Starlaxis

Michael Schaefer is one of the community members that has finished and published a great little game. Learn more about the way in which his project, which was featured in Aum about 2 years ago, was brought to its completion.

Q: Please introduce yourself, telling us a bit about your experience as a game developer.

A: My name is Michael Schaefer and I develop games since the year 2000 in my free time. Beside that I‘m selling computers in a electronic market.

I've always wanted to create games by myself. One day I have found a Gamestudio package in a shop, including a big textbook and started with it. I had no experience in programming, C-Script was the first programming language for me. At start it was like an unknown world for me, but after some time and with God's help, I've learned more and more and my knowledge grew. Beside the programming I also worked hard to gain a professional level in graphics design, cause that is in my opinion a weakness of many programmers. Beside that you can save much money if you‘re good with graphics! ;)

Q: What makes your match-3 game unique?

A: Starlaxis is really something special cause you get practically two games for the price of one! ;)

You have to line up the right cubes and symbols in a puzzle zone in order to make your spaceship in the action area doing the right things. But see a trailer for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otsPnEfpgso&feature=player_embedded

More infos about the game you‘ll find here:

http://www.starlaxis.de

 
Q: How did you create those great looking special effects?

A: Most of them are working with particles and many sprites.

Q: What is the most valuable thing that you have learned while you were developing the game?

A: Experience, experience, experience! ;)

Q: What separates you from the people that start a game, but never end up finishing it?

A: I have a dream and I‘m following it, that‘s all. I see the development of games as a kind of mission in my life and I want to make it to my daily work.

Q: How did you find a publisher for your game?

A: Well, it was the publisher who found me! He saw the project in the forum and contacted me.

Q: Any plans for the future? Or did you plan to buy an island and spend the rest of your life there?

A: I‘ve already started developing a new project: „Cats VS. Aliens - War in space“. This time with lite-C! ;)

Q: Can you give us a few tips for the beginners?

A: There are already so many hints for beginners - I don’t want to repeat all of them (just look into the other interviews).

Beside that I also think there is more than only one right way. Everybody is different and works different. For example, it is often said you should start with a small project but I started with a big one and could finish it too (of course, first I absolved some tutorials in that big book I mentioned earlier). ;)

I would start with the following questions: Do I REALLY want to create a game? And if so, am I willing to spend many, many hours and maybe finances into this? Can I also give some things up in order to learn new things (for example working during weekends instead of going to parties)?

It’s not an easy job and some times you may be get the feeling that your brain is burning. But on the other hand it can be very satisfying and fun if your ideas come to reality in your game after a hard day of work! So check it out for yourself!

Thank you a lot, Michael!