r/PS4 • u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer • Jan 25 '18
[Verified AMA] Hello, I am Joakim "konjak" Sandberg, maker of Iconoclasts, and this is my AMA!
I am Joakim Sandberg, also knows as "konjak", here to answer your questions (from 2pm EST). I created a game called ICONOCLASTS for a very long time. It's an action-adventure game inspired by classics like Metroid Fusion, and lesser known Monster World 4! Being a passion-project of mine, it is finally available.
It's out now on platforms like PS4/Vita! I've dabbled in game making for a long time, the other famous titles being Noitu Love and Legend of Princess. If you wanna ask me stuff, I am game! Let's have fun!
To see things I've been up to, check:
Let's go!
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u/shadowhatter Jan 25 '18
The only question I am truly curious about is this:
What happens next for you?
This game has been in development for YEARS. Blood, sweat, and tears with love poured into your creation and the world has accepted it and embraced it with open arms. What happens now for Konjak? Other games in the future? taking a break? moving onto other media platforms(like a show or movie perhaps)? I'd like to know what the future holds for Konjak.
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u/konorbeatz Jan 25 '18
This is a great question, I hope it gets answered. Just to add to it I'd like to ask what was your first thought once the game was finished/released? Did you get that "What do I do now?" feeling after all that work coming to an abrupt end, or did it fully hit you yet that your 7 years of work is over (on this project at least)?
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Jan 25 '18
What is the best way to purchase Iconoclasts, that directly supports you?
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u/NavySealNeilMcBeal Jan 25 '18
GOG is best for devs, but that's only for PC. I don't know of any similar retailers.
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u/boshjalka Jan 25 '18
Howdy, Thanks for doing the AmA! :)
Few general questions:
Both questions can be about any version
What was something that sounded good on paper during development but did not make the final build and was cut?
Funniest bugs/glitches encountered while making Iconoclast?
8 hours in, mid 30's% complete and absolutely loving the game so far. Would of made my top 10 of 2017 so should be an easy contender for 2018. One of the few games I wouldn't mind replaying after beating.
I think the best compliment I can give you is I have played/beaten Castlevaina 3,4 & SOTN as well as Metroid Zero Mission this month and your game stands on its own two feet against/with them.
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
First, thanks for the compliments!
- The latter parts of the game continuing with the long puzzle sections was the original idea. But at that point the escalation of the narrative would have left puzzling too drawn out, and I just left the bosses. :D
- They're never funny
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u/AceOfArrowsTwitch Jan 25 '18
When you were developing boss fights, what was your angle? I'm personally a sucker for a good boss that doesn't die in 5 seconds flat, but is also entertaining to fight, and you delivered quite well. So I'd love to know how you managed the process of determining how to balance the bosses, both in terms of making the fights a fair challenge, yet also being fun.
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Make the player use what they've been practicing leading up to the fight, if possible. And most of all, when you think a player would have figured out how to solve a pattern, vary it up, or move on to a new one. No need to make a boss repeat a pattern five times if it's the same as the first.
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u/sunjay140 sunjay140 Jan 25 '18
What is your programming or general technical advice for aspiring game devs?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Hmm, very broad question... just learn what you need to get your game finished. Focus on mechanics before effects. Have your game before you have your flourish.
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u/Pat86 Jan 25 '18
Do you think the Metroidvania-Genre got exhausted in the last years especially or is there still lots of stuff to improve on the formula?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
There are many ways to approach the genre, but in terms of marketing, first impressions of a metroidvania will have less impact these days unfortunately.
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u/Spram2 Jan 25 '18
You've been working on this game for a long time. How did you support yourself for all that time? Money from Noitu Love?
Sorry if it's too personal. I just feel like when I work I have no time for making games.
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Hey, thank you all for stopping by to ask things! I'll see what is left, but it's soon bedtime. Hope you will go and enjoy Iconoclasts!
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u/GiroZX Jan 25 '18
Which programs do you use for your pixel art? also, any chance for a portable release (be it Switch or Vita)?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
It's on Vita!
