MAPFG: An Interview with a Japanese Indie Game Developer, Part 1

Where we talk about Alchemy Panic!, strategies for playing the game, and its development process

An Interview with Make and Play a Favorite Game (MAPFG), Part 1
Interview by: Douglas Schules; Translation by: Douglas Schules

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Read Part 2

このインタビューを日本語で読む

Daedalus Machine
Can you briefly tell us the concept of Alchemy Panic!?

MAPFG
It’s a sorting game.

DM
Alchemy Panic! is a puzzle game in the style of games like Puyo Puyo and Bejeweled. In what ways do you think it builds upon the mechanics of those earlier games and adds to the puzzle genre?
 
MAPFG
Hira
We didn’t intentionally design it as building off those games, but I think a common point between them is that they all possess moments where instant decisions are required. Alchemy Panic! was created to be a game that demands such decisions from the player from beginning to end. If it was designed on any existing game, the initial image would be the game Mister Driller.

In that game, there is a relationship between risk and return. The player must choose the optimal path downward despite only being able to see a few layers below the character. I think Alchemy Panic! is closest to this because the player must search for an appropriate combination of elements based on only being able to see a few of them at a time.

Alchemy Panic!

Mr. Driller

DM
Yeah, I can see how Mr. Driller might be a basis for Alchemy Panic!. But would you go so far as to say that it was an influence on your game? What games would you say were influences?
 
MAPFG
Hira

If there are any influences, it would probably be endless run games (example: Cookie Run). We aimed to make a game where in one play cycle a player could play many times.

DM
You mentioned that the game requires a player to strike a balance between risks and returns. Can you talk a little more about that, especially considering those who haven’t played the game?
 
MAPFG
Hira
For example, when aiming for a high score in this game, it’s necessary to aim at creating combos (making the same color combo in the same beaker within a fixed time). However, because the materials that appear are random, whether you wait for an element you need or give up on the current combo and go for a different color combo to extend the time limit…in those times, the player has to decide the risks and returns.
 
 
DM
What strategy do the members of the circle use when playing the game?
 
MAPFG
Rokusuijo
In my case, I place different colors in two beakers and use the remaining one as a place for unnecessary materials. If something that corresponds to those two colors comes along I put them in the appropriate beaker, and if not I put it in the “unnecessary materials” one. By doing that, even if things aren’t going well, it’s easier to make a chain combo with either of the remaining two colors because you use the beakers that have a higher possibility of a chain, and can deal with when other colors come along…..is the strategy I have, but my personal highest score is only around 70,000 points. There are people who have bought the game who have scores that exceed 200,000, so I think there are many better strategies. It’s fun to play while thinking about that.
 
Hira
My strategy is pretty much the same, but my personal best score isn’t over 10,000…If you have a good strategy, please tell me…

Watch the review of Alchemy Panic!

DM
How did you come up with the concept for the game?
 
MAPFG
Hira
Rokusuijo from our circle held his own game jam, and based on the many topics at that event he came up with the basic game concept where the aim was to get a high score by sorting ingredients within a given time.
 
Rokusuijo
Also, I wanted to make a game that could be easily started and put down, not a game that required a lot of time investment, like action or RPG games. I considered how to combine those elements with those of the game jam just mentioned.
 
 
DM
The game certainly is quick to play. If it was available as a mobile game, it would be perfect for commuting on the train in Japan. Are there any plans to make it available on the App Store or Google Play?
 
MAPFG
Rokusuijo
There’s no plans to do that right now. It would be good if we could do that easily, but regrettably it seems like it will take a lot of time….
 
Hira
Even though Alchemy Panic! is easy to play, I want players to aim for high score, so please enjoy the PC version.
 
 
DM
Is this your Circle’s first game? If not, what others have you made?
 
MAPFG
Hira

This is MAPFG’s first work. If we’re talking about individually, Rokusuijo produces and releases fighting games (the Fate Axis series). As for me, I previously worked as a programmer at a small-to-mid-size game company, but this is the first time for me to make something as an individual.

DM
How long did it take to develop the game, and what were the most challenging parts in the process?
 
MAPFG
Hira
The prototype was completed in about 2 days, and we began to create it in June of 2017, so it’s been about half a year.

Rokusuijo
Although it’s been considerably improved from the prototype; 80% or more is new stuff. Even though we had a prototype, making the game in this period was beyond my expectations. There weren’t any particularly difficult parts to implement, but making it in such a short time…maintaining that speed was the hardest thing.
 
 
DM
So, what changes have been made from prototype to the Digige version? Also, what further changes do you anticipate making to the game?
 
MAPFG
Rokusuijo
In the prototype version, the score changed depending on how the materials were combined. There was only one beaker to stock materials unlike Alchemy Panic!, and there was a function to throw away materials. From there we removed the function to throw away materials and made players put them in the beakers, and changed the method of combination from a material-based system to a color-based one.
 
Because the Digige version is the finished product, there aren’t currently any plans to add anything else.
 
 
DM
How long did you spend testing the game prior to release?
 
MAPFG
Hira
Several times during production we asked friends and acquaintances to play test the game, but in total it wasn’t a full day. I think we spent a few days or a week testing after we put everything in. I think that since we could make the resources compact due to the fact that the game was made with UE4’s Blueprint, making changes to resources was easy and debugging was completed with few costs.

Continue to Part 2

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