Winner | Excellence in Visual Art | Audience Award
Created by Heart Machine.
Each year at GDC, MFA students from the NYU Game Center interview the Independent Games Festival nominees, asking them three questions about their development process. In addition to this interview, you can read all the insightful interviews from 2017 here. These conversations, and much more, will happen when the Game Center returns to GDC in 2018. Learn more about the Game Center at GDC 2017.
Burgess Voshell: What main concept, image or question began this project?
Alx Preston: My medical history and a deep desire to express how I was feeling in a format I loved.
Burgess Voshell: Describe a specific experience with another game or media that influenced you as you worked on Hyper Light Drifter?
Alx Preston: Playing through Bloodborne when it released helped me to define some level design concepts I was still working through. That game has many excellent examples of design in so many categories.
Burgess Voshell: Is there a specific tool or methodology that you feel was important in shaping a unique characteristic of your game?
Alx Preston: Play testing! This was vital, and led us to build the sword and ammo – slashing enemies and objects regains battery (ammo) for your projectile weapons. It was a holistic solution we otherwise may not have come to without feedback from many people.
Burgess Voshell is an artist, designer, and MFA student at the NYU Game Center.