Scarecrow Studio
The latest Indie Dev Team to step into the Indie Corner Spotlight is Scarecrow Studio. Based in Barcelona, Spain, the team are currently busy developing their upcoming point and click adventure game, 3 Minutes to Midnight.
How long have you been a developer?
Since November 2016.
How many years has your team been developing games?
It depends, some of the team members have more than 15 years of experience. However, all of them have been developing games for at least 3 to 4 years.
Who, or what, inspired you to become a games developer?
After many years of working in engineering, I just wanted to do something different. I thought making video games could be it. I wanted to make point-and-click adventure games because that genre is my favourite and I’ve spent all my childhood playing those. Probably I would name Ron Gilbert as an inspiration.
What was the inspiration for your team’s name?
I remember I dressed up as Batman’s Scarecrow for Halloween 2016, and that was the time the studio was created, so I thought it would be an awesome name. I didn’t realise back in the day that this kind of name was going to mislead some people into thinking that we do horror games. Which is far from what we do. We do, you can call it, sci-fi comedy.
Describe a usual day in the life of an indie development team.
We usually start working around 7.00 in the morning, right after the first cup of coffee. Normally we already have all the work planned and scheduled, so we dip right into work until breakfast time, and after that, we keep working. Some days, we have to discuss important stuff, and then we all gather together to discuss certain aspects and take new directions.
Can you describe the process/timeline of developing a game?
One word. Long. Everything starts with a good design document. From there everything flows… characters, locations, animations, conversations, puzzles… Once you have everything, you calculate timings, control the production, control costs and expenses, and solve daily issues, while keeping the focus on promotion and other stuff. I would summarise it as 1. Design 2. Production 3. QA 4. Publishing Between them, it’s important not to forget to spend some time on promotion. It’s a huge part of it all.
How do you juggle all of the aspects of games development?
It’s a daily battle. I’m good at organising tasks and seeing the whole picture. So, I planned every aspect of the development of 3 Minutes to Midnight so that everybody knows what to do. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned, but I try to be equally efficient in redirecting the new situation and bringing the project back on track.
What is your ambition as an indie developer?
I want to create a company that is a referent in point-and-click adventure games like LucasArts was a couple of decades ago. I want to leave something that outlives me and that people will associate with great storytelling and puzzles.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into the games industry?
DON’T! (just kidding… but no, seriously, don’t). Plan everything and know what you can do and what you can’t. Don’t be too ambitious… It’s a rookie mistake (I did it too).
Where do you see gaming heading in the next decade?
Everything is going to be redirected to streaming. I can see Twitch and Mixer (and probably new platforms) gaining a lot of significance in the gaming industry. We are living a time where I think it’s equally important to watch a game as it is to play them.
I would like to say a massive thank you to the team at Scarecrow Studio for giving their valuable time to take part in the Indie Corner Spotlight interview. If you would like your team to be featured, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
You can support the Studio by adding their game to your Steam wishlist below.
Steel Rats
