RISING EVIL is best described by its creator, Greg Davies, as "a tense, atmospheric horror themed action RPG [with] a mix of action and horror that will have you coming back for more'. Its top down orientation shows its roots in the early Zelda games but its ambiance and story line have more in common with classic 80's slasher films.
The game is due for release at the end of the year but so far it has had great success with its Kickstarter. With the great idea to offer the game as not only a download but also boxed the campaign is going from strength to strength,.
I was lucky enough to catch up with Greg over a few emails to conduct this interview.
The game is due for release at the end of the year but so far it has had great success with its Kickstarter. With the great idea to offer the game as not only a download but also boxed the campaign is going from strength to strength,.
I was lucky enough to catch up with Greg over a few emails to conduct this interview.
Let’s start with a little about you.
What’s the last game you played?
The last game I played was Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition for PC, I run it with 39 active mods to keep the game play feeling fresh, did I mention with the graphics on Ultra settings? :)
What kind of games did you play while growing up?
I started off with an Atari we got from a car boot sale, then moved onto the Sega consoles but gaming for me took off with the birth of the Playstation 1. I
remember the good old classics such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Dino Crisis, I was a huge fan of survival horror, especially well thought out story driven
games.
You work full time as well, what do you do?
I currently work in an office doing admin work. It wasn't a career goal or anything but it pays the bills for the time being.
How do you balance a full time job, writing the game and a social life?
I would be lying if I said this bit was easy as it isn't. I spend a lot of my spare time developing my current game and researching, sourcing assets and
potential work for hire. But I always make sure I have time for my girlfriend, especially on the weekend, even if it's only for a day. She's been really
supportive since I decided to start creating my own games as she understands it's my outlet and passion.
What’s the last game you played?
The last game I played was Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition for PC, I run it with 39 active mods to keep the game play feeling fresh, did I mention with the graphics on Ultra settings? :)
What kind of games did you play while growing up?
I started off with an Atari we got from a car boot sale, then moved onto the Sega consoles but gaming for me took off with the birth of the Playstation 1. I
remember the good old classics such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Dino Crisis, I was a huge fan of survival horror, especially well thought out story driven
games.
You work full time as well, what do you do?
I currently work in an office doing admin work. It wasn't a career goal or anything but it pays the bills for the time being.
How do you balance a full time job, writing the game and a social life?
I would be lying if I said this bit was easy as it isn't. I spend a lot of my spare time developing my current game and researching, sourcing assets and
potential work for hire. But I always make sure I have time for my girlfriend, especially on the weekend, even if it's only for a day. She's been really
supportive since I decided to start creating my own games as she understands it's my outlet and passion.
Do you have something on in the background while you’re working?
When I'm in the zone I like to listen to the games background tracks to get me in the mood for the survival horror themes and game play. Sometimes, if I'm in concentration mode I need silence, I'll even wait for my girlfriend to go to bed so I can get my thinking cap on. Other times, I just whack my music on full blast and just go for it. It depends on my mood really!
You talk about long cut scenes on your Kickstarter page. How do you feel about the game industry’s more cinematic approach to storytelling?
The games industry has come a long way in the last 10-15 years, from simplistic 2D arcade style games to the more epic 3D titles that cost millions to
produce. I've played a few of the common modern “classics” such as Call Of Duty etc. and I wouldn't go as far as to say I don't like these type of games but I
prefer a game that allows you to actually PLAY the game. There are a few titles that spring to mind such as the Metal Gear series that featured some 10-20
minute long cut scenes. I like cut scenes to be of a reasonable length and to the point, I prefer to further a games plot development by playing the game and reading tid bits of storyline here and there. I suppose I'm old school in that way.
When I'm in the zone I like to listen to the games background tracks to get me in the mood for the survival horror themes and game play. Sometimes, if I'm in concentration mode I need silence, I'll even wait for my girlfriend to go to bed so I can get my thinking cap on. Other times, I just whack my music on full blast and just go for it. It depends on my mood really!
You talk about long cut scenes on your Kickstarter page. How do you feel about the game industry’s more cinematic approach to storytelling?
The games industry has come a long way in the last 10-15 years, from simplistic 2D arcade style games to the more epic 3D titles that cost millions to
produce. I've played a few of the common modern “classics” such as Call Of Duty etc. and I wouldn't go as far as to say I don't like these type of games but I
prefer a game that allows you to actually PLAY the game. There are a few titles that spring to mind such as the Metal Gear series that featured some 10-20
minute long cut scenes. I like cut scenes to be of a reasonable length and to the point, I prefer to further a games plot development by playing the game and reading tid bits of storyline here and there. I suppose I'm old school in that way.
