A Huge Publisher Played My Game And.... (Devlog)

So massive publisher played my game and had some things to say...
► This video was inspired by @darenn-keller go subscribe! • A legendary publisher ...
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► What I believe: • What I Believe

[@thomasbrush]

Thanks for watching! Hope you learned a ton. ► This video was inspired by @darenn-keller go watch the video and subscribe! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2TUYaWCq9mXjposi=lClGP1WWU5lh_gOL ► Check out Devolver's awesome games: www.devolverdigital.com/ ► Enroll in my 3D workshop, free!: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-15-minute-3D-game ► Learn how to become a full time game dev, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-how-to-make-six-figures ► Make your game instantly beautiful with my free workbook: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-instant-beauty-color-workbook ► Get my 2D game kit, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-2D-game-kit ► Join my 2D character workshop, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-2d-character-art-workshop ► Wishlist Twisted Tower: store.steampowered.com/app/1575990/Twisted_Tower/ ► Learn how to make money as a KZbinr: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-indie-game-income-workshop

[@darenn-keller]

Hey Thomas! Thank you for the shout out, I really appreciate it. You're right, for both of us it was a great learning experience and I don't regret it one bit! Thanks for sharing your own journey with Devolver, it's very interesting to see how it's been for you. Would be great to get in touch and discuss gamedev someday. See you! 😊

[@thomasbrush]

Sure thing! Thanks so much for telling your story and inspiring me to do that same :)

[@isaacashton5772]

@@thomasbrushfrom a new developer who was inspired by BOTH of you, thank you for what you do!

[@darenn-keller]

@@isaacashton5772 Aw thank you! 😘

[@sontrajamfemininegaze145]

What the heck. KEEP IT IN SCOTLAND. Scottish dogs versus English cats is something millions of Scottish, Welsh and Irish people would love to see. 😂

[@KouzyFox]

RIGHT!!!! I WAS LITERALLY SCREAMING THIS...and tbh it could be more Scottish 😅 let us build clans!!! And fight!!!!

[@NadjibBait]

@@KouzyFox + blue face paint and kilts!

[@imraanakollo-arenz1449]

If there's one thing I must never underestimate, it's the beef the Irish and Scots have with the English😂

[@PeterHyder]

@@NadjibBait No thanks, that shit is cringe and not Scottish (Well, the kilts obviously are but no one wore them till people were using muskets...). There are also Scottish dog breeds such as the 'Scottish Terrier' (known as a 'Scotty') who are criminally underrepresented because they are the goodest boys.

[@owdoogames]

As an Englishman I too would love this, and I would side with the Scottish, Welsh and Irish braveboys to kick out the Tories… even if I’m more of a cat person.

[@unityalexdev]

what a killer video ! story is insane, personal experience, editing, sound design...everything dancing together so well, man that's a masterpiece. Good job!

[@Ironroc]

Absolutely loved this style of video. It's cool to hear about what going through these steps is like. Also looking forward to seeing what braveboy becomes!

[@jamesbowling5928]

Ever since the first little demo you posted about this cute dog game way back when it was just a brain-break from working on Father, I have loved it and hoped there would be more of it. Thomas, this game looks beautiful and I love the name/theme/music/idea/barrels etc. I know you'll probably have to change it a bit to make a publisher happy eventually, but I personally hope you find one that sees the value in it as it is.

[@hamzahgamedev]

wow, I am in the process of pitching my own game to various publishers and this video's timing couldn't be more perfect. 💌

[@cuddlecakes7153]

good luck

[@hamzahgamedev]

@@cuddlecakes7153 tysm 👏

[@JJSmalls]

The executives not getting the Braveheart reference... there's no point in shifting the theme entirely because of that. You would have been chasing a moving target at that point.

[@grinningtiki220]

Critic on Braveboy: The dogs get lost in the grass. Maybe have patches and you can cut them with the spin attack?

[@PeterHyder]

Speaking as a Scottish dog owner who has seen their dog disappear into long grass - dogs tend to start hopping/jumping in this environment which is adorable and hilarious every time you see it. I suspect it would look equally adorable in a game.

