Words from Indie Game Developer John Baxa
At Createscape, we have members from more professions than we can count. From realtors to writers, architects and finance experts, there aren’t many people who couldn’t benefit from joining a full-service coworking space like ours. So it’s interesting to chat with members and find out how they use the space in different ways. Take John Baxa, for example. He’s an indie game developer here in Austin. Perhaps you picture game producers at their laptop banging away at their keyboard for hours on end. Well, that may be part of the gig. But there are also the team meetings to strategize marketing campaigns, budgets and creative vision. Since a lot of that work happened at Createscape, we like to think that our community played a small role in the development of Baxa’s recent game release, Vessels.
Here is our Q&A with the indie game developer and Createscape member going four years.
What exactly is your title? I wear a lot of hats. I typically describe myself as an indie game developer. I do a lot of the art, UI, design, maybe some light scripting, writing, producing and biz/marketing stuff.
Do you work for yourself or for a company?
I work for myself!
Can you tell me about the game you recently released?
It’s called “Vessels” and it’s a 3D narrative adventure game. It begins with the player waking up inside an airlock, with no explanation for why you’re there — except the crew believes something is wrong with you. They keep killing you, but a mysterious voice keeps resetting time, which allows you to learn and pass tests. Eventually you gain the ability to possess different members of the crew so you can explore the ship, navigate the mystery of what happened, and escape the airlock.
How can people find the game and play it?
You can find the game and play it on Steam. Here’s the game’s website and presskit.
How long have you been working in the game industry?
I started making games in 2013. But I’ve been doing it full-time for about a year and a half now.
Did you play a lot of video games growing up?
An emphatic yes.
I think the types of games and game consoles people played growing up can tell us a lot about that person. What games and game consoles did you play growing up?
From elementary to high school, I played a lot of Nintendo games. It wasn’t until I was probably in my 20s that I started playing Xbox, PlayStation, PC & MMO games.
So I started off pretty innocent, which I think informed a lot of my default aesthetic of cute. My first release was a creature collection game for the iPhone, called “Locanimals,” where you check into locations and collect cute lil’ critters. This was a year before “Pokémon GO,” btw! Pokémon was a big influence on me.
What was your favorite game growing up and your favorite game of all time?
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” was my favorite game growing up — if only because it hit at the exact right moment where I was learning I wasn’t necessarily a child anymore. A big theme in the game is growing up and the burden of responsibility.
The gist of the story is as a child you’re tasked with helping Princess Zelda save the world after your mistakes unexpectedly allow it to be destroyed. A bit of time travel, seeing your childhood friends grown up (or not) and lots of innovative world-building/mechanics (for the time). And it’s a modern classic. So, I think it was the first game that really showed amazing gameplay and an amazing story with a really weighty theme.
While that was my favorite game growing up, my favorite game of all time is “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask,” which is a much more intimate game. You play a character who’s trapped in a time loop. You have three days to save the world from a moon crashing into it and you get to choose what you’ll do. There are numerous people in the world of the game living out their tiny dramas and you have the option of helping or ignoring them. Meanwhile, entire regions of the world is in despair and you can help there as well. It’s the sequel to “Ocarina of Time.”
What game would you suggest for someone who hasn’t played a video game in, say, a decade or so? I’m more drawn to (or this hypothetical person is more drawn to) puzzle-like games, such as “Tetris,” “Pacman,” or for something a little more modern, “Monument Valley.”
Games are immensely diverse—just like TV and film. So let me just say, if you haven’t liked any games yet, it’s because you haven’t found the right one.
If you like the experience of building something, beautifying environments, or growing things— while maybe making friends along the way—I recommend “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” and “Stardew Valley.” Each preferably played on a PC or Switch. Both are very relaxing, Zen games to play.
If you like good stories and want something more cinematic, you can try my game, Vessels. I also recommend walking sims, like “Firewatch,” “What Remains of Edith Finch,” and “Tacoma.” Walking Sims are games where you explore environments.
For something more fast-paced or kinetic, try “Hades,” which is winning a lot of game of the year awards. You play a Greek god, Zagreus, trying to escape the underworld for mysterious reasons. All the gods of Olympus help you with gifts. There’s lots of combat— and also a really great story! And when you die in the game, it’s just part of the story too. It’s actually GOOD to die in the game!