It takes a lot of guts to start something this big. Why not start with an app or something smaller?
I have thought about getting a few apps out there but I see them as "disposable games", you play them once, maybe twice and then you download another one and
it stays hidden on your mobile/tablet etc. gathering virtual dust. Simple games with replay value are cool but they have no substance. I wanted to create
something meaty, chunky that players can delve into and enjoy for hours like the games of old.
How did Racing Brain Entertainment come to life?
I remember back in December 2012/January 2013 I was quite angry and frustrated with my job and overall situation and knew something had to change. I'd always
dabbled with game development but never took the next step. So after years of just working in my mundane job I decided to start stimulating my mind once again
and that gave birth to Racing Brain Entertainment.
So let’s move onto the game?
Was there a moment of inspiration for the game? A movie scene or a song lyric?
There wasn't a particular moment that inspired the game, I think it's just the years of watching horror, reading, playing games, all the ideas swirling
around in my head and I just made the decision to put these ideas down on paper so to speak.
Can you tell us a little about the story so far?
So, your character Jim Smith is a crook, his particular talent used to be armed robbery. He's led a reckless life of crime and has paid his price, 15 years inside one of Britain’s toughest prisons. He finally gets released from prison and this is where the story begins. Luckily for Jim, your wife Janet, has managed to hide all your money from the police and has spared no expense in buying the nicest home in the sought after (fictional) location of Lincshrop. After 15 long years of waiting you get to go and see this new home and settle down with your wife for good.
But...(there's always a “But” right!!?)
After a night of making love you wake to find your wife missing and a note, you assume she's been kidnapped and you run off in search for her only to discover that something much, much worse is going on...
Cliffhanger.
What kind of levels can we expect to see?
A nice mixture. You can fully explore the town of Lincshrop and it's surrounding, it's forests, it's secret dungeons and underground caves. There's a huge mansion full of secret passage ways. And more! I have few more ideas swishing about in my head as I'm always thinking about my game at my “job”.
The action is set in the fictional town of Lincshrop. Is this based on any real places?
No town in particular, my grandmother lives in Lincolnshire but I've only visited her there once so I barley remember the place. But I suppose the name came from that and other towns I've been to. The setting however is based on memory of anything with an old feeling to it, I've visited many French towns on my cycling trip around France a few years back and I got to see a lot of interesting stuff. It all helps form the 2D town of Lincshrop!
I have thought about getting a few apps out there but I see them as "disposable games", you play them once, maybe twice and then you download another one and
it stays hidden on your mobile/tablet etc. gathering virtual dust. Simple games with replay value are cool but they have no substance. I wanted to create
something meaty, chunky that players can delve into and enjoy for hours like the games of old.
How did Racing Brain Entertainment come to life?
I remember back in December 2012/January 2013 I was quite angry and frustrated with my job and overall situation and knew something had to change. I'd always
dabbled with game development but never took the next step. So after years of just working in my mundane job I decided to start stimulating my mind once again
and that gave birth to Racing Brain Entertainment.
So let’s move onto the game?
Was there a moment of inspiration for the game? A movie scene or a song lyric?
There wasn't a particular moment that inspired the game, I think it's just the years of watching horror, reading, playing games, all the ideas swirling
around in my head and I just made the decision to put these ideas down on paper so to speak.
Can you tell us a little about the story so far?
So, your character Jim Smith is a crook, his particular talent used to be armed robbery. He's led a reckless life of crime and has paid his price, 15 years inside one of Britain’s toughest prisons. He finally gets released from prison and this is where the story begins. Luckily for Jim, your wife Janet, has managed to hide all your money from the police and has spared no expense in buying the nicest home in the sought after (fictional) location of Lincshrop. After 15 long years of waiting you get to go and see this new home and settle down with your wife for good.
But...(there's always a “But” right!!?)
After a night of making love you wake to find your wife missing and a note, you assume she's been kidnapped and you run off in search for her only to discover that something much, much worse is going on...
Cliffhanger.
What kind of levels can we expect to see?
A nice mixture. You can fully explore the town of Lincshrop and it's surrounding, it's forests, it's secret dungeons and underground caves. There's a huge mansion full of secret passage ways. And more! I have few more ideas swishing about in my head as I'm always thinking about my game at my “job”.
The action is set in the fictional town of Lincshrop. Is this based on any real places?
No town in particular, my grandmother lives in Lincolnshire but I've only visited her there once so I barley remember the place. But I suppose the name came from that and other towns I've been to. The setting however is based on memory of anything with an old feeling to it, I've visited many French towns on my cycling trip around France a few years back and I got to see a lot of interesting stuff. It all helps form the 2D town of Lincshrop!
