RPGWatch - Dreamatrix Game Studios Interview

We had the chance to once again ask Iggy of Dreamatrix more questions. This time we talk about the recently funded Wave of Darkness, patches, and SpaceForce IP.

Couchpotato: Your new Kickstarter for Wave of Darkness was launched last month, and despite the slow amount of pledges, it was funded. So, how do you all feel?

Iggy: Well, it was an amazing experience all around. We had a very strong start which was about 20% better in contrast to Legends of Dawn campaign, but we also had periods of severe stagnation. There have been times when we thought reaching the funding goal will be pretty difficult, but in the end we even managed to complete three stretch goals. All in all, we feel great, ecstatic to have another title successfully crowdfunded, and now it's time to work!

Couchpotato: Now that Wave of Darkness is funded, what happens now, and do you have a date in mind for when to launch on Steam Early Access?

Iggy: We are putting all of our time and energy into Steam Early Access release, and all of our team testers are hard at work uncovering the issues.

Now we have to wait for about two weeks for Kickstarter to send us the funds, so we estimate Wave of Darkness will be on Early Access around the end of April.

More information.

Thanks CP

I like these guys. They have taken tremendous heat from some of the fan base but they just keep making or fixing their games. I would like to see what they can do with a 3rd person RPG instead of an ISO.

It seems that RPGWatch became something like official media partner of Dreamatrix. Well, its quite nice. You can do more small interviews like that.
I hope that Wave of Darkness will be successfull.

I didnt know there were so many Spaceforce titles. Funny is that it seems that devs changed genre for each of them. I wonder if they do that only because of small budget?

And BTW.. we dont need to play hide and seek game in forum, so I can openly say here, that "the other publisher" who bought rights from Jowood and denied clause regarding the return of the rights to developer was Nordic Games.

Good job, Couch! Thanks for bringing us these interesting interviews.

Originally Posted by Farflame
It seems that RPGWatch became something like official media partner of Dreamatrix. Well, its quite nice. You can do more small interviews like that.

Well our site and the Codex actually as most other sites ignored them. Also the site we talked about was probably RPS as they stopped covering kickstarter games.

Edit: Seems it was PC Gamer my mistake guys.

Thanks for your comments guys. The site actually isn't RPS, but it's true that we sent emails numerous times to RPS and never received an answer :-)

I wouldn't wish to mention the other site, but here's the hint: PCG :-)

Originally Posted by Iggy_Dreamatrix
Thanks for your comments guys. The site actually isn't RPS, but it's true that we sent emails numerous times to RPS and never received an answer :-)

I wouldn't wish to mention the other site, but here's the hint: PCG :-)

Say it isn't so I love that site Iggy.

Kidding aside I'm not surprised as most major sites wont cover kickstarters. They claim it would mean they endorse the game, and if it fails makes them look bad to the public.

RPS released an article a few years ago on why they wont anymore.

Link - http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012…arter-dilemma/

1) If we post about a Kickstarter project, we’re essentially implying our readers should donate to it. Everyone makes their own spending decision based on their own feelings and research of course – but it can still be the case that for many of our revered readership, the deal wasn’t even on the table until it appeared here

2) Without having played the game(s) in question, and most likely without seeing anything meangingful of it for many months to come, we can’t attest to that project’s quality, to the likelihood of the results being as described, or of it even coming to pass at all. This is why ‘celebrity’ KS projects tend to get covered more frequently here – the odds of a big name pulling off what they promise would seem to be much higher than an apparent unknown living up to their claims.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Say it isn't so I love that site Iggy.

Kidding aside I'm not surprised as most major sites wont cover kickstarters. They claim it would mean they endorse the game, and if it fails makes them look bad to the public.

RPS released an article a few years ago on why they wont anymore.

Link - http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012…arter-dilemma/

Yeah, we were aware of that before and during the campaign. The times have changed and so did gaming media. But what can you do, you need to try?