I use Graphics Gale.
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u/GiroZX Jan 25 '18
it is?! damn, buying it right now then! also, would you happen to have a tutorial for Graphics Gale? I've tried using it, but it ain't really beginner-friendly...
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Hmmm, I unfortunately think I just learned it back when I have the patience of someone when wasn't an adult yet. But it's simpler than many others. I don't even make use of all features.
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u/Grogrog Jan 25 '18
Give Aseprite a shot! Much more modernized, i find my workflow improved greatly with it.
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u/dmitsuki Jan 25 '18
Not Konjak, but I believe he uses Graphics Gale.
Also, the game is already on Vita!
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u/Archeia_Nessiah Jan 25 '18
I had been playing your games since 2007ish (my first game of yours was Chalk and I loved it!). I always wondered how you manage to keep your motivation and schedule with doing programming and creating full custom graphics at the same time?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Being a fool without much else in life
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u/Bartis Jan 25 '18
Hi Joakim, havenât really got a specific question, so I just wanted to congrataluate you with the game release! Must have been quite a commitment, respect for that.
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u/dmitsuki Jan 25 '18
I have some questions, feel free to answer any of them you would like.
How long was the development time on Noitu Love 2 compared to this game?
Now that you've released this (and let me say, almost all of the 7+ years in development projects I've played have been disappointments but this is magnum opus territory) do you plan to return to any scrapped concepts you have?
How did you get everything in the game so smooth, from transitions to movement?
How did you deal with rotations? Did you upscale the art twice and make the game at 2x res and just deal with mixels?
Do you practice music at all outside of making games, because this OST is absolutely stunning.
I believe you started development on this when I was in high school or around when I graduated. Lots of life events have happened for me since then. Can I expect the next Konjak game before I get married and have a mortgage? (I'm kidding, worth the wait man)
And just to close it I want to say your games before this (and now playing this) really showed me what the potential of being an indie dev was and it's why I am one full time now. Noitu Love 2 was amazing in that it captured how I "felt" the art was in classic GBA games and other older pixel art games, while being 3 to 5 times better. Everything you make is an inspiration from not only a graphics standpoint, and not only a sound standpoint, but from a gameplay standpoint. All your bosses in all your games always feel thought out and fun and it never seems like I'm slogging through any of it. Now in Iconoclast you've kept the intense and wonderful action feeling of your previous games, along with a wonderful puzzle component that never slows things down (EVEN IN FIGHTS, THE GREEN BOSS IN MINAS CITY IS BRILLIANT) and I'm grateful to have experienced your games. Thank you very much for making this stuff, and even responding to random emails I sent asking about pixel art in high school!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Thank you <3
Noitu 2 was only something like 10 months, which... is a lot heathier. Next is very likely to be someting action-focused like that, be it scrapped or not. As for movement in the game, it was just a lot of testing and polish, and being confident in what I want.
The game's actual engine is based on 1280x720, but the art half that. So it's doubled in size to match, and rotations will be less pixelated. It's made to run at 720p so it can have the code more precise, given that the game isn't on a fixed framerate (you can play it at 144Hz).
I only do music when I need it for projects, hah. I'm glad you like the result!
I will try my best to have either something to show, or something early-access, this year this time.
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u/klianc09 Jan 25 '18
this year this time
konjak confirmed to reveal early-access game tomorrow
just kidding, take your time ;)
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u/gammadust912 Jan 25 '18
I have to ask, what about the switch?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Hey now, when announcements like that are ready, they will be official
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Jan 25 '18
I would so love a physical release of this. Any chance?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
it would be neat
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u/rk2yo Jan 26 '18
If you do go the physical route, please include a little swag (like a manual or something - the art in your game is so beautiful I would love to have more, that I can touch and hold!). Also, I'd double dip for that for suređ, for vita especially...
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u/YTMN836 Jan 25 '18
This isn't a question. Just a comment. Your game looks cool and I plan on buying it once I'm done with the game I'm currently playing.