Your hero Jim Smith is very much an Anti-Hero. Was this the original plan or a product of the plot?
Yes it was, and I'm glad you've picked up on that. I'm a bit bored of the old RPG formula =
"You're the hero, this is your destiny, save the world, marry the pretty girl and live happily ever after."
Now, this works in most cases and the games that follow the formula are fun, but they often feel stale and I wanted to breathe a bit of new life into the genre with my own take on a 2D RPG, I feel with all of these massive 3D studios taking over the games world we need to reinvent the 2D RPG genre and keep it alive with fresh, unique ideas!
I wanted Jim to be the opposite of the traditional hero, but by no means a villain. Jim is a caring character with a lot of personality but just got led astray, he has a mean streak a mile wide but a heart of gold also, this will be apparent throughout the games main storyline.
Rising Evil is a top down RPG – Would you describe that as your style or did you feel that kind of game was more suited to the story you wanted to tell?
I'm a huge fan of 2Dgaming and plan on releasing a few more 2D RPG's before I consider moving into the daunting world of 3D gaming. I grew up with 2D games and progressed onto 3D, my aim at present is to create the magic of the 3D classics and inject this and mould it into an immersive, memorable 2D joy ride!
You talk about the use of guns in Rising Evil. Will there be any other weapons you can use?
Yes there's a nice variety of guns in the game but you get to use melee weapons also, such as a baseball bat and a few more special melee type weapons, I don't want to spoil it for you guys!. I'm actually trying to implement thrown weapons also at the moment, petrol bombs and maybe even “grenades” (home made from household items at your tool bench.)
How many people are involved with Rising Evil and how much are you doing yourself?
Basically 90% of the game is being developed by...me. I currently have a scripter who is helping out with the battle system, I also have a friend helping me out on some basic artwork (icons) but the majority of the work is being carried out by me. I prefer to work alone most of the time to ensure I get full control over the creative process without the delays of waiting on other people. I do try to purchase my graphics when I can, but money is limited due to real life commitments. It takes a lot of work and this is where my Kickstarter project comes in, I will be hiring some artists soon to help out with the workload so I can just concentrate on developing the game.
Yes it was, and I'm glad you've picked up on that. I'm a bit bored of the old RPG formula =
"You're the hero, this is your destiny, save the world, marry the pretty girl and live happily ever after."
Now, this works in most cases and the games that follow the formula are fun, but they often feel stale and I wanted to breathe a bit of new life into the genre with my own take on a 2D RPG, I feel with all of these massive 3D studios taking over the games world we need to reinvent the 2D RPG genre and keep it alive with fresh, unique ideas!
I wanted Jim to be the opposite of the traditional hero, but by no means a villain. Jim is a caring character with a lot of personality but just got led astray, he has a mean streak a mile wide but a heart of gold also, this will be apparent throughout the games main storyline.
Rising Evil is a top down RPG – Would you describe that as your style or did you feel that kind of game was more suited to the story you wanted to tell?
I'm a huge fan of 2Dgaming and plan on releasing a few more 2D RPG's before I consider moving into the daunting world of 3D gaming. I grew up with 2D games and progressed onto 3D, my aim at present is to create the magic of the 3D classics and inject this and mould it into an immersive, memorable 2D joy ride!
You talk about the use of guns in Rising Evil. Will there be any other weapons you can use?
Yes there's a nice variety of guns in the game but you get to use melee weapons also, such as a baseball bat and a few more special melee type weapons, I don't want to spoil it for you guys!. I'm actually trying to implement thrown weapons also at the moment, petrol bombs and maybe even “grenades” (home made from household items at your tool bench.)
How many people are involved with Rising Evil and how much are you doing yourself?
Basically 90% of the game is being developed by...me. I currently have a scripter who is helping out with the battle system, I also have a friend helping me out on some basic artwork (icons) but the majority of the work is being carried out by me. I prefer to work alone most of the time to ensure I get full control over the creative process without the delays of waiting on other people. I do try to purchase my graphics when I can, but money is limited due to real life commitments. It takes a lot of work and this is where my Kickstarter project comes in, I will be hiring some artists soon to help out with the workload so I can just concentrate on developing the game.
You have set the release date for December this year. What have you got left to do before then?
One Word = Lots.
