Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a story - and get your opinion - about a major pivot we just went through. We are a team of 8 working on our first indie title, and we recently learned the hard way that a "dream concept" doesn't always translate to a fun game loop.
So, before starting, this is our game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4532930/Rogue_Fantasy_EverShifting_Worlds/
Rogue Fantasy is a rogue-like JRPG auto-battler (yeah, I know, more on that later...)
The Spark
Two years ago, I was playing the FFIV remake on DS. I fell in love with that specific feeling of getting the airship and freely exploring the world map. I thought: "What if we made a JRPG centered entirely on that? A procedural world with short runs, vehicles, and constant discovery."
The team loved it. We spent a massive amount of time and budget building a 3D prototype in that classic DS-era style.
The Reality Check
On paper, it was perfect. We even took the pitch to the finals of the Gamescom Asia Best Indie Pitch. Prestigious publishers were interested and asked for the build.
But when we actually sat down to play it (and when they played it), the truth came out: it wasn't fun. The JRPG structure didn't mesh with procedural generation. It felt slow, aimless, and, honestly, a bit boring.
The First Pivot: From Procedural to Randomized
We made two big calls to save the project:
- Switching to 2D Pixel Art: 3D was too slow to iterate. 2D allowed us to move faster and speak directly to the 90s JRPG aesthetic our audience loves.
- Hand-drawn over Procedural: Instead of totally random terrain, we switched to "randomized" worlds. The maps are hand-drawn to ensure good flow and strategic paths, but the points of interest (towns, dungeons, bosses) are randomized to keep the "run" feeling fresh.
It helped the "lost" feeling, but the game was still too slow. We spent months trying to fix it by making combat more complex, but that just added more weight to an already sluggish pace.
The "Aha!" Moment
Last August, 18 months into development, I stumbled upon a game called "He Is Coming". It’s an auto-battler, and it clicked: the heart of our game was actually exploration, team building, and preparation.
By switching to an auto-battle system, we removed the tedious repetitive fights and focused entirely on the strategy. It took a massive amount of work to overhaul, but for the first time, the game actually feels balanced.
The New Hurdle: The "Auto-Battler" Stigma
Now we have a different problem. The term "auto-battler" has been somewhat hijacked by low-quality F2P mobile clones. When we describe the game, the initial reaction is often mixed. However, once people actually play it and see the depth of the JRPG mechanics, they get it and love it.
My question to you, guys:
Have you ever had a concept that sounded like a "guaranteed hit" on paper but felt "off" for months or years once you started prototyping? How long did you fight the original vision before you accepted a radical change?
I'd love to hear your stories on how you found your "click" moment.