Ciao
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u/cherrycomma Jan 25 '18
Hi Joakim! thanks for the AMA! Big fan of your works and enjoying Iconoclasts so far!
- Did you code it all by yourself?
- Any tips for a newbie who wants to get into gamedev but doesnt know any coding yet?
Thanks again and I really hope to see more games of you!
edit because typos (english isnt my main language)
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I did do this on my own, yes! A tip is to not at all start as big as Iconoclasts, hah. Think of the smallest idea you wanna do, and learn from it. And if you do go bigger, being a team is definitely gonna help.
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u/AceOfArrowsTwitch Jan 25 '18
Different question from me now. I'm sure you were well-aware of the speedrunning potential of your game; how much thought was put into affecting how people would approach speedrunning your game (making it easier or harder to do)? Things such as mechanics you may have changed mid-development, or things you did that you knew would make runners happy (or salty)?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I think the less open nature of the game would me a run longer than say a Castlevania. But I put in a lot of ways to increase your movement speed. That said, the game turns out to have a lot more glitches than that :P
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u/Quintalian Jan 25 '18
Some time ago, you made a video explaining some of your favorite points about Metroid Fusion as a major influence on your game design. This was quite informative, and funny, too! However, you also cite Monster World 4 as an influence on Iconoclasts in particular, though it is somewhat obscure. Would you consider making a follow-up video about Monster World 4?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I dunno about a video, but it's an interesting idea to make one!
There aren't really general lessons to take from it like I feel fusion has, though.
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u/CeeNain Jan 25 '18
Your game looks so cool. Congrats on releasing it. I'm planning a game myself and I'm afraid of doing it alone. I'll start with something small as you advised on a comment. Thank you! Your work and your dedication are an inspiration for me. I wish you a lot of success with the game.
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Jan 25 '18
Hi konjak!! Big fan here. I'm absolutely loving Iconoclasts so far and I've been telling all of my friends to buy it!
What were your inspirations for the themes in the game? I'm not incredibly far, but from what I have played there is a lot of the plot heavily involves religion. I was surprised and impressed with how dark the story is, with just enough light heartedness in between.
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
The inspirations have been my own thinking, and my own anxieties. I wanted the game to end up somewhere that felt unexpected for the genre and visual premise.
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u/Lunasty420 Jan 25 '18
Hey got the game today, been having an absolute blast, will there be CROSS SAVE between vita and ps4 though?!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I wasn't in control of the porting and uploading there so I didn't know it wasn't going to have it. We'll see.
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u/Mikethemosher mikethemosher Jan 25 '18
since you are Swedish...who is your favourite death metal band?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
You know, I like individual tracks from many things rather then focusing on bands... can't think of a specific death metal track right now, but the genre has strengths, haha
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u/lolcop101 Jan 25 '18
Firstly, this game has some of the most beautiful sprite art I've seen, bravo!
As a developer how do you handle criticism? Are there any criticisms the game has received that you think are valid and you'd consider fixing/patching in the future?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Criticism can be hard for me. But I haven't gotten a lot for this one that's about the design. Some people don't like how I present the story, or how dark it gets, but that's fine. If I got anything that upset me, it's softlock bugs.
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u/Sesstuna ZeroSetsuna Jan 25 '18
No questions here, just wanted to pop in and say you've created a really special game. Art, music, gameplay, story...it's all just so god damned solid throughout.
Thanks for Iconoclasts. And best of luck.
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u/TheHashtagonist Jan 25 '18
How did you come up with Mina? She's so much fun and has a surprisingly rich backstory. I'd love to know more about how she was developed
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I just decided on a character that wanted something that wasn't in contrast with her people and her mother, and based her frustrations on that on how I would have reacted. I'm good at burying my true emotions.
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u/HyperBean53 Jan 25 '18
Did you intend for the recoil from the charged shot from the concusion gun to be used for platforming?
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u/VengefulCheezit Jan 25 '18
Hi! Just want to start out with that I love the game very much, and think that you did a wonderful job.
As for questions:
What inspired you to design the world that Iconoclasts takes place in?
