Video game remakes are a common trend in an era of high-fidelity graphics and blockbuster movie development budgets, but what’s it like for an independent developer to revisit an old title, refining the experience while still operating with limited resources? That’s exactly what Craig Jones did when he created Evasive Craft, a 3D remake of his 2020 UFO platformer Escapey Craft. We spoke with Jones to learn more about the process and his experience as a solo indie dev.
- LoopBreak: Evasive Craft is a 3D remake of your previous game, Escapey Craft. Can you talk about the process of revisiting a game and rebuilding it with new resources/knowledge?
Jones: This 3D remake was actually my second time remaking this game. I had taken the gamedev.tv 3D Unity course and after [the first time] I decided I had the skills to remake my game closer to my original vision, which was 3D. “Escapey Craft” was made using the unity playmaker plug-in because I lacked the coding skills. I also did some blender tutorials and felt comfortable enough to start making models for my game. It was satisfying to go back and remake the game closer to my original vision. It’s still not there but I’ll probably do an update at some point if I need a break from a bigger project
- LoopBreak: What is your dream development project? Something that you would make if time and money weren’t an object?
Jones: I have 3 dream games. They’re all different in size and scope. My first dream game is an open-world RPG about a ninja. The art will be stylized with a toon shader. It’s heavily influenced by some of my favorite cartoons and anime. If time and money were no [object] I’d have multiplayer and all kinds of activities to play with friends as the main selling point.
- LoopBreak: What are some of your biggest inspirations as a developer? What words of wisdom would you give to other folks looking to create a game by themselves?
Jones: Don’t get discouraged by lack of knowledge or skills. There are so many resources available to help you learn. For most of us, our first games were bad and that’s okay. Start small and work your way up. It’ll take time to get where you want to be but as long as you take a small step every day, that’s still a step closer to where you want to be. Always have more than a 0% day and stay consistent.
If you’re interested in checking out Craig’s other work, consider paying a visit to his website! For more insightful interviews with Black game developers, LoopBreak is the place to be.