An indie developer recorded his reaction to reaching his Kickstarter goal live on stream, and if it doesn't warm your heart, nothing will.
Marcus Clarke, founder of PixelManta and sole developer on Overmorrow, was livestreaming when an influx of Kickstarter support pushed him to tears. Emotions are visibly piling up as Clarke's Kickstarter nears its goal, and the developer becomes overwhelmed when the goal is reached and exceeded.
"It was really an intense feeling," Clarke told GamesRadar. "I didn't expect such a huge push at that time, so it was a shock to the system watching it tick up so quickly on stream!"
"The community is filled with special and incredible people, and I know some backers upped their pledges at that time, alongside the burst of new backers," Clarke says. "It's a feeling of - wow, there are people who really believe in me and the game and want me to succeed, and that's a feeling that's worth more than anything else. I'll forever be grateful to each and every one of them."
Overmorrow is Clarke's debut project as an indie developer, having previously worked as a senior game designer at Sumo Digital. Clarke's body of work includes credits on Sackboy: A Big Adventure, a pair of mobile Warhammer games, and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Complete creative freedom over his own game is something Clark says he's always dreamed of.
"Having total control over a project grants you a lot more freedom to do something experimental, to go against the grain and bring something personal to the video game space that players would never be able to experience otherwise," he says. "Being able to release Overmorrow to the world as something I made will bring an amount of pride that I couldn't possibly get from being just one part of a larger game."
The Steam page for Overmorrow describes it as a "serene, nonviolent, exploration adventure game" with a unique and compelling hook: it deletes your save after 30 days. Check out these gorgeous screens showing off the game's striking art design:
Clarke's advice to aspiring indie devs is simple: have a plan and follow your passions. "You can make the most amazing game in the world, but if no one knows about it, it will definitely be a struggle to make it work full time," he says.
"All aspiring indie devs know that part, but it's difficult to think about how time-consuming that side of things can really get. Spend the time planning something small and achievable that will catch people's attention – even if it's a niche audience, there are people out there that will love it! And make sure you're making something you're truly passionate about."
You can head to Overmorrow's Kickstarter page if you're interested in the project or want to chip in. The game is currently scheduled to launch on Steam in 2022, but one of the project's stretch goals is a Switch port, so here's hoping for that.
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