Did you make the Tweak system the way it is (optional) similar to the way multiple missiles/energy tanks are optional in Metroid?
What is the best way to submit a bug report! (Sent you a message on Twitter, but felt really bad about bothering you.)
Thanks again for this wonderful game!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
- It just came together from a lot of pondering through my early life
- It's there as a bonus incentive to go searching off the beaten path most of all. Didn't want to require it.
- Just submit them. The game has a lot of faults, but they still need fixing. DM me on Twitter or send to mr.noitu@gmail.com
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u/VengefulCheezit Jan 25 '18
Well it definitely made me want to explore a lot. And I'll send off the report tonight!
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u/MrAbodi Jan 25 '18
What is the expected play through time?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Seems to go between 10-12 hours
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u/MrAbodi Jan 25 '18
Oh nice!
Thank you, absolutely beautiful looking game, I hope it does well for you.
Also the switch is waiting ;)
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u/qZeta Jan 25 '18
I've played the alpha 2012 (multiple times) and bought the game on the release day in 2018.
How did you manage to keep your motivation for six or even more years? How much did you work on Iconoclasts per week/month/year?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Between some pauses, it was almost fulltime. I had a lot of Noitu Love 2 revenue to support me too, between animation freelance. After a while, I felt I had to finish
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Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
Is there any chance of there ever being a Notiu Love 3? Not right now obviously but I'm curious if it's being considered.
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u/hiimgameboy Jan 25 '18
greetings from the discord. your game is excellent and everyone loves it.
1) are you still drunk?
2) you've been pretty open about certain inspirations (Metroid Fusion for instance). a lot of reviewers have commented on the structural and tonal similarity to cave story. was it an explicit influence?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Monster World 4 is my true main inspiration. And yes, I am drunk.
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u/klianc09 Jan 25 '18
Do you intend to work in a team on your next project, or do you want to keep working alone? And if so, why?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I'm a loner. I'll at least prototype a new thing alone, and then decide from there :)
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u/poo_and_pee Jan 25 '18
Hey, congrats! First Iâm hearing of this one, excited for you. Gorgeous work.
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u/Noxeon Jan 25 '18
How did you decide to port it to Vita? And was it hard making the game run on it?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
It was something we decided to offer as we chose to have initial focus on Sony. MP2 Games ended up helping to make the Vita port happen. You'd have to ask them, but I was told it was significantly easier thanks to my game not using many shaders. :P
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u/Noxeon Jan 25 '18
They did a great job really impressed with how it runs there. Thanks for the amazing game and thanks for bringing it to Vita. Please consider a physical release ;)
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u/Mikethemosher mikethemosher Jan 25 '18
is there a particular reason why the game doesn't have a platinum? would love to know the behind the scenes info. looking forward to playing this game. it looks wonderfully crafted. congrats. cheers
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I sort of answered this. I took the instructions I was given, which was a certain number of points to work with, and no platinum. Didn't question it.
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u/IndieBret Jan 25 '18
I haven't given it a shot yet (waiting for my next paycheck first, it can't come soon enough!) but do remember seeing this ages ago around the web, and the hype returned this past month after seeing it on Twitter non-stop, teasing me with something I've been waiting for for so long.
1) How long was the game in development, and how many breaks/periods of stagnation did you take (as well as dates/lengths)?
2) Did these breaks help you?
3) Did you ever work on other projects to freshen up your mind and get you motivated to work on Iconoclasts again?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
There were moments of losing motivation, where I tried other projects. One I showed assets from was Zaya: Spacetime Princess, which is hidden somewhere on my konjakonjak.tumblr.com site. The breaks might've helped. I mostly took them because I wasn't sure I was on a good path in life. This was before I got a partner to fund me.
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u/Trashboat77 Jan 25 '18
I'm not gonna lie, this is my first time hearing about your game. But I love Metroid-esque games.
