen Years Later, Developer Finishes His Dream Game
Adam Butcher has been working on Tobias and the Dark Sceptres since he was 14 years old. Since then, he has grown up, graduated from university, and finally finished the game he’s always wanted to make.
In a seven minute video, Butcher explores the development process and offers tips for avoiding his protracted experience. These six “As” amusingly stylized as "Aaaaaa!" include the fact that he had “absolutely no idea” what he was doing when he started and felt the need to “always stick to the plan” no matter how detrimental or cumbersome it was.
Tobias and the Dark Sceptres is out now, and you can play the puzzle-filled action platformer yourself. You can download it for free, but the soundtrack is available for purchase.
Our Take
Butcher’s story is a reminder that creating games is no easy task, but also that the indie scene (which wasn’t even called that when he started) has matured so much in such a short time. The best part about his story is that Butcher presents it as a triumph, and despite calling the game an “albatross” revels (at least outwardly) in his ultimate success.
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