[@LucidVisions]

It’s so great that you are highlighting your disappointments. So much of your content is about the positives and the you can do it mentality which is great but your response to the disappointment is the most inspiring thing and the willingness to share this. Great edit too!

[@shawns4354]

My wife, kid and myself are still waiting for Braveboy to come home! Good luck and thanks for the insight!

[@DesignedByTaz]

Love hearing these stories. Thanks for sharing Thomas!

[@ghabrielF]

Really cool to see how things work behind the scenes. Great content!

[@AndrzejGieraltCreative]

Crazy stuff Thomas, good on you for sticking to your vision.

[@Gathrey]

Just because someone doesnt get or understand your game, doesnt mean thousands of others wont get it. Sometimes you just gotta trust your own understanding and research XD loved the video and the great insight you shared!

[@TheArtkaw]

It looks like an “okay” game but hard to see it under the Devolver umbrella. I mean, in all honesty it looks like a mobile game.

[@jaymarksman]

09:27 I don't think open world and old school platforming are mutually exclusive, as open world isn't really a genre, just a setting/framework. A Short Hike comes to mind, which kind of feels like the best of both worlds to me. Thanks for sharing, this was a great video!

[@Shallsoar]

It's like: pitch to pitch to pitch to... Self publish. But this is a great video, and this passion is what we all need!

[@smallbag123]

Your videos are so good! Thanks for constantly uploading videos for us :)

[@Skeffles]

Great to hear your experience with devolver. Sometimes they've held up in the indie world but knowing how that might go will help so many devs.

[@FromTheAtticTV]

The comment about Scottland being cringy or tropey is baffling to me. Also, what's not to get about "Braveboy"? It's a dog... that also happens to be a knight... He's a BRAVE...BOY! You know, also like what everyone says to their dogs! Tbh, I feel like, even in other fields, when people struggle to picture what the final product could look like, they want to change everything. Happens to me all the time with films lol. What's weird is that these people work for Devolver, so "picturing what the final product could look like" is definitely something they do all the time. Only thing I agree is the barrel thing; I feel like you could come up with other means of traversal that are more related to dogs. It does feel like something extracted straight from DK. But I truly think what Braveboy needs, overall, is just a year or two of polish, iteration, etc.

[@ghostpeppered4524]

Pretty funny if you think of it. They kept asking you to make changes for free without funding. What are they thinking, once the game is finished--then you'll need their money? For what? For the privilege of sharing your profits?

[@BodyCodeGames]

I wish I could afford your game dev course. Maybe one day I will be able too, I want to learn everything in this industry so bad. Love your videos so much!

[@The6thRonin]

Awesome story and lessons. Thank you

[@ImSim_Cook]

Immensely helpful video for an aspiring dev! Especially anything to de-mystify publisher-interaction 😅 Also (and you obviously didn’t ask for this but figured I’d throw it out) it is by no means uncommon to have a sort of macro type of traversal in an open world game, which gets you from isolated areas to isolated areas. Almost thinking the whirlwind from Elden Ring, which works on the x axis rather than the y, as in the case of your donkey Kong barrel mechanic. I also really like the barrels, and what might be perceived as a mechanical dissonance could probably be righted by grounding it more in the world. Say they are hanging from ropes which are constantly raveling and unraveling or something like that.

[@SubzeroBlack68]

Honestly the first time I saw your game I thought of "Spyro with map zones connected with Platform mechanics". I don't know if thats the vision you are aiming for but I think you have a hit with this game as long as you stick to your vision.

[@SpeedOfDarkStudios]

This video was a good class in dramatic and entertaining storytelling.

[@relevancy1123]

2:45 no it's not. In anything arts, entertainment or distribution one of the first key things all of the industry professionals WILL say is find/build a network. And finding/building a network doesnt necessarily mean going to people and asking or begging for their resources but more putting yourself in position to know PERSONALLY, someone that is in the business of what you do. Whether they be large and already acclaimed or upcoming, or even at the same level as you at the very bottom. You never know who the people you meet MAY become so stay sociable, stay in communication and stay ready with your ears and ideas open. There may be a day your most insignificant relationship becomes the one that changes your life.

[@motioncache]

I'm certain you will work with Devolver in the future. This will be a nice stepping stone to allow that for next time. Inspiring as always, Thomas. Thank you.