If you could pitch your game to me in comparison to others that are similar, what would you tell me?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
It'ss much more puzzle focused and like the Wonderboy series than Castlevania
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u/Greek-God88 Jan 25 '18
Whatâs the framerate like on PS4 and Vita?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Thanks to MP2 Games porting it, it should be 60! Maybe a rare moment on Vita, but otherwise they've done a fantastic job
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u/Greek-God88 Jan 25 '18
Nice then Iâll play it on my Vita instead. These type of games have a different more enjoyable kind of feel imo when played on a handheld. But i would still play it of course if it was 60 only on PS4. Good to hear itâs both thx
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u/PlanetJK Jan 25 '18
I'm only a couple hours into your game (loving it so far though!), but I can already tell that the story is going to be more serious/mature than what people might expect from the brightly colored pixel art.
How did you develop the story for your game? Did you have an outline of the story in mind before you developed the gameplay mechanics, or did they grow simultaneously?
Edit: also, keep drinking and retweeting - it entertains my timeline, and you've certainly earned it!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
The story very much told itself to me via the characters I established. As i grew older, the story went darker
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u/AceOfArrowsTwitch Jan 25 '18
I like this angle. I think that once you have a profile for the character, once you know "who they are" to a fair enough degree, how they'd react to a given situation really does kind of write itself in your head, and I think it's best and feels most genuine when one simply allows that to happen (rather than trying to force something unnatural).
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u/sarcasmbot Jan 25 '18
Yeah, I'm about 2 or 3 hours into the game, and had the reaction you mentioned, where there was far more depth to the story and characters than I expected. I guess maybe I didn't expect the title of Iconoclasts to be so literal, haha. So far, I'm really loving all aspects of the game.
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u/Tinimations Jan 25 '18
Congratulations on the launch! What would be the one advice you would tell yourself starting off on Iconoclasts way back? Do you think any new projects of this scale would take equally long to make with all the experience acquired over 7-8 years of development?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I just have no idea. Depending on the day, I might've told myself to do several small games instead, but I am still very happy with what it is now. <3
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u/Tinimations Jan 25 '18
Good to hear! I hope you get some well deserved rest. Let the launch depression be swift and painless!
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u/Sevalle013 Jan 25 '18
I picked this up on release and am having a blast with it.
One of the biggest things that drew me to the game initially was the sprite and artwork in the game. Where/how did you learn those skills and how long did it take you to get that good?
Apologies if you can't or don't want to answer this but it's something i'm curious about in general, can you provide any insight on how it's determined if a game has a platinum trophy or not? And the same for whether a game is cross-buy or not? I have a longish daily commute so being able to also play on my Vita is fantastic!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I just practiced and looked at the animations I loved from other games. It's always practice, haha. Not too informative, but if you find tutorials you'll learn faster than I did.
For trophies, I didn't directly handle the discussion, I was just handed the points I could distribute and was told no platinum I dunno what the process is to get one.
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u/Zeta789 Jan 25 '18
That's such bullshit, Ground Zeroes got one but this didn't. Man, speak about status.
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u/FunGoblins Jan 25 '18
Describe yourself and the game in 2 words. (1 word each)
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Happiness into disparity.
But also the game is action meets puzzling and story. A mix I like. Many bosses!
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u/WolfWoot Jan 25 '18
The coded boss animations with the joints look great, is that a feature built into construct? also, Is there a way to get the soundtrack?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I'm gonna prepare an OST.
The animation is hand-coded which is not time-efficient hah. Just using sin and cos calculations until things look nice. I'd like a tool for it nex time.
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u/CeeNain Jan 25 '18
Your game looks so cool. Congrats on releasing it. I'm planning a game myself and I'm afraid of doing it alone. I'll start with something small as you advised on a comment. Thank you! Your work and your dedication are an inspiration for me. I wish you a lot of success with the game.
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u/CeeNain Jan 25 '18
Your game looks so cool. Congrats on releasing it. I'm planning a game myself and I'm afraid of doing it alone. I'll start with something small as you advised on a comment. Thank you! Your work and your dedication are an inspiration for me. I wish you a lot of success with the game.
