Here’s How Indian Solo-Developed PC Game Brocula Got Over 25,000 Steam Wishlists
Plus Destroyer Doggo on working with ID@Xbox, regional pricing, and more.
While Sony has been making moves with its India Hero Project, Microsoft hasn’t been idle. Rather, it has a team looking to unearth Indian studios to develop their games on Xbox Series X|S as well as PC via its Xbox Developer Accelerator Program. One such game is Brocula. Created by solo developer Prateek Jadhwani under the studio name Destroyer Doggo, Brocula is a heady mix of themes featuring rote day-to-day activities like farming along with more sinister fare including leading a cult and dealing with capitalism as a vampire brought back to life.
Suffice to say, I reached out to Jadhwani to know more about Brocula’s inspirations and how a solo developer managed to get over 25,000 wishlists on Steam. He also shed light on what it’s like to work with Xbox and why regional pricing is necessary. Some responses have been edited slightly for clarity and length.
For the uninitiated, could you give us a brief background of your game development journey?
Certainly! I spent the past 12 years as a frontend engineer. In 2016, I enrolled in a small Unity course on Udemy out of sheer boredom and a desire to expand my skill set. Fast forward to December 2023, I made the decision to leave my frontend job, establish my indie studio ‘Destroyer Doggo’, and embark on the journey of launching my game, Brocula.What's Brocula about and what can players expect at launch?
Brocula is a cosy life slash farming sim centred around a poor vampire named ‘Brocula’, striving to combat capitalism by taking on part-time jobs. As players assume the role of Brocula, the game begins with tasks such as working as a mechanic and a coffee shop barista, all while engaging in quests from NPCs. The more jobs you undertake, the greater the rewards. Additionally, players can unlock various skills like farming and crafting, providing ample opportunities to earn money and go deeper into other systems the game has to offer.What are the inspirations for Brocula and how long has it been in development? How did you go about researching the topics it deals with and what was the reason for this choice of theme?
Brocula has been in development for approximately four years, although it's been a project I've worked on intermittently. It initially began as a hobby project. In 2019, while I was new to Hyderabad and immersed in the city's energy after relocating for a job opportunity, Netflix aired the Castlevania anime series. The combination of these factors sparked the genesis of Brocula. Feeling inspired by the new environment and the anime series, I began conceptualising the game. I distinctly remember creating a rough pixel art character, a guy in a cape dressed in business casual attire.
From there, the story began to take shape, eventually evolving into the tale of a vampire working at a coffee shop. As for researching the themes Brocula deals with, it was a blend of personal experiences and observations of societal dynamics, particularly regarding capitalism and the challenges faced by individuals in navigating modern life. These themes resonated with me and felt ripe for exploration within the game's narrative.
Prateek Jadhwani at Xbox Dev Days. Courtesy: Destroyer Doggo. The description for Brocula on Steam states the gameplay loop revolves around earning money and societal struggles while also reviving your cult. There seems to be a lot of systems at play, how do you balance them out to ensure players have variety, and funnelling them through the right activities at the right time?
The core gameplay loop of Brocula indeed centers around earning money and navigating societal struggles, all while reviving your cult. With multiple systems in place, our focus is on providing players with diverse avenues for earning income and managing their in-game activities effectively.
At the outset, players are introduced to various part-time jobs, each offering distinct earning potentials. These jobs operate independently, allowing players to choose their preferred activities based on their objectives and playstyle. Whether it's working multiple jobs in a day for increased earnings or taking a leisurely approach, the freedom lies with the player.
To expand the range of earning opportunities, players can acquire licenses from the Mayor, unlocking additional activities such as farming. For instance, obtaining a farmer's permit enables players to cultivate vegetables.
Balancing these activities is crucial to ensure players are rewarded appropriately for their time investment. Take farming, for example. While it offers lucrative returns, the process of boxing harvested vegetables requires time and effort. However, the payoff is two-fold, providing players with a substantial income compared to working at the coffee shop.
Ultimately, our aim is to offer players a dynamic and engaging experience by providing meaningful choices and ensuring each activity contributes to their progression within the game.Moreover, Brocula's art direction has a cosy feel to it despite some somewhat surreal subject matter. What was the thought process and inspiration behind it?
When I began crafting the pixel art for Brocula, my primary objective was to create a visually soothing experience. I aimed for a palette dominated by pastel tones, steering clear of overly bright colors that could strain the eyes, especially during late-night gaming sessions.
Additionally, as someone who often unwinds with video games after a long day of work, I sought to develop a game that provided a sense of relaxation and comfort, rather than taxing mental energy. This desire to offer players a form of escapism from the stresses of daily life influenced the direction of the art style, particularly in shaping the cosy and inviting ambience of the game's characters and environments.