[@Yoshi889]

Well, there are Devolver titles that actually did not sell that well, so working with them does not guarantee success, and they surely don’t 100% know what sells. (Nobody can know for sure)

[@roundtabledetails3307]

Well it's looks like you haven't figured out what the core of the game is yet

[@SofyCodes]

ikr

[@AJSquirrel53]

...😳

[@roundtabledetails3307]

@@AJSquirrel53 😘

[@jaulloa21]

A huge publisher played my game and..they practically took a shit on it

[@CrowleyBlack2]

What do they mean the Scottish theme is cringey or tropey? I actually like this idea. Although, they do have a good point to remove the barrels. Would be cool and funny to replace it with a catapult for the dog be flying. Would also be cool to see other players play as Scottish dogs or English cats. But that is more of a live service game. Good for open world though.

[@aztecagames]

Keep going Thomas! You're kicking ass!

[@KrazyRobot]

take it easy with the stock footage king

[@FirstAttempt_01]

This comment may not find you and thats totally chill, we share the same first name. Ive been watching you for years man and the quality and feel of your channel has improved so much! Your energy is higher. I clearly enjoyed the channel from its early days but I like to point out its just been getting better and better man!

[@CCowleyMedia]

YOu all went to Germany and pitched your underdog game in person. Great job, that can be so stressful.

[@SuPeRNinJaRed]

Dang, Thomas this is your best idea yet!! (If you don’t mind me saying!)

[@chaosordeal294]

I am trying to put this as nicely as possible -- I think you are being extremely generous, and not at all objective, in your assessment of this game prototype.

[@DeputyChiefWhip]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheLotroNerd]

Your art is awesome! and nothing is perfect or finished. Some people just project their opinions but may or may not be totally right.. Ask is it objective like the volume example.. Or is it subjective example an opinion on the feelings the game creates or the story or the gameplay. Objective is totally fixable, normally. Subjective gets more difficult to discern. The target customer market is who ever enjoys it. Find the early adopters like in a startup cycle. Ask What do they like and interact with them! then start thinking about middle to late adopters! In most cases a publisher is thinking about their personal experiences which may or may not be totally right. As they are just trying to optimize and mitigate a good business transaction!

[@silchasruin4487]

I have a game that I want to pitch and work on more, I'm still busy with the demo and pitch deck. The main reason I want to work with a publisher is to bring funding to improve graphics, sound, music, voice acting and take it to a place i can only dream of at the moment. It's surprising that Devolver was still hesitant even when Braveboy is halfway there. I can only hope there's publisher's or people who are interested

[@KouzyFox]

I LOVE THIS GAME❤ I WANT THIS GAME!!! I HOPE YOU KEEP THE THEME! *If anything it could be more Scottish where we can build clans and go to war!!! 🎉

[@GoodBloodGames]

I believe in Braveboy

[@MonhooGameDevlogs]

Wow, That's amazing game 🎉 I kearned lot from this video

[@cuca_dev]

Hey, cool video! I'm not a big fan of "retention editing" aka every 2~7 seconds having a motion/cut, but on this one specifically the sound effects seemed pretty loud, annoying me while watching the video. Maybe it's a me issue, but bothered a bit. Other than that, pretty nice content!

[@gameworkerty]

Yes this one was particularly bad as if trying to hold the attention of a baby or a farm animal

[@pacifico4999]

"retention editing" is an accurate description, I'll start using that term

[@thomasbrush]

@@gameworkerty My target audience is farm animals so we're good

[@Deadforge]

It sounds so much like Vigil games pitching Darksiders.

[@FreddieM213]

@thomasbrush Question, do you tell them that you are not going to continue to make changes because of time and budget? 11:32 how would you respond to that?

[@OnlyRealCloud]

God bless 🙌 🙏 See you at the top

[@fishbits7628]

So when can we play your games!!

[@virtual_graphics]

Good video. I noticed that your publisher 3D Realms is part of the Embracer group. Aren't you worried that the ongoing cuts are gonna affect your publisher and possibly your project? Just speculating... most likely everything is gonna be fine...