If you want a series that’s more dramatic or serious— I recommend “The Last of Us” series, which has some of the finest storytelling I’ve seen. Usually in games it’s mostly okay to start with sequels, but with “The Last of Us,” you should start with the first one. It’s one continuous story about a man and teenage girl crossing the country after society has fallen to a zombie apocalypse. Great for fans of Cormac McCarthy’s, The Road, Children of Men, and The Walking Dead.
I’ll also just say that Nintendo is still going strong. Mario is still around in jumping, karting, tennis-playing and partying forms :)
How many games have you developed in all? What are they called?
I’ve made a bunch— not all released, though. I’ve probably made around 15 to 20 games so far, including lots of prototypes that went nowhere, small experiences, failures, etc. Nothing most people would recognize or have heard about :)
Some I’m currently working on:
O’o: A game about songbirds
The Animus: A table-top RPG (kinda like D&D) where you play characters who fight/change memories
What is your most favorite game that you worked on? Any trivia or Easter eggs you’d like to share?
I have a soft spot in my heart for Vessels because it’s my first commercial release. I consider it my debut. It started with an idea I had back in 2014. I finally got around to finishing it this year.
I think my absolute favorite thing I’ve ever made was in grad school. It was a short experience called “The Fisherman’s Cat.” You’re a cat on a fishing boat who befriends a dolphin who rescues you. I think most creatives have moments where we wonder why we’re doing what we’re doing— and whether we’re any good at it. The professor had teams present their storyboards to the cohort and get feedback. When I presented the Fisherman’s Cat, I could feel the energy of the room change as I went through the story— even with crudely drawn images. The game’s important to me because it reassured me that the things I create are capable of making an emotional dent. And maybe I’m not crazy for choosing this path in life!
In terms of your work, what are some of your creative inspirations?
Beyond the games I already mentioned, here are some of my core inspirations:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - My favorite show of all time and the show that made me want to be a writer. Ridiculous title, 90s fashions, and some outdated politics. But it’s still one of the best shows of all time. I learned about theme, structure, character, and dialogue from watching Buffy.
Mad Men - This show really asked me to deepen my understanding of people, theme and structure. It really changed how I approach dialogue and the structure of the projects I’m creating.
“Neon Genesis Evangelion” - One of the most influential animes from the 90s that’s gone on to influence generations of animators, writers, artists, and filmmakers. The show actually sent me into a depression after watching it because it’s that intense and deals with a lot of psychology— the performances we put on for other people, the traumas we run from, the beliefs that make us question our worth. If you watch the Netflix series, watch it in Japanese with subtitles.
Jennifer Egan’s, A Visit from the Goon Squad - A book of short stories connected by time, music, and Sasha--a woman who compulsively steals things for reasons she doesn’t understand. There’s an amazing story in the book about a closeted college student, told from the second person as he experiences depersonalization— watching himself go through the motions of life. A really powerful book about second chances and time.
Beyonce, in general. Everything she does. As a creator, businesswoman and artist— she’s perfection.
Can you describe your process of working remotely with a team?
Very difficult. Lots of chasing folks to get them to do what I need them to do, unfortunately.
How does your Createscape membership help you with your work and creativity?
I used Createscape a lot in the early-planning meeting and brainstorming stages of Vessels. Because of covid, I primarily use the office to drop by when I need to escape the house and focus on particular tasks. I’ve also had conversations with people at Createscape who have directly influenced my games and writing.
Do you have any advice for people who want to break into the indie game developer field?
Don’t quit your day job right away.
Your first 20 games will be bad. You have to get through them until you understand what you’re doing.
When you play-test your games, always listen to your players (but recognize the problems they describe may have different causes/sources).
It’s a small industry, be friendly— it’s your friends who will pull you through.
If you decide to be an indie dev— do not liquidate your savings/401k before you have a playable, fun prototype. Nearly every dev I see who does this ends up going back to work when their game fails.
A significant number of games are released EVERY DAY. Don’t lose hope of succeeding, just don’t sacrifice everything for games (unless you’re just that talented).