Early Brocula level design draft. Courtesy: Destroyer Doggo. From a design perspective we've seen some interesting gameplay elements such as being able to conduct sermons and suck blood of your followers as well as command bats. While these add novelty, are there any mechanics or features geared towards gameplay depth?
Absolutely! While these unique gameplay elements add novelty to the experience, they also serve a deeper purpose in enhancing gameplay depth. In Brocula, all mechanics are intricately designed with one primary goal in mind: earning money. Whether you're conducting sermons to receive donations or harvesting ‘Blood of Faith’ from followers to craft valuable items for sale, every action contributes to your financial progression.
The game offers a plethora of avenues for earning money, each with its own set of challenges and rewards. Ultimately, your objective is to amass enough wealth to reclaim land from the Mayor, a task that requires substantial financial resources.
What sets Brocula apart is its emphasis on player agency and choice. I wanted to provide players with multiple paths to success, allowing them to tackle challenges in their own unique way. For instance, if a player dislikes working as a chef in the restaurant, they're not obligated to do so. Instead, they can opt to earn money through alternative means, such as selling eggs obtained from their chicken farm. This freedom of choice empowers players to tailor their gameplay experience to their preferences, fostering a sense of autonomy and immersion in the game world.
In essence, Brocula offers not only a wealth of gameplay mechanics but also a rich tapestry of choices, ensuring that every player's journey is both unique and deeply engaging.What challenges have you faced developing a game of this kind?
One of the most significant challenges I encountered as a developer was testing. Brocula is a massive game, with countless hours of gameplay potential. Even a speed run took me 42 hours, and I have a friend who's already invested 60 hours and counting, yet still has more to explore. As a solo developer, conducting thorough testing on such a large scale becomes incredibly challenging.
Additionally, I severely underestimated the effort required for development. What began as a simple concept with a Mayor's office, a few buildings, and a coffee shop evolved over time due to feature creep. I found myself continuously adding new features to transform the game into a fully-fledged cosy town experience.
This expansion of scope significantly extended the development timeline, stretching it out to a total of four years before completion. It was a valuable lesson in project management and scope control, highlighting the importance of realistic expectations and careful planning in game development.A topic that comes up often with game developers and publishers on Steam is how the current 'meta' to bring about sales success is that it's dictated by wishlists. To many, Brocula is seen as one of the more successful titles in the space with over 25,000 wishlists. As an indie developer how did you get to this point?
The journey to accumulating over 25,000 wishlists for Brocula has been both exhilarating and somewhat unexpected. A pivotal aspect that significantly contributed to this milestone is our active participation in Steam events. Steam regularly hosts online events that spotlight upcoming games and their demos. Whether it's a broad event like Steam Fest, which showcases various titles, or a more focused theme-specific event like the ongoing Farming Fest, Brocula has seized every opportunity to garner attention. Participating in two Steam Fests, as well as events centered around themes such as Capitalism and Economy, and now Farming Fest, has notably bolstered our wish list count by approximately 5,000.
Furthermore, in February 2024, Brocula caught the attention of CozyTeaGames, a prominent cosy game influencer, who featured the game in a TikTok video. The video garnered an impressive 900,000 views and brought in approximately 4,000 wish lists. This unexpected surge in wishlists was a testament to the power of influencer marketing and the importance of community engagement.
Reflecting on past milestones, I vividly recall sharing the news during the IGDC 2023 (India Game Developers Conference) that Brocula had surpassed the 7,000-wishlist mark, which is often considered a standard benchmark in the indie game market. Since November, the organic growth of Brocula's wishlists has been staggering, reaching a remarkable 17,000.
While I'm grateful for the success and recognition Brocula has achieved, I can't help but acknowledge the element of luck that played a role in this journey. The overwhelming support from the gaming community, coupled with fortuitous opportunities, has propelled Brocula to heights that continue to surpass my expectations. As I continue to navigate this surreal experience, the significance of wishlists serves as a humbling reminder of the passion and anticipation surrounding Brocula's impending launch.
Although it might be too early, I have to ask: are there plans for post-launch support with say, a co-operative mode or multiplayer elements?
While it's still early days, I'm excited to share that I'm currently in the process of developing free DLCs for Brocula. While these DLCs may not initially include co-operative mode or multiplayer elements, they will introduce new areas to explore, which should significantly extend the gameplay experience by at least 10-15 hours. I'm unable to divulge further details at this time, but rest assured, I'm committed to enhancing the Brocula experience even further post-launch.Destroyer Doggo is also a part of the Xbox Developer Accelerator Program. What support did Microsoft offer you and what's it like working with a big platform holder? Does the game feature any bespoke Xbox Series X|S features?