[@Drakmour666]

If it would happen to me, it would be "We would like to meet you face to face, come to us to Germany." And I will say "Mmm, sorry but I have no international passport, no Schengen visa and no money for a flight." 😀

[@matthewsmith4399]

Surprised twisted tower didnt do it for them. Seems like a devolver game.

[@danielzareil2079]

Did they pay for your flight ticket? cause that sounds like it was really disappointing

[@Drakmour666]

So why you decided to try Devolver if you already have a good relations with the 3D Realms? And you had (idk if you did) other ones before?

[@cesarsfalcao]

Thanks for sharing

[@ColeKennedy-ee8px]

Is game dev hero good for a mobile game?

[@Worldfire_Interactive]

It seems like they are all happy to waste your time more than give honest feedback. It might hurt to hear that my game sucks but I’d rather that than keep hearing “what if you did this, what if you did that?” for an eternity. At least if I know what sucks I can improve it, but if I’m following a carrot on a string I’m going nowhere. Also pretty funny that a company that got its legs with hotline Miami and its recent success from a Satan worship simulator for kids draws the line at Scottish dog. What a world 😂

[@joel6376]

>is this an openworld game or a platformer Well devolver did ask for this. Sounds like they have the large corporation problem where one head doesn't speak to the other.

[@belkacemF]

you see i love the game and so on but can you just make a setting where you can change the light in the grass ,,its just hurt my eyes specially people like me with thick eyeglasses,,,so just for the notice it would be really nice a graphical setting to tickle things up and down

[@adex618]

There are many people from India who want to learn game dev but the price for your program is kind of too steep for us. It's like four or five months worth of salary. I hope in future you can launch a program considering Indians too.

[@hogandromgool2062]

I'm sure Asmongold's team would look into it if you haven't already asked.

[@manancialgd.]

KKKKKKKKKKK DEVOLVER é foda, mano

[@manancialgd.]

KKKKKKKKKKK "Devolver" in Brasil is a meme word. Cuz "Revolver" is a name of a pistol, ende "Devolver" is the verb for "return". so "DEVOLVER" is a "REVOLVER" That "returns" XDD

[@jayarmstrong1]

2:54 your welcome

[@joyfulfishman5445]

I NEED BRAVEBOY

[@alenag.9639]

Hey Thomas- I’m an aspiring game artist that wants the development help from a AAA studio. Is that possible without selling my IP?

[@ZimMabu_GameDev.]

Nice

[@blackestbill7454]

ggs

[@rootbindev]

I am watching this video

[@Simon-ik1kb]

I understand that you may be hesitant to speak negatively about this publisher, considering their prominence. However, the experience you described sounds truly unpleasant. Particularly, the requests such as removing the Scottish theme or other gameplay elements seem akin to demanding a complete overhaul rather than constructive feedback. From what you've shared, this game appears more promising to me than Twisted Tower. I love the name of the game and the whole vibe. If those two execs weren't able to understand its potential, well, that's just sad. It seems like this publisher embodies yet another corporate environment.

[@SwedishSubhuman]

Well the scottish theme is stupid and the gameplay loop seems lacking. Thomas himself admits he is not even focusing on the game . Devolver picks games where the devs are passionate and 100% focused on the game and putting in full effort. Thomas was clearly not willing.

[@andrewpullins8817]

What is up with your content and making me cry 😢

[@jaulloa21]

Just sell that ip to devolver

[@AkiRa22084]

Why dogs? Why anglosaxons? So oversaturated.

[@jk_lol9266]

twisted tower looks awesome, but the dog game falls flat to me. What's the hook? DK 64 with dogs? DK64 wasn't very good.

[@hyperexorcist1129]

Don’t vape it’s bad for you

[@ghostpeppered4524]

Also realize the knife cuts two ways: You may be taking their bullshit feedback, they are also taking your bullshit ideas and sprinkling them to other devs--where do you think their ideas come from?

[@albumin30days90]

your mistake was to try and make it open world. make the game more for yourself and not for EVERYONE.

[@successanimation]

When you hear "modern audiences" you know you're going to get bad, and sometimes even woke, advice/feedback.

[@wfam9609]

I don't think this game will work.There are too many similiar games.