Interview with Ring Runner: Flight of the Sages developer, Enrique Dryere

Ring Runner, an indie game, a space shooter and a personal favorite.
There are many space shooters, but believe me when i tell you Ring Runner is unique. not only it contains loads of skills and customization options, but it also combines a lot of game styles, from arena fight, to trench runs, to shoot em up, it have it all! You just CAN'T GET BORED WITH IT.
Ring Runners is a dream of two brothers who after playing a lot of games decided that they should create one containing everything they loved in games. They took a great risk with that; they were indie, inexperienced, just two guys (3 counting Enrique's talented wife, who draws wonderful art), and they mixed genres and game styles. As i said: A GREAT RISK. AND THANK THE GODS THEY DID!!!! Ring Runners is just right, the genres and styles mach perfectly in my opinion, and make it impossible to get bored playing the game.

From left to right: Enrique and Paul Dryere

When i bought the game i immediately knew i had to talk to this guys, and of course i tough they would never answer, but to my surprise they did answer just one day after i contacted them. Enrique is not only a talented developer, he is also a wonderful and humble person. HE THANKED ME for interviewing him, and when i asked him to send me some treats for you guys, he did't ask a single question, he just sent me a lot of artwork and images.
But enough talk, this is not a review, this is an interview. And you must be itching to read it so here it is:

To continue reading and to eat this day's cookie, click "Read more" below.


1): I have been playing Ring Runners and I love it, but I have not been able to classify it as an RPG or any other  genre, how do you classify it?

I think the most accurate description we've come up with is a space shooter RPG; it doesn't encompass all of the modes or mission types, but it gets the heart of the game across.

2): One minute you are making a trench run and the other you are fighting in an arena.Why so many play styles and gameplay changes trough the game? 

Paul and Enrique, just starting the developement 5 years ago

This is our first game. Apart from liking lots of variety, my brother and I wanted to learn how to develop different game types and incorporate them into one epic adventure. 

3): What were your influences and inspiration for the game?



We draw influences from all kinds of games, spanning time and genre, and I think that shows through in the huge variety of game play and ship types. However, our initial inspiration came from Mythic Entertainment's old multiplayer space shooter called Silent Death Online. My brother and I had a little too much fun with it in the late 90s. It operated on a pay-by-the-hour system, as was common for AOL games at the time, and we managed to rack up about a thousand dollars of credit card debt in just a single month! 

Understandably, we were grounded, but we vowed to one day make a modernization of that game and sell it for a price that wouldn't earn anyone a time out.

4): Are there any plans for an expansion or sequel?

Yes! We're releasing Ring Runner: Space Defense League, a free expansion to those who own the game, and a free standalone for those that don't. Basically, it's like League of Legends in space, only a bit faster-paced and with more emphasis on both twitch skill and customization.
It can be played alone or through cooperative and competitive multiplayer online.

5): Nice! Will it add content to the main game too? Apart from the new game mode? Will there be new skills for example? 

It will add and modify a number of abilities as well as add super Sage ability power ups to Zombie mode. It will also improve net code and general stability. Finally, it will improve a few of the pre-built ships.

6): 5 years is a lot of time! Was the game development a continuous work?

We were going to school, and I had a part-time job during most of it, but it has been a continuous effort.

7): In 5 years a lot of things changed technologically, did you have to remake something? What?

We're constantly working to improve the game

A lot of the code, much of the art, all of the music, and most of the script has been reworked or renovated at some point. It's an ongoing process! We're constantly working to improve the game. In fact, even since its release a couple of months ago, the game has evolved significantly. We hope to be able to continue making improvements for months to come. 

8): The game was made only by 3 people, your family. How was that experience?

It's a great pleasure to be able to work with my family.

It's a great pleasure to be able to work with my family. My brother and I get along pretty well; there's plenty of arguing, but at the end of the day, we both have very similar visions for what Ring Runner can and should become! It also helps that we have managed to divide the work in a very clear manner, so there's never any competition to see who can do a particular task better.

