Interview with Pablo Millan- Creator of GEOM for Wii U
Fri Jun 13, 2014 4:04 pm by Professor Clayton
Interview with Pablo Millan, Indie Creator of GEOM for Wii U eShop
Pablo Millan is a new indie developer who will be hitting up the Wii U eShop with his first game, GEOM, on 6/19, according to his Twitter Page. We sat down to chat with Pablo about his upcoming game and his ride on the way to its upcoming release.
8BF: Starting off for the readers, explain the concept of your upcoming Wii U eShop game, GEOM.
Pablo: GEOM is a puzzle game with three modes. In each mode the player can choose a time limit of either 2, 5 or 10 minutes, except the third mode which only has 2 and 5 minute options. All three modes have their own rules for making points. Mode one has players matching blocks with the same shape in lines of at least three. Selection can change direction though, after the first three are chosen but the same rule applies in the new direction there must be at least three to change again. Mode two is a sort of find mode where a shape is given and must be found on the grid of blocks that appears, only the block that has the shape to be found will give points but no penalty is given for touching the wrong block. Mode three has blocks flying upwards, the player must tap them to gain points. The difference here is that certain shapes are more common than others. In all modes I added special "Sun" and "Moon" shapes that are rare and give extra points.
8BF: GEOM is the first game you've ever released, yes? Can you explain how it feels to make your first game, by yourself, and why you chose the Wii U as your platform of choice?
Pablo: Yes, this is indeed my very first game and it feels great. It was of course a lot of work. I did all the programming, art and sound for it. I used Unity which is a great tool for game creation. Figuring out what works and what doesn't was challenging and getting a computer to do what you want it to do can be tricky at times. I did the art as best I could and got a good challenge with making sounds and music. As to why choose the Wii U well, I got this opportunity last year to develop for the console and I took it. I also believe that there is a lot that can be done with the unique set up. I am conscious though that GEOM does not fully utilize this potential. I originally wanted some asymmetrical gameplay but couldn't decide on a good concept to implement that.
8BF: When did you begin working towards releasing GEOM to the public? Was it always intended to become a downloadable game, or more of a project?
Pablo: Last year during summer I had been writing down concepts for puzzle game I wanted to make. I started working on a very scaled down version during September and kept going from there. Every day I tried to work on a number of things from a daily checklist which helped make good progress. The game is a downloadable title because I believe it is the most accessible way to provide this kind of game. I believe that indies can help fill the gaps that the larger, triple-A games leave in their development cycles.
8BF: How has the process been to release an independent game on a Nintendo platform?
Pablo: There is a bit of paperwork and a bunch of guidelines but Nintendo has a great third party support team that can help guide people like me to get the games out. I was scared at first at the amount of guidelines to read and processes to follow but little by little everything falls into place.
8BF: Moving back to GEOM, what sets your game apart from other offerings on the Wii U?
Pablo: With GEOM I wanted to create a game that could be picked up at any moment. The play times are both a challenge to the player and a way to pass time as well. It is simple enough for anyone to just dive in and play. I also would like to see players trying for higher and higher scores.
8BF: Where does the future go for you after GEOM releases? Do you have any other releases lined up behind?
Pablo: I want to give more with GEOM so I have been considering updating with perhaps an extra mode but that is still in the works! As for more releases it may take me some time but I have been writing down and experimenting with concepts. As soon as I have anything concrete I'll make sure to make it visible.
8BF: What were the most fun, as well as the worst, parts of developing GEOM?
Pablo: The most fun is when the things you want to do actually work! There is no other way to describe those moments than pure bliss. Often times a few programming logic errors can set you back a bit. I tested all the modes and set the high scores myself and I must say it was nice. On the worst parts I must point out that it isn't ever easy or simple. Everything from the programming to the sounds must be worked on and revised often. Keeping yourself motivated is very important as well and there days where I found I couldn't concentrate on working. All in all it was a great experience. I learned many things.
8BF: Do you have any advice to those looking to develop Indie games such as you have done?
Pablo: My advice to aspiring indie developers is to make a good plan. You can think big but start small, any concept that's too complex becomes a hassle unless there is a large team that can tackle it. Organization and planning are very important but so is motivation.
GEOM Launches on 6/19 on the WiiU eShop, and you can view its trailer below. Thanks to Pablo for agreeing to be interviewed, and best of luck with your launch!
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Fri Jun 13, 2014 4:04 pm by 