I have a lot of the main storyline to implement into the game. I have written the story and all of my ideas for game play mechanics into my orange notebook that I keep close, it's kind of like my laboratory, a place to jot down ideas. These ideas then get transferred from pages in the notepad into features in the game! Whilst it's a lot of work I enjoy the challenge and strive to produce a memorable and unique game.
Could I just ask you some questions about your Kickstarter campaign?
Were you surprised at the success of the Kickstarter campaign when you achieved your goal with 24 days to go?
To be perfectly honest, I was shocked to see it funded so quickly! I've heard all of the ghost stories of the non successful Kickstarter projects and many folks telling me that
It's super hard to get funding! So I went at it full steam ahead and promoted my Kickstarter wherever I could and in a matter of days it was done! I would be lying if I said I wasn't pleased about that!
With the power that is given to ‘Backers’ how have you felt having outside people involved in the creative process?
It hasn't been bad at all! A lot of my backers have been great and have offered advice and ideas for the Kickstarter project and the game itself! I've received a lot of positive comments from my backers and I really appreciate constructive feedback, at the end of the day, it's them who will be playing the game (along with the rest of the world I hope!). I basically write down all the ideas people give me and mash them up into something I want to see in the game, that way we get the best of both worlds without it changing the course of the plot/storyline!
What is your personal opinion on crowd funding?
I was very sceptical at first, I wasn't sure how my game would be perceived as there are so many 3D game studios with loyal fans I wasn't sure how the
Internet would react to my game as she's a cruel beast! But, to my amazement I've had nothing but support so far and I'm very grateful to everybody that's showed their faith and kindness by backing my game!
One Word = Lots.
I have a lot of the main storyline to implement into the game. I have written the story and all of my ideas for game play mechanics into my orange notebook that I keep close, it's kind of like my laboratory, a place to jot down ideas. These ideas then get transferred from pages in the notepad into features in the game! Whilst it's a lot of work I enjoy the challenge and strive to produce a memorable and unique game.
Could I just ask you some questions about your Kickstarter campaign?
Were you surprised at the success of the Kickstarter campaign when you achieved your goal with 24 days to go?
To be perfectly honest, I was shocked to see it funded so quickly! I've heard all of the ghost stories of the non successful Kickstarter projects and many folks telling me that
It's super hard to get funding! So I went at it full steam ahead and promoted my Kickstarter wherever I could and in a matter of days it was done! I would be lying if I said I wasn't pleased about that!
With the power that is given to ‘Backers’ how have you felt having outside people involved in the creative process?
It hasn't been bad at all! A lot of my backers have been great and have offered advice and ideas for the Kickstarter project and the game itself! I've received a lot of positive comments from my backers and I really appreciate constructive feedback, at the end of the day, it's them who will be playing the game (along with the rest of the world I hope!). I basically write down all the ideas people give me and mash them up into something I want to see in the game, that way we get the best of both worlds without it changing the course of the plot/storyline!
What is your personal opinion on crowd funding?
I was very sceptical at first, I wasn't sure how my game would be perceived as there are so many 3D game studios with loyal fans I wasn't sure how the
Internet would react to my game as she's a cruel beast! But, to my amazement I've had nothing but support so far and I'm very grateful to everybody that's showed their faith and kindness by backing my game!
What would you have done differently if you did this campaign again?
I can honestly say nothing at all at the minute. I've had such great success with this particular campaign and I have no complaints! I think I've learnt a lot that I could use on my next idea should I require funding. But, all in all I have no regrets.
Would you use Kickstarter again?
Most Definitely! It's amazing to see so many like minded creative, generous and friendly people in one place, all looking to help people succeed in doing what they love most! It's brilliant as it cuts out the need for a production studio to get involved and mess with your game and it leaves the creative process up to the creators and not the big scary publishers!
What advice do you have for someone who wants to use Kickstarter?
Research. Google is most defiantly your friend as there's lots of guides online on how to succeed with a Kickstarter project, many success stories and also the failed attempts to learn from.
Be thorough. Don't attempt to start a Kickstarter until you have something solid you can show off to the world.
Don't rush into it. When I said I went in guns blazing I failed to mention the 2/3 weeks of planning and preparation I did for the project. You might be thinking:
"This is great! I can do that to...(Submits a Kickstarter project)"
But I would suggest careful planning, pre plan updates and screen shots of your game, make sure your pitch is perfect (no, not your singing voice!) and put as much enthusiasm into the Kickstarter that you would put into your game! Do all this and your in with a good chance!
I can honestly say nothing at all at the minute. I've had such great success with this particular campaign and I have no complaints! I think I've learnt a lot that I could use on my next idea should I require funding. But, all in all I have no regrets.
Would you use Kickstarter again?