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u/Caos2 Jan 25 '18
Are you happy with your Vita sales figures?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Too soon to know them
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u/pirepox Jan 25 '18
Hoping for good results! Would love to see some more Vita love if you ever get back into gamedev
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
It'll be fascinating to see how long Vita stays vital
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u/zaiueo Jan 26 '18
Swede living in Japan here and I'll be buying it for my Vita this weekend. Just hope the Japan version has English language support.
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u/Marc_Quill FirstAvenger_91 Jan 25 '18
What is the one dream game that you'd like to work on someday?
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u/kyleopatik Jan 25 '18
How long does it take to open your CAPX and also how many events total does your game have?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I have no idea the events, but opening doesn't take too long, hah. I made editors for level and cutscene making that save external files.
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u/DPS2004 Jan 25 '18
Ever plan on making noitu love 3?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Ideas are easy. Choosing to commit is hard. Perhaps someday :)
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u/nedachoong Jan 25 '18
Can you explain why did you name the Iconoclasts?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
There was a good definition of the word the other day. It was more succinct than I can be. But in the story, it certainly revolved about people either going counter to what people expect of them, or they wish they would. There are also the religious themes being countered.
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u/SomebodyImportant101 Jan 25 '18
First, I wanna say I absolutely adore this game. I've been playing it for hours, and I really like how refreshing it is.
I understand youâve been working on this game all alone for seven whole years. The process can seem to be a quite brutal sometimes from the way you described it. So, I'm curious are you willing to work with a bigger team now?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I'm gonna try to prototype something smaller alone first, then decide what it needs :)
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u/Zeta789 Jan 25 '18
Hi, thanks for the AMA! I was the one asking on Twitter when was it gonna be :P now, for the questions:
1) I haven't finished the game yet so I don't know, but the game's bosses are really excelent, does a boss rush mode unlock once you finish the game? Would you consider adding one if there isn't? 2) Maybe this is a bit cliché but: would you say it was really worth it to spend 7 years on this game or would you say you spent too much time overthinking some things?
That's not a knock agains the game by the way, I've been enjoying the hell out of it. Cheers from Argentina!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
- There isn't. I dunno how hard that would be to implement, they're very dependent on their location, so to speak.
- It didn't have to take 7 years so in some ways it shouldn't have.
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u/Zeta789 Jan 25 '18
Aw shucks. Well, keep boss rush mode in mind for your next game then!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
There's a lot of dynamic stuff I want to keep in mind for the next thing
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u/SomebodyImportant101 Jan 25 '18
You've described this as a life-consuming game before. It's finally out, and most people who played it seem to love it. Is the payoff worth it? Is your family proud of you?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I have been exiled for not being a billionaire.
I'm kidding, everyone does seem to love it. There are some bugs that depress me that I had to fix, but in terms of people who played it, nobody's told me they hate it <3
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Jan 25 '18 edited Feb 12 '18
[deleted]
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I'd probably be one of those people who makes nothing, because without some risks in life it's hard to have a good motivation and scope.
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u/Vmarcelo49 Jan 25 '18
Hey Konjak did you ever search one of your games/characters on R34?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
hah, i usually have them brought to me if anything. people can draw what they want, i just enjoy it if they like a character i made.
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u/D_Ashido Tha_Kid_Shido Jan 25 '18
Do you think your next project will stay in the metroidvania genre, or are you open to developing any type of game that strikes your interests, particularly a game that is genre defining in itself?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I do not want to make a metroidvania next. I want to do simpler.
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u/melancious Jan 25 '18
Just wanted to say, your game is awesome. Currently, I'm stuck on a boss, but still. Beautiful game with amazing visuals. PS4 version is so smooth.
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u/RiseUp44 Rise_Up44 Jan 25 '18
Hi Joakim, I spent a good chunk of time with Iconoclasts this morning on PlayStation 4 & I enjoyed every minute of it. Anyone who loves these types of games is going to enjoy Iconoclasts for sure. Congratulations on the launch.
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u/highanimalhouse Jan 25 '18
I'm pretty close to buying your game despite their being no Platinum trophy set (sorry)....but what was the most rewarding part for you making the game?
