Around giving his game a try, Rarity Guide put together series of questions for its creator, Christopher Hawes. We liked the game around the office and wanted to learn a bit about it. Chris was dealing with a cold, but manged to get back to us pretty quick. We are now happy to host the interview for all so they can learn a bit about is upcoming game.

If you want to check the game out for yourself, just click the picture of the title screen below. It will take you to the home page for the game where you can learn even more about it and download the demo. There is also a link at the bottom of the article.

Title screen for Legend of Enoch Sword

Rarity Guide: What got you into video games?
 
Chris: Well, it all started back in 1986 when my father and I purchased a Commodore 64 with a game to play: Legacy of the Ancients.
 
RG: How did you hear about RarityGuide?
 
While searching on the internet for a nes rarity list. Behold I found RarityGuide first on the list! Great site for learning about older games!
 
RG: What got you into collecting video games?
 
As the 90's ended, I started to feel as if the quality in game media was on a decline. Example (Sword of Vermilion on the Genesis – “Large Hint book” was included sealed on the back of the box when purchased.) Today that would be an extra 20 to 30 bucks when you purchased the game. I thought it would be nice to collect games from the era to remember the good old days of gaming. High quality materials made the late 80’s and 90’s video games grand.
 
RG: Are there any particular favorites among your collectibles?
 
Yes, Dragon Warrior I (NES), Castlevania (NES), Phantasy Star I (Sega Master), Arcana (SNES), Soul Blazer (SNES), Actraiser (SNES), Y's Book I & II (NEC TURBO GRAFX), Dragon Slayer (NEC TURBO GRAFX), Shining in the Holy Ark (Sega Saturn), Sorcerer's Kingdom (Genesis), Master of Monsters (Genesis), Phantasy Star II-III-IV (Genesis), Sword of Vermilion (Genesis) and many other nostalgic titles in my collectibles.
 
RG: Would you say that any particular games were influential to this game
either in terms of play or the story?
 
Yes, Dragon Warrior, and Y's on the Sega Master System.
 
Inside The Town

RG: How long have you been working on this game?
 
10 months!
 
RG: Are there any other people helping you code/test this game?
 
No, currently me only.
 
RG: What lead to the choices in which platforms this game is being released on?
 
Currently for coding purposes the PC is the market. I'm looking into the iPhone tools to port over for the iPhone.
 
RG: Why did you decide to use a more retro style opposed to the modern style?
 
Nostalgic game play will be always true to my heart no matter what new improvements continue to unfold in the video game industry.
 
RG: Musically, this game reminds me of the Diablo series. Is this
intentional or just some of the early score work?
 
No, not intentional as the music was produced by my brother from his thoughts has he played the game in each area. Music generated from his unique playing style on the guitar, and keyboard using a iMac and software to record.
 
RG: I noticed the achievements seem to award EXP and stat boost. How many of
the achievements offer just boost?
 
The stat boost is only accessible to a player in defeating bosses.

RG: How much will the game cost?
 
PC version at retail price of .99 to $1.99 depending on the vendor.
 
RG: Tell us about the combat in the game.
 
A twist between Dragon Warrior I and Phantasy Star I. Old school system!

Victory Screenshot

RG: Who is your target audience, are you trying to reach only older gamers
who miss the retro style games, or will you also try to reach younger
gamers?
 
Older gamers would mainly be the target. At this point I'm not inclining to reach younger players. It's mainly for the nostalgic game players. However, it would be nice to see younger players jump onboard to experience the game play of older games.
 
RG: What feedback have you received for it so far?
 
Currently no feedback due to expensive marketing and I'm not a huge game label company. I’m currently looking into marketing vendors to help out.
 
RG: Are you going to be working on more games like this? Is this a first
part in a series of sort?
 
I would very much like to continue designing more nostalgic RPG games.
 
RG: Will there be a sequel?
 
Yes, Legend of Enoch Sword could very easily become a series which I have thought about in the system and story from the start. All depends on the community if the first game becomes a good rated game.
 
RG: How many hours of work went into this game?
 
1600 + Hours.
 
RG: Whats the process of starting on a new game from scratch all the way to
publishing it?
 
Well, it comes down to how creative you are, a budget, and how much time you plan to spend designing the game. A story to start out would be the first part. Second, what types of tools do you need to design your game (EX: program language, graphic applications, music devices & what platform you can build on). Third, do you plan on a copyright to sell your game? Most companies today won't take your game submission to publish. You need to have a marketing plan. Build a website, or make your game on a platform that can help you sell it (EX: Apple AP Store will publish your game for sale if its a good game). Last you need to test your game to make sure all features work. It takes a lot of dedication! With this in mind you should have a good start. Remember large companies don’t want competition, in other words anyone that is starting out making games will need to have some luck and a eye catching game to sell that will bring large companies to you for a contract. Currently I'm on that step of the process. I hope!
 
RG: Any advice for others wanting to create their own game?
 
Dont give up! If you have an idea to make a game go for it! Dont let anyone stop you from trying to make your game. Start out in small steps. Look into school to learn how to program, or design graphics.



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