Most Definitely! It's amazing to see so many like minded creative, generous and friendly people in one place, all looking to help people succeed in doing what they love most! It's brilliant as it cuts out the need for a production studio to get involved and mess with your game and it leaves the creative process up to the creators and not the big scary publishers!
What advice do you have for someone who wants to use Kickstarter?
Research. Google is most defiantly your friend as there's lots of guides online on how to succeed with a Kickstarter project, many success stories and also the failed attempts to learn from.
Be thorough. Don't attempt to start a Kickstarter until you have something solid you can show off to the world.
Don't rush into it. When I said I went in guns blazing I failed to mention the 2/3 weeks of planning and preparation I did for the project. You might be thinking:
"This is great! I can do that to...(Submits a Kickstarter project)"
But I would suggest careful planning, pre plan updates and screen shots of your game, make sure your pitch is perfect (no, not your singing voice!) and put as much enthusiasm into the Kickstarter that you would put into your game! Do all this and your in with a good chance!
So shall we talk about the future?
What’s next for Racing Brain Entertainment?
Steady progress. I'd love to say Hollywood or something cool but as I'm an independent developer I need to find my roots, get a couple of games out there and establish a fan base.
Once I have my army I'm going to seek expansion (no, not world domination), perhaps hire a few people to help out and maybe delve into the 3D universe in the next few years, I would love to get Rising Evil onto as many platforms as possible so everyone can enjoy it!
How are you (Racing Brain Entertainment) going to expand in 2014?
Well, as I mentioned previously I'm taking it slowly at the moment with carefully calculated decisions. I'm looking to spend more time developing games in the future rather than sitting in my office wasting away so I need to think about what I do to make that happen. I will basically start of with a few titles and go from there, it's no easy task but I'm very positive about games development! I have nothing but optimism in mind for the future of Racing Brain Entertainment!
Are we going to see Rising Evil 2?
That's undecided, the storyline at present doesn’t leave the game open to a sequel but evil waits for no man! So never say never!
What’s your next goal?
Finish my game and get my website up and running, market myself and get some fans! (Not much then?) The rest can wait a while but I'm just enjoying myself at the moment and getting stuck in!
Do you want to develop games full time?
That is the dream, to be able to live comfortably and develop my games on a full time basis!
I'd love to see what I could produce if I didn't have to put in 39 hours at my "job"!!
I'm working towards getting out of that job and into full time development, I'm a patient guy and I will persevere! (Wish me luck!)
What’s next for Racing Brain Entertainment?
Steady progress. I'd love to say Hollywood or something cool but as I'm an independent developer I need to find my roots, get a couple of games out there and establish a fan base.
Once I have my army I'm going to seek expansion (no, not world domination), perhaps hire a few people to help out and maybe delve into the 3D universe in the next few years, I would love to get Rising Evil onto as many platforms as possible so everyone can enjoy it!
How are you (Racing Brain Entertainment) going to expand in 2014?
Well, as I mentioned previously I'm taking it slowly at the moment with carefully calculated decisions. I'm looking to spend more time developing games in the future rather than sitting in my office wasting away so I need to think about what I do to make that happen. I will basically start of with a few titles and go from there, it's no easy task but I'm very positive about games development! I have nothing but optimism in mind for the future of Racing Brain Entertainment!
Are we going to see Rising Evil 2?
That's undecided, the storyline at present doesn’t leave the game open to a sequel but evil waits for no man! So never say never!
What’s your next goal?
Finish my game and get my website up and running, market myself and get some fans! (Not much then?) The rest can wait a while but I'm just enjoying myself at the moment and getting stuck in!
Do you want to develop games full time?
That is the dream, to be able to live comfortably and develop my games on a full time basis!
I'd love to see what I could produce if I didn't have to put in 39 hours at my "job"!!
I'm working towards getting out of that job and into full time development, I'm a patient guy and I will persevere! (Wish me luck!)
So...
I'd like to take a moment to thank you for your time Chris, it's been a pleasure and I appreciate the interest you've shown towards RISING EVIL, I can only hope the readers are inspired and checkout my game! Thanks very much!
Check out RISING EVIL: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1513771721/rising-evil-horror-action-rpg
Follow Racing Brain Entertainment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RacingBrainEntertainment
I'd like to take a moment to thank you for your time Chris, it's been a pleasure and I appreciate the interest you've shown towards RISING EVIL, I can only hope the readers are inspired and checkout my game! Thanks very much!
Check out RISING EVIL: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1513771721/rising-evil-horror-action-rpg
Follow Racing Brain Entertainment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RacingBrainEntertainment