DANGEN GRANT
2ND PLACE WINNER
Developed by:
Gustavo Rocha
Magical Blush is an action-adventure in top-down view pixel art, taking inspiration from titles such as Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia and Wizard of Legend.
Our protagonist, Arnin, assumes the role of a mighty archmage and keeper of the Five Genesis — ancient elemental deities who once wrought havoc upon the world. The game's narrative commences as Arnin emerges from her deep meditation, only to discover that her captive deities have been inexplicably set free. Now, she embarks on a quest to recapture the Genesis, all the while delving into the mystery figure behind the deities' escape and unraveling their true intentions
DEVELOPER INTERVIEW:
Please introduce your studio and the members working on Magical Blush. Why did you decide to get into indie game development?
My name is Gustavo Rocha, I'm 34 years old, and I'm from Brazil. Initially, I graduated in music/piano from the State University of Ceará. However, shortly after completing my graduation, I decided to change careers and dive headfirst into game development.
I embarked on my game development journey by creating soundtracks. However, when the members of my first group gave up, it motivated me to explore other areas. I conducted research and discovered the best engine for 2D games, consuming all available YouTube videos about programming with GameMaker. Then, I delved into pixel art, aiming to achieve the same visual quality as the games I used to play at that time, such as Momodora, Hyper Light Drifter, Celeste, and others. I'm still studying and researching to reach that level, and each attempt motivates me to improve and achieve my goals.
Currently, I am working alone on the development of Magical Blush.
The motivation behind my career shifted around 2015 when I noticed an increasing number of people developing their own games. It was no longer necessary to be an expert and create your own game engine. Various accessible tools emerged, changing the landscape. I have always been passionate about games. Watching videos and reading articles about indie releases greatly inspired me.
Now that I'm working in the field and able to bring my ideas to life, I can't imagine myself doing anything else but game development.
How did you land upon the concept and design of Magical Blush? What were your inspirations?
Magical Blush started as a study of pixel art and animation. Initially, I had developed a game prototype that didn't rely on frame-by-frame animation. Instead, the sprites remained static, and I achieved the illusion of animation through programming techniques such as scaling and rotating. Once I was satisfied with the initial prototype, I decided to explore the opposite approach. I created a new prototype that utilized a higher number of frames per state, and this marked the birth of Magical Blush.
After implementing character movement and a few interactions in the prototype, I began contemplating other aspects of the game's main mechanics and combat. Initially, Magical Blush was conceived as an action/card game (Crazy idea). The player would have the freedom to walk and dodge enemy attacks while also managing an action bar. When the bar reached full capacity, the game would pause, allowing the player to draw cards and choose both a card and a target. Although this idea seemed intriguing, I realized through prototyping that it could eventually become monotonous, as the action interruptions disrupted the game's flow. Consequently, I decided to explore alternative combat methods and stumbled upon the gameplay mechanics of Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia and Wizard of Legend. These games featured a spell equipping and invocation system associated with buttons, which proved to be simpler and more intuitive.
What are your future plans and goals? (Feel free to mention how the grant will aid in achieving these, if applicable.)
My primary objective is to complete the development of Magical Blush by the final quarter of 2024, ensuring that I meet the initial goals and maintain the desired level of experience and quality (without driving myself crazy, of course).
I aspire to create an enjoyable game that establishes a meaningful connection with players. It would be incredibly fulfilling to know that people are recommending my game to others.
Furthermore, I am committed to continually improving my skills and staying up-to-date with new technologies and industry trends. I have a strong desire to connect and engage with more game developers, sharing experiences and learning from them.
Game creation is my genuine passion, and I plan to continue pursuing it for as long as I can. The Indie Grants provided by Dangen Entertainment have brought me immense joy, not only for the financial resources they provide for the ongoing production of my game but also because they validate and value my work. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.
Any final thoughts or message to the gaming world?
I was delighted by the Dangen Grants. I truly hope that future editions will take place, encouraging more developers to participate and nurture their games while receiving the recognition they truly deserve.
To those who are still taking their initial steps or feeling disheartened by the lack of positive feedback on their projects, I urge you to persevere. There comes a point in our careers when things start falling into place, and it's an incredibly gratifying feeling.
Lastly, I'd like to send a shoutout to the game development community in Ceará, Brazil. Hello, awesome folks! o/