[Devlog] Last devlog on Nusakana

final devlog image 2

Hi everyone,  it’s been a while since we last post our devlog here. Well I bring good news: Nusakana development is finished and now we are in pre-release state, preparing the stuffs that need to be done (primarily technical stuff on steam and marketing). We’ve also already set up Nusakana’s page on Steam that you can access here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/401290/ It won’t be long until its actual release! So don’t forget to follow the page and add it to your wishlist!

And back to the main topic… So for this devlog, there will be no technical stuff about the game at all. Instead, we, the devs, will just write everything we felt through the development of the game. Thank you all for always reading and see you in another devlogs on our future project.

Numfanklewhat (Game designer, writer, artist/graphic designer)

It was started from a silly chat between me and walt on certain online forum. That was the beginning of Nusakana, almost 3 years ago. I still remember when we were talking about certain handheld console fishing game starring a complete unrelated, unusual even, cast of characters from Japan. From there, I don’t know what happened or what gets into me. Me and walt started to develop mutual trust with each other, even though we aren’t really close at that time. We were just slowly, though steadily, working on the game, I work on the graphics side while walt working on the programming side, together we also concoct the story and gameplay of Nusakana. Until at some point we say to ourselves, let’s do this seriously and make this happen.

I met Jasmine when we posted a recruitment thread on RPGMaker web, looking for a composer to work on the music for Nusakana, with specific genre: Bossa Nova. At that time the only missing piece on our team is the musician. I was so desperate at that time that I’m thinking of recording my own “terrible playing” of musical instruments to fill in the music for Nusakana as a last resort. Obviously as we are starting as “indie” we have no budget at all to pay for any musician nor promising a succesful project with tons of profit, so in the perspective of any composer or musician they probably saw us as “who is this upstart unknown developer?”, “like i want to spend time with some no-name devs from unknown country”. I’m a very skeptical man, bordering pessimistic maybe, but my thought is not without reason, there are possibilities that we will be just ignored considering of our no reputation and new kid status. But there’s nothing wrong with trying right?

The reception we got in the contrary, is quite overwhelming, I got lots of PM from many composers and musicians asking to fill in the role. But from many of them Jasmine is the only one who is stand out, with her vast experience and love for bossa nova and latin jazz music. We immediately clicked and she got to become the third member of the team. She is a very talented musician with a nice personality, she should’ve got more fame and recognition with her talent, that I hope Nusakana will help her reach.

From then on the three of us work together and giving all our best for Nusakana. Of course it’s not always smooth sailing on the ocean, there are times when we got into conflict, even over the most irrelevant things. But that’s just a part of the journey, conflict is a way for us to become more mature, developing mutual trust and to accept our team mate for what he/she is, their weaknesses and strengths. A chance to learn and know each other better.

Around the halfway of the development process, me and walt decided to form a legal company, for reasons such as legality concerning of our works but mainly to be more serious on our journey in the game development world. we form an independent game development studio called “Studio Namaapa”, a name that will probably be considered silly by native Indonesian speakers. Honestly we thought of changing the name but by then it’s already too late since the press have been writing about us using that name during our greenlight campaign. We just get along with it and it’s pretty much grow on us.

Now that Nusakana is finished, and ready to be released, I’m overwhelmed with proud feelings. We have gone through lots of things, discouragement and ridicule by people, pressure and obstruction from the “elite clique” of senior gamedevs, but we stand tall and finished our works no matter what those people says! It’s been an awesome experience from me, and I’m sure too for both Walt and Jasmine. I also want to give thanks to lots of peoples that have followed and encouraging us until the end. Especially our devlog readers, facebook fanpage and twitter followers. For me you all are not just numbers to brag. You are all individual that showed care to us, to our works. And for that I give my heartfelt thanks.

I hope that Nusakana can be received well and can give people both entertainment and inspiration. For me personally, I hope Nusakana can be our stepping stone to grow sustainable game development studio, that in turn can help us making more games that the people love. Thank you guys!

wltr3565 (Game designer, writer, programmer)

2 – 3 years since the game was first developed, huh? I was at high school when this game was in its planning stages, but really, I lost count how much time I’ve poured for Nusakana. That is how much I care about Nusakana. So much conflict and hardships we have gone through for Nusakana. We love this game. We fought over which line is better, debate the importance of something that actually a pain in the butt to implement but Numfank insists “for the sake of glory”. Looking at now, we’re near the end. The game is gold. Now, nearing 20th November, it’s time to let you guys enjoy our work. Our work for Nusakana is near the end, but it marks the beginning of the new adventure for you guys. And this is our new start too, now that we will have one game released to the crowds. Enjoy Nusakana, folks.

Jasmine (Composer, musician)

I have to say that, as a composer, I have been very fortunate. Though I have worked with a mere handful of game developers, the few that I have had the opportunity to grow with have done nothing less than better me as a composer and a person.

I met Walt and Alfi 3 years ago. When I stumbled across their game, the last thing on my mind was ‘work’. I was in college, writing music on the side, and perusing the rpg maker forums simply because that was where I had gotten a few hobbyist offers from before. What instantly drew me to Nusakana was the style of music they were looking for: Bossa Nova.

A game with primarily Bossa Nova music? That blew my mind.

To get a better idea of what they were asking for, I decided to play the demo which, to my surprise (and delight), contained gorgeous, pre-selected tracks that further instilled a desire to take on the task which they needed met. I knew that jazz (or something that sounds akin to it) came naturally to me, so I blindly sent in an inquiry. Lo and behold, they thought I was a good fit. I had no idea that Alfi/Walt had already received numerous advances before me, either. Knowing that warms my heart even more!

Since then, it has been a  delightful struggle. Writing jazz, or a piece convincingly so, has been the most challenging style of writing for me yet. The music for Nusakana pushed me in unimaginable ways. Working with Walt and Alfi, two people that expect nothing less than their best, inspired me to always aim higher than what I felt I could do. This aspiration to never settle moved me to write outside my comfort zone – even go as far as completely re-composing older pieces (3 weeks from finishing development, haha). It has infected how I work in other musical endeavors and how I approach my self-confidence in writing. Add to that an uninhibited level of camaraderie housed in honesty and trust, I believe that Alfi, Walt and I more than developers. We are friends that have a passion for making games. It won’t be the last, either. I’m sure of it.

I hope you guys are ready, because very soon, you will experience the dedication, desire, and faith of three hearts, compiled into a wild adventure.

We are already Nusakana bound. I hope to see the rest of you there!