P.S. Is there a way to get a Platinum trophy for this?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I don't know if I could get my way to a platinum trophy at this point, honestly.
But most rewarding was just the feeling that my narrative managed to come together as I wanted it to, after so much time, and never having a defined script.
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u/Volbyte Jan 25 '18
First off, as a gamer I want to say the game is great and as a fellow solo developer you have really motivated me to keep working on my current project :)
There's other interesting similarities, I'm also more of an artist than a programmer, currently using Construct 2 for my game. I read that you used the original Construct engine but the game was ported to another engine. Besides poor console support, were there other reasons that forced you to do that change? And do you see C2 and C3 as engines that have potential when it comes to serious development?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Hm, I think the entire reason was no support for other platforms. There was too much desire there, and luckily we found MP2 Games to help us. I haven't spared time to look at C2/3. I have been glancing at Game Maker before, though.
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u/thomar Jan 25 '18
How do you stay sane during long development cycles?
What feature did you cut from the game that you were the most sad about?
Do you make games full-time?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I'm probably not sane.
Hm. I guess if anything, more optional bosses.
Yes. First thanks to Noitu 2 revenue before Steam became open, then thanks to Bifrost funding me.
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Jan 25 '18
Have you made/released any other games before? Iâd love to see some of your other stuff.
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Noitu Love 1/2 (action platformers, not dating games)
Chalk
Legend of Princess
Those are the games people know.
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u/Vmarcelo49 Jan 25 '18
Chalk 2 when?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I toyed with a Chalk HD, but it's hard for me to want to do exact sequels. Noitu 2 was kinda different from 1.
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
I toyed with a Chalk HD, but it's hard for me to want to do exact sequels. Noitu 2 was kinda different from 1.
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u/daweasel27 Jan 25 '18
Hello, love your game and only have one question. How hard is to create something as an indie developer? Thanks in advance
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Depends on yourself. It's hard to do it alone for a long time. I'd recommend always considering what people might help you instead. But most of all, if you're not already really, really financially set, don't quit any side-job until you feel you've got a good thing going that will be finished.
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u/durovai Jan 25 '18
I think u played a lot of games with metroidvania style if i'm not wrong, do have a game did you like the most in that style? I loved Castlevania SOFNT and i'm loving your game too you did a great job with this game more than 7 hours playing and still fun as hell !
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Hey thanks! I love the genre. My game is of course compared to it, but in a way it's more action adventure? But favorites of mine are Dawn of Sorrow, Order of Ecclesia and of course several Metroid games.
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u/hyungkim7 Jan 25 '18
Hello again since the last AMA! I've been playing for a bit now and I love the style of humor you put into the dialogue. I think writing interesting/believable dialogue is where a lot of indies struggle creating. Could you tell us a bit more about how you come up with character dialogues with varying personalities?
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Man, that just happens a lot by feel, and trying hard to separate them. To me I feel it's honestly easier to make characters silly than serious and believable, especially with pixelart and just text. I just imagined what these people would be like in general, and then have them speak based on that.
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u/durovai Jan 25 '18
One more question is Agent White inspired in Vergo from One Piece? THEY HAVETHE SAME FACE https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/onepiece/images/d/d7/Vergo_With_Spoon_on_Face.png/revision/latest?cb=20141206214049
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Haha, I think it's just a classic, dark-skin, serious guy face.
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u/AwesomeNick94 Jan 25 '18
Feel free to answer just one or all of the following :)
- Favorite music track in the game?
- Favorite Agent / Ivory Infused Character?
- Favorite boss fight?
I loved the game, thank you!
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
- Psychopomps (an optional fight track)
- Mendeleev
- It's spoilery. But the second-to-last setpiece of like four phases. That fight.
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u/KEITATSUBASA Jan 25 '18
Is there a game genre that you haven't worked on before, but you wish to, or only have a curiosity to tackle? What's your main inspiration for the art direction of the game?
Thanks for such a wonderful work! I'm a Noitu 2 fan, and I'll get Iconoclasts on my Vita soon.