The genius behind the box art, Courtney Dryere

Meeting my wife, a very talented 2D artist, throughout the process was definitely the best bit of luck I've ever had. I couldn't have asked for more. I'm frightened to think of what our box art would look like without her!







9): The game have a "companion novel", what do you mean with that?

Before we started work on the game, I had been in the process of writing a Sci Fi novel for a couple of years. Most of that work had gone into developing a rich universe with everything from Anchorspace and The Rings to The Subrostrum and Sages. Since we were making a space game, it seemed natural to base it in the same universe. 

Like the game, the novel features a mostly humorous tone with a good mix of high-flying action and hard Science Fiction concepts. This blends into a tone that's somewhere between Dr. Who and Firefly. And you don't have to have played the game to enjoy the novel or vice versa. The stories intertwine, but stand alone.

10): What language did you use to create the game?

The game was programmed in C# using the XNA framework.

11): Modding makes a game lifespan a lot longer. Do you have any plans to make RR mod-able?

Believe it or not, Ring Runner doesn't even have a level editor. Making it mod-able would be difficult, though it may be possible to create some form of an Ability Maker if the game really caught on. 

12): This is your first game, what can you tell me about this experience? how did it all start? How was the development process?

It all started when we realized that we'd spend far too much time playing games not to devote our lives to them. It's really the only way to legitimize all the hours we spent tanning under the radiation of our old CRT monitors. 

Development has been one long and ongoing learning experience. Neither my brother nor I had ever made a complete game, and we had zero industry experience. To give you an idea of how far we had to come, I couldn't even play the piano -- still can't -- and I managed to create the game's soundtrack.

13): What can we expect from Triple.B.Titles in the near future?

We want to support and develop Ring Runner as long as there is sufficient interest, but we do have plans for our next game. In fact, we've already begun work on some of the art assets, and we have most of the design conceptualized. 

Our primary goal for now, though, is to get Ring Runner onto Steam, so we strongly encourage our fans to go vote for us on Greenlight! As you may know, an indie dev's livelihood depends on whether or not they can get on Steam. It's the only way we'll be able to continue making games for a living.

14): And in the far future? Any plans?

Our dream would be to grow as a studio, to be able to hire on more members, and to continue creating games with lots of depth and replayability.  

15): Any advice to future game developers?

Never stop learning! The industry moves very quickly. For our next project, we'll be learning a whole new set of skills, and if you're not willing to do that until the day you retire, you might want to consider a different profession.

One thing I regret was not working with some larger companies when I had the chance. I thought, it'll be much more valuable to play a big role in a small game than a small role in a big game -- and in all honesty, I still believe this to be true -- but that's not the way that a lot of people see things. They see the name of a big company next to yours and tend to gloss over the fact that you were only playing a small part. Not to mention, the connections you can develop while working with a larger company are invaluable. 

Lastly, don't get into game design because you think it will be easy or profitable. Believe me, there are much easier ways to make money, like being a doctor or a lawyer. ;p

16): Thanks a lot for your time! Any last words?

Give unknown games a chance! Improving the game industry has to be a collaborative effort between developers and players. The middlemen, Youtubers and the rest of the media, can typically only cover stories that will earn them views and links; sure they'll have a charity story now and again, but they have to make a living too. 

If you want to see things other than clones of existing hits, the first step is to start clicking, liking, and commenting on articles about games that don't fall into that category. It takes effort because it's natural to be interested in a game that resembles one you already like, and as a developer, it's far easier to design a game that simply introduces a small twist to a title that you've already played.



Enrique, thanks again for the interview, it was awesome talking to you!
You can get Ring Runner in a lot of places:
In their site: http://www.ringrunner.net/
Desura
GOG.COM
Greenman gaming
Gamersgate
Amazon
ShinyLoot
FireFlower

SOON TO BE ON STEAM! But they need your help! Help indie game developers! Just click the widget here:



You want your cookie right?
Enrique gave me a pack with a lot of artwork, backgrounds and even a badge for the upcoming expansion!
this is just for you guys! Be sure to thank him supporting Ring Runners ;) Not even gog got so many goodies!
Click here to download!