On the other hand, when you're so damn close and the guy tells you they don't do KS games anymore, and the next day you see their coverage about some KS game…. You feel pretty disappointed.

Originally Posted by Iggy_Dreamatrix
Yeah, we were aware of that before and during the campaign. The times have changed and so did gaming media. But what can you do, you need to try?

On the other hand, when you're so damn close and the guy tells you they don't do KS games anymore, and the next day you see their coverage about some KS game…. You feel pretty disappointed.

I call that selective journalism and favoritism. Nothing new in the gaming industry, but I understand how you felt Iggy. I would be disappointed also.

Seems the best sites to try for small developers is the indie ones. I know a few sites that might help you in the future if you ever need a few suggestions.

R:RPS

1) If we post about a Kickstarter project, we’re essentially implying our readers should donate to it. Everyone makes their own spending decision based on their own feelings and research of course – but it can still be the case that for many of our revered readership, the deal wasn’t even on the table until it appeared here.

Umm. No. You're just giving your readers a heads up on a possible upcoming game. There is no way any type of endorsement should be implied just because you mention it on you site. Sounds like they should admit they just don't have the manpower to cover all the KickStarter projects.

I remember the old computer gaming mag Computer Gaming World. One of the parts of the magazine I looked forward to the most was the tiny little 2 or 3 sentence blurb accompanied by a very tiny screen shot advising of some game in the works. There was no commentary on the game just some of the basic facts of the game. Interestingly, after they dropped that feature the once iconic mag soon went OOB.

Yeah, I know that last sentence is kinda stretching things but it is still for the most part true . . . .

Gaming media nowadays is very careful about what they write about, and we somewhat understand their position. PC gaming "rose" from the ashes when everyone claimed it was dead, the indies exploded thanks to crowdfunding, etc.

You need to have something really special or you need to have a few "industry legends" (or similar) in order to get the attention from the media.

We feel WoD is pretty unique RPG game, especially from a small team such as ours, but it probably looks like "just another RPG" for the person who sees it the first time.

So basically we have to work really hard, be everywhere we can, send good press releases and hopefully at one of these moments some of those major websites will feature us.

Glad to see they have some time to get the inventory system in shape. If they can clean up that mess, the rest of the engine isn't too bad. Hey, since this got funded, I'll have a copy of some space game. I'll never play that, so hopefully I can give the key away to someone here once I get it.

Iggy, thanks so much for talking to us about your project. This new one has me curious, I'll admit…

I got LOD right after it came out and I wanted to like it…I really did. So many things about the game were really solid. If I could give you a personal request or two for your new title…

1. More creature diversity. It seems like all you could fight right out of the gate in LOD were those white spiders. More diversity among things you fight would make things a lot more interesting…

2. More detailed character models. Since it tends to be what the player sees right away and identifies with the entire game, better character models will mean just about everything to most people and to some, they are everything. Improving these can't hurt either!

I'm excited to see where this one will lead.

Originally Posted by Dajjer
No. You're just giving your readers a heads up on a possible upcoming game. There is no way any type of endorsement should be implied just because you mention it on you site.

Yes, its lame excuse. With this kind of "logic" you should never write a preview because it would mean exactly the same - that you encourage ppl to buy (still unfinished) game.

Originally Posted by Iggy_Dreamatrix
We feel WoD is pretty unique RPG game, especially from a small team such as ours, but it probably looks like "just another RPG" for the person who sees it the first time.

Well, with open world and all your features WoD may be unique amongst hack & slash, but this genre also seems to be more rigid than other RPG sub-genres. Fans of these games usually dont talk about open worlds etc. So you have to convince them (and rewievers) that your game is good evolution of the old formula.

Originally Posted by Iggy_Dreamatrix
So basically we have to work really hard, be everywhere we can, send good press releases and hopefully at one of these moments some of those major websites will feature us.

You can try to find YTuber who would play your game.