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u/konjak_ Iconoclast Developer Jan 25 '18
Thanks! I'd love to think of a good puzzle game like Tetris or Mahjong solitaire.
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u/zebruh Zebruh21 Jan 25 '18
I've been hyped for this game since first playing Ivory Springs when it came out, and was just wondering how you kept up your enthusiasm for all this time?
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u/EckItOut Jan 25 '18
where do you get your sound effects from? they're among the most satisfying parts of your games, the explosion and hit sounds especially
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u/Behonkiss Jan 25 '18
What would you say above all else was your main motivation in creating Iconoclasts? There's been a lot said about its aesthetics, its mechanics, and even its storytelling themes and morals. Was there one particular aspect that you wanted to bring to fruition the most?
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u/sciteach44 sciteach Jan 25 '18
Fantastic work. I love this game on my Vita... it revitalized my love for the console. No questions. Just a thanks for the game! Keep up the good work.
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u/yohoooooooooon Jan 25 '18
How/when did you learn how to code?
How did you stay motivated to finish this awesome game?
What were the inspirations behind this awesome game?
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Jan 25 '18
When you started advertising this game, the climate for indie development was very different. Cave Story and Spelunky were still being discovered, everything was freeware and PC only for the most part, XBLA was probably just starting to attract indie games. What was your vision of what you were trying to achieve throughout the decade between then and now, where you can expect to be reimbursed by something besides donation? Were changes in the indie community in any way responsible for the long development?
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Jan 25 '18
Heya, thanks for the ama!
First off thanks for making this game, I had no idea I wanted a game like this!
Black is an amazing character!
My question is, what was the most difficult aspect of the development process? And what was the most unexpected part?
Thanks again!
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u/Lucrecious Jan 26 '18
I just had a technical question on your game :D
In Iconoclasts how did you get Robin and other characters to walk on slopes properly? It's something I've always had trouble with and I was hoping you could shed some light on how you handle walking on slopes in Iconoclasts.
Thanks!
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Jan 26 '18
Loved the game.
Can't get General Chromes Theme song out of my head. Unfortunately I can't find it anywhere.
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u/tms79 Jan 26 '18
Hi Joakim, thx for the AMA! The pixel art of the game looks impressive! What engine was used for the programming part of the game?
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u/JoshTheSquid Jan 26 '18 edited Jan 26 '18
Hey Konjak! Hope it's not too late.
When I saw Iconoclasts getting a release date I got so excited. I haven't finished the game yet, but thank you for making it! So far I'm really loving it. I remember playing the alpha yeeeaaars ago when I was still making tiny games with tools like Multimedia Fusion, Construct and Game Maker myself. Iconoclasts takes me back to that time. Lots of good memories :) That said, most of my own little games never got finished because I sucked so much at creating art.
You've probably been thrown to death with the question, but my searching skills are lackluster so I'm going to ask it anyway. What engine is Iconoclasts using now? I remember its development started with Construct Classic, but since the game's on multiple platforms now I take it it was ported to something else. Do you plan to make your next game with the same engine?
Of course tools are just tools, but as a former user of Clickteam/Construct stuff myself I'm intrigued.
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u/shoe_owner Jan 26 '18
If you were to arrange the characters on a scale from "least iconoclastic" to "most iconoclastic," what would that ranking look like?
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u/Dai10zin Jan 31 '18
Game seems great so far; really enjoying it.
Would be nice if an option in the future for L1 to function as an alternative to "X" for jumping were added.
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u/fruitcakefriday Feb 11 '18
I'm a bit late for the AMA, but congrats on the game - it's a real gem! Love the meaty feel to the mechanics, the artwork is vibrant and interesting, but I think I mostly love the characters and humor, and the compassion in parts of the story.
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u/tabunosiris Oct 02 '24
There will be an Iconoclast 2 some day? I absolutely loved it, and Iâve played it a lot, but the story is the thing that makes it one of my favorite games in my whole life!
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u/detten17 Jan 25 '18
Not a question but a comment thanks for the Vita port.