The Xbox Developer Accelerator Program (DAP) has been instrumental in the journey of Destroyer Doggo. The grant provided by DAP not only enabled me to leave my day job and establish this studio but also served as a catalyst for bringing Brocula to life. Moreover, the support and guidance from the Xbox Global Expansion team, particularly Arjun [Varma] and Agnes [Kim], have been invaluable. Their expertise and dedication to assisting indie developers are truly commendable, and their insights have been instrumental in shaping our approach.
Working with a platform holder like Xbox has been an enriching experience. The level of support and resources provided by Microsoft is unparalleled. From organising informative webinars for ID@Xbox partners to offering personalised guidance and mentorship, Xbox has demonstrated a genuine commitment to nurturing indie talent. The knowledge and insights gained from these sessions are invaluable, especially for a relatively inexperienced studio like Destroyer Doggo.
As for bespoke Xbox Series X|S features in Brocula, while I don't currently have any specific features tailored for these platforms, I am continuously exploring opportunities to leverage the capabilities of Xbox Series X|S to enhance the gaming experience for players. I am committed to delivering the best possible experience across all platforms, and I'll continue to evaluate and implement features that maximise the potential of the Xbox ecosystem.Indian audiences usually expect a lower price tag on Steam. I'm curious to know, as a developer and a gamer, what are your thoughts on regional pricing? And will Brocula feature regional pricing in-line with Steam guidelines or do you plan on having your own pricing strategy?
Regional pricing is an important consideration for both developers and gamers, especially in regions like India where affordability plays a significant role in purchasing decisions. As a developer and gamer myself, I understand the importance of ensuring that games are accessible to a wider audience while also maintaining a sustainable business model.
With Brocula, I have implemented regional pricing to align with Steam guidelines and cater to the preferences and expectations of Indian audiences. In India, players can purchase the game for Rs. 549. However, recognising that this price point may still be prohibitive for some individuals, I would like to encourage patience and suggest waiting for sales events where the game may be available at a discounted price.
By offering regional pricing, I am aiming to strike a balance between making the game accessible to players in different regions while also ensuring that our development efforts are adequately supported. Ultimately, my goal is to provide an enjoyable gaming experience that is accessible to as many players as possible.While a post of yours on Steam stated that the game now runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, what were the challenges of optimising for Steam Deck?
Performance optimisation has indeed been a significant challenge when adapting Brocula for the Steam Deck. As a relatively new entrant to the game development industry, I've encountered instances where my code wasn't as performance-efficient as it could have been. However, over the past few months, I've gained valuable insights, particularly from observing the hardware preferences of potential Brocula players. Many of them expressed interest in the game but were using low-end computers. This realisation underscored the importance of ensuring that Brocula could run smoothly on a variety of devices, including those with lower specifications.
Optimising for the Steam Deck presented its own set of challenges, primarily centred around maximising performance without compromising the gameplay experience. This involved revisiting and refining code to eliminate performance bottlenecks and streamline resource utilisation. Additionally, I focused on implementing optimisations tailored specifically for the Steam Deck's hardware architecture, ensuring that Brocula delivers a seamless and enjoyable gaming experience on this platform.
Overall, the journey of optimising Brocula for the Steam Deck has been a learning experience, highlighting the importance of performance optimisation and adaptability in catering to the diverse preferences of players across different hardware configurations.
Finally, are there plans to bring Brocula to other platforms?
Absolutely! Brocula is set to launch on Xbox on May 7th and on Steam on May 9th, catering to players on those platforms. Looking ahead, my goal is to expand the reach of Brocula to include PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. I'm excited about the prospect of bringing the game to a wider audience and offering players on PlayStation consoles the opportunity to experience the world of Brocula.
As for Nintendo Switch, while I personally would love to see Brocula on the platform, there have been challenges in obtaining a dev kit due to the absence of a registered entity in India. However, I remain hopeful and open to exploring opportunities to bring Brocula to Switch in the future, as I believe it would be a fantastic fit for the platform's portable gaming experience.
Brocula contrasts most vocal Indian game developers that tend to focus on India as their central theme in some shape or form. And with Xbox India sales in free fall, it’s safe to say a bulk of the game’s player base in India will be on PC. I’d speculate the same internationally too. How Destroyer Doggo’s debut will be received will be a point of interest given its ambition and early traction. Hopefully it’ll convince Microsoft to do more in India.
Brocula is out on Xbox Series X|S on May 7, 2024 and PC via Steam on May 9, 2024.