An Interview With Chained Echoes Developer Matthias Linda Switcharcade Special

An Interview with ‘Chained Echoes’ Developer Matthias Linda – SwitchArcade Special

Hello friends, it’s that point again. Interview time. Regular readers know that I am one thing of a fan of RPGs. It’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming indie RPG Chained Echoes has caught my eye. After a really very lengthy time in growth, the game is nearing the end line. This means Matthias Linda, the particular person behind the game, was able to surrender a few of his extremely precious time to reply a few questions for us about this fascinating-looking adventure and the equally fascinating adventure behind its development. Let’s get to the interview!

Matthias Linda (ML): My name is Matthias Linda and I’m the developer of Chained Echoes. Like, actually. I am the dev group. I do the pixel art. I do the code. I do the game design, the quests, the writing, the dangerous puns and all that. Some of the backgrounds were accomplished by freelancers, the music was created by an incredible composer. But yeah, I’m a solo developer. So my role is growing I guess. All that whereas eating pizza topped with parma ham and arugula. No thought how many I ate over the last 7 years.

TA: For our readers who’re just listening to about Chained Echoes for the first time, are you capable to give us a quick napkin description of the game?

ML: Think of the old SNES and PSX period RPGs. Add Magic. Add Mechs. And think of these old games as you remember them, not as they really were. Boom. You’ve obtained Chained Echoes. See, my main approach was to develop a recreation which captures the sentiments and the photographs in my head I had of these instances.

But sure, I can provide a more conventional quick rundown on the sport: Turn Based RPG inspired by JRPGs. A party of as a lot as 8 members, an extensive story. You can fly mechs and airships. Boss fights, facet quests, check. And a tremendous soundtrack.

TA: What are your sources of inspiration for Chained Echoes? Hit us with some deep cuts.

ML:Suikoden 2, Terranigma, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Xenogears and so many more. God, I could discuss all those games all day lengthy. I grew up with these video games, I grew up in the golden era of RPGs. I grew up in one of the best time, if you ask me. I always really feel unhappy for many who missed this time. And I took inspiration from all of them. There are direct homages the place I hope that players will notice and be like “Nice, I know that scene, I know what he did there!” and mechanics which are direct tributes. As I said, I tried to develop the sport in a method of how I remember my childhood experiences. In truth, should you begin them up right now, you will discover that lots didn’t age very well. And yet, in my head, they are still the greatest video games ever created and I tried to design Chained Echoes how I bear in mind these titles.

TA: Tell us one or two actually cool issues about Chained Echoes that you’re proud of?

ML: The most blatant factor is the combat system. It is flip based, yes. It has a ton of tactical depth, especially with characters which can be a part of the celebration later. And each battle, even towards trash mobs, can be a challenge. And whereas these fights take their time, the fight system feels quick and action heavy.

I’m also happy with having actually finished the sport. Well. Nearly. I’m getting there. It still feels tremendous bizarre that I managed to drag this off. Especially if I think about all the little details I’ve hidden within the sport all over the place. You know, I typically lose myself in these particulars and add little issues right here and there and forget concerning the time. I really needed to ensure that I would truly proceed working on the game itself.

TA: What was the hardest a part of growing this game?

ML: Doing nearly everything alone and not dropping oversight. And bringing every little thing collectively. Luckily I did that half somewhat early on. So, there was that Gamescom, I don’t even remember the yr, should have been the first 12 months of the pandemic I think. Everything went digital and me and my writer determined to participate within the on-line event. For that I had to create a demo and… my god, I swear, that was essentially the most tense time of my indie dev life. I underestimated the quantity of labor wanted to make the game actually work and run. In the tip I literally completed the demo at the final possible second.

I suppose I need to explain that. So, it is simple to design a fight mechanic. It is easy to create ranges. It is straightforward to pixel a personality. It is straightforward to put in writing a story. Well. No. All of that isn’t easy in fact. But, it is straightforward compared to connecting the things and make them go and work hand in hand without every thing falling aside. On paper every thing appears really easy and then you notice that some mechanics don’t work in favor of one another.

I am joyful I did create the demo early on. It helped me when it comes to progress although it did throw me again in first place. But from that moment on I might always simply add things to a working system.

TA: Who is your favourite character within the sport and why?

ML: Sienna. The thief. She’s a complex character and the image you’ll have of her during the sport will change a lot. I don’t want to spoil anything however belief me, she has far more layers than you may suppose. Also the conditions she finally ends up are, a minimum of for me, probably the most fun ones. Probably as a outcome of my bad puns.

TA: Were there any specific challenges in bringing the game to the Nintendo Switch?

ML: To make the game run on 60FPS in all places. Or practically in all places. That’s principally my fault. I’m not a programmer in spite of everything, I discovered every thing by doing. So I needed to clean up plenty of crap I did during the improvement.

TA: Is there something you needed to put within the recreation that didn’t make it in the end?

ML: Well, no, yes, possibly. There are issues I’ll add in a while ’cause I mentioned them in the Kickstarter. But nothing which is crucial for the experience I needed to create.

TA: What’s the last JRPG-style recreation you actually obtained into?

ML:Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It literally delayed the game by one and half weeks cause I sank an excessive amount of time into it.

TA: Thank you very much in your time. If you may have any message for our readers or ultimate comments, this is where you’ll be able to say no matter you need.

ML: Even if you don’t like flip based RPGs, JRPGs or pixel graphics. Even if you know that Chained Echoes is a recreation you want to keep away from in any respect prices. Please, give the soundtrack a try in your preferred streaming platform once it arrives. It is actually that good. Eddie (Marianukroh), the composer, is a god in relation to music. And I’m nonetheless amazed by just how good the OST is.

Chained Echoes is scheduled for launch in Q4 of this 12 months, so we must be seeing it within the subsequent couple of months. I’d like to as soon as again thank Matthias for answering our questions concerning the game, and a shout out to Derek at Hound PR for facilitating. And thank you, expensive readers, for doing that studying thing you do.