Interviewing Katuba's Poacher Developer Joe Yu
Marcos Codas
Posted
Welcome to another developer interview (we already had some, including one with Eduardo J. Reyes, who made a game for Prime Video)! Today we have the pleasure of speaking with South Korean creator Joe Yu, who's been making Katuba's Poacher since 2021. Joe has been attending game expos and showing Katuba's Poacher to people for a while, and the game looks great. Let's see what he has to say, shall we?
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Can you please tell us a bit about Katuba's Poacher? What type of game is it? What is it about?
Katuba's Poacher is an action game with a cartoon and animation style. The game revolves around Emma, a clumsy poacher, embarking on a mission to capture the high-bounty monster known as 'Sharp.'
Some notable features of the game include:
Combat primarily focuses on boss battles, and the seamless integration of music and action serves as a significant differentiating factor. Players transform and move to the rhythm of the music, accompanied by dynamic background changes and other theatrical elements.
The wanted monsters roam within the game's map, and players must hunt down the targeted monsters using available resources.
The game's visuals and character design draw inspiration from cartoons and animations, aiming to create distinctive and appealing characters.
Additionally, the vision for this game is to create an experience akin to a concert rather than a traditional cinematic game.
How long have you been working on it? Are you working on it by yourself, or with someone else?
I have been working on Katuba's Poacher from October 2021 to May 2023, developing it by myself. However, I have received support and assistance from individuals who have shown interest in the game. These individuals are currently credited for their contributions.
Created by Joe's assistant.
Starting from June 2023, an assistant has joined the game development process. They provide overall support and offer valuable insights throughout the game development.
Why did you choose GDevelop to make the game?
I chose GDevelop to make the game because of its faster development capabilities (high productivity) and agile nature, allowing for iterative and flexible development processes.
The ability to easily test and make quick adjustments was appealing to me.
I have been developing the game on my own until last month, and high productivity was particularly attractive to me.
What challenges does GDevelop solve that make it your engine of choice for Katuba's Poacher?
My development process:
Firstly, GDevelop provides ample opportunities to test and validate even lightweight ideas and features. This environment allows me to more boldly test and execute ideas.
Sharing the game via IP address has facilitated fast testing, quick feedback, and rapid implementation. I have experienced multiple instances where I had more opportunities to validate ideas compared to other developers.
There have been instances where what I thought was a promising idea didn't generate the expected response, while some of the lightweight ideas became the key points of the game. If I had developed the game with a different engine, many of these ideas may have been overlooked.
In the Korean game development community, it's common to see developers who lack confidence in their ideas. GDevelop has provided me with numerous opportunities to validate ideas and has become a driving force in my development process.
Do you have an idea of when the game will be done?
I'm still considering various factors, so it's hard to say for certain.
However, I'm leaning towards releasing the first chapter of the game either by the end of this year or early next year, but I'm still in the planning stage..
What can people do to support the development of the game?
The most important way to support the development of the game is by showing interest.
You can also check out the demo here:
If you enjoy the game, writing a review or sharing it with others would be fantastic.
When I create a Steam page, adding the game to your wishlist would also be helpful.
I must admit that my English is not Good, so if you notice any awkward or better expressions, please feel free to let me know. I would appreciate any feedback to improve.
I see that you've attended game expos with Katuba's Poacher. Can you tell us about your experience?
Katuba's Poacher has participated in various game expos in South Korea. Although the game was still in its early stages, I had a strong desire to showcase the game I had created. Fortunately, there were people interested in playing the game even during its development phase. As a result, I was able to participate in different game events and demonstrate the progress of the game publicly.
While we didn't achieve significant results right from the start at the expos, many people witnessed the game's development and started to anticipate its future. The game also received coverage in various Korean game articles, further increasing its visibility.
In late 2022, Katuba's Poacher was selected as one of the Burning Beaver winners, an award given by indie game developers at the Burning Beaver indie game event.
Recently, we participated in the 2023 Play Expo, where we received a variety of business proposals and opportunities.
Would you recommend GDevelop to other game developers? If so, why? If not, why not?
Absolutely, I would highly recommend GDevelop to other game developers, not only to programmers but also to designers and artists. It can greatly enhance your understanding of game development and increase your expertise and productivity.
The engine's productivity is exceptionally high. In my experience, it allows for an agile approach to game development more than any other engine I have come across. Since every developer's circumstances may differ, this flexible engine can adapt to improve your specific development environment.
The only case where I would hesitate to recommend it is when collaborating with other companies for tasks such as localization or publishing. I found that due to a lack of information about GDevelop, it can be challenging to engage in collaboration without prior knowledge.
Overall, GDevelop is a powerful and versatile engine that can significantly benefit game developers, enhancing their productivity and allowing for an agile approach to game development.
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