Hey everyone! Néstor here; in preparation for the upcoming release of Redd's Runaway (I'll post news soon! and you will find the game in https://bewolf-studio.itch.io/), I'd like to share some of my learning developing this project. 31 days until October ends, ¡let's begin!
Day 1: Start with an idea, ¡anything!
No matter how strange your idea could be, if the execution is right, you may have a great experience in process. For Redd's Runaway, the main idea was to create a Run & Gun where you would find dozens of enemies and a BIG final boss, wrapped in a paranormal environment.
Day 2: Work with a great team
My art work is very poor and I still have a lot of trouble making good sprites or drawings. Considering this and after an art test inspired by Capcom's style (thanks to the help of my sprite teacher Alex, Li_Kun), I decided that the approach was not ideal for this game and began to look at other options. This is how I came up with a Metroidvania style, where I got in touch with Ariel Gonçalves (https://toymaster.itch.io/), who has created some incredible sprite work (which you can see in the level bosses).
For Redd's design, I contacted Blindgod Illustrations, who created a concept that has served as the basis for the game's protagonist. The point that mattered the most to me was that if she could reflect a feeling of melancholy in her, but landed on a character with good agility and able to convey the feeling to the player that she would know how to solve the problems that she encountered: a great determination that was born of his way of being and of the rage she felt as the story unfolded. By this time, Redd was already a character with strengths and weaknesses, which personally creates a bond with her with which I can feel a lot of empathy, and Moone could translate that perfectly in her design.
Regarding the music, I had a big problem: with a limited budget, I decided to look at other possibilities, almost immediately discarding videogame stock music (as I heard a lot of generic themes in my search), and in one occasion I came across the White Bat Audio channel (https://whitebataudio.com/); several of its themes reminded me of my experience playing Batman & Robin on the Genesis so many years ago, so I decided to take that route, which is fed back by the dark design of the settings and the vibrant design of the characters. Karl Casey is in charge of the main theme of the game, combining an Industrial Darksynth and Synthwave style, very peculiar from the eighties and the films that came out at the time, especially the slasher genre.
I highly recommend follow their work: Redd's Runaway would not be what it is now were it not for the fantastic effort they have put in here.
