By Justin Dawes
–
Journalist, Albany Business Review
The capital region is home to several video game studios that have grown from humble beginnings to some of the most famous names in the industry.
Just as they all have at some point, there are several studio startups that have been working quietly during the pandemic.
Here’s a look at what three of those early startups, all based in Troy, did.
Trojan Duck was founded by Maurice Suckling, a video game industry veteran who spent the past few years teaching at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Suckling has worked on around 50 published games worldwide, mostly for major publishers. Some of these games include Fortnite, Borderlands The Presequel, Civilization VI, and Killing Floor 2.
He brought together a handful of industry colleagues and Rensselaer graduates to experiment with a new kind of gaming story, he said.
“The driving force behind this idea was looking for ways to do something new with narrative design,” Suckling said. “Trojan Duck represents an opportunity for me to bring that industry experience into a space where I can also ask research questions: how can we get people to experience stories in different ways than they have necessarily experienced before?”
The studio is working on its first game, called Super Upbeat, an animated murder mystery investigation. The plan is to have a demo by fall, which the startup can share in competitions. And the tentative plan is to have a release date around the end of 2022.
He would like the game to be mostly finished before approaching publishers about distribution deals.
Pine Drake Games was founded in 2020 by Claire Thomas and CJ Legato. They met as students at Rensselaer and later worked together at 1st Playable Productions studio before deciding to start their own studio.
“We wanted to get a bit of industry experience under our belt,” Thomas said.
Last year, the startup completed its first game, called Apotheker, a logic puzzle where the player brews potions in a shop, available on Steam for $9.99.
The next project is a role-playing game, or RPG, called The Phantom Keeper, currently in development for PC, which is what the game’s founders had in mind when they formed the company.
“We knew we didn’t want to tackle this project first because it was very large, rather high-profile,” Thomas said. “We wanted to prove to investors, prove to publishers, prove to the general public that we know how to make games, we’ve made them before, and we can make a polished product.”
They are tentatively aiming for a demo release this summer.
Pine Drake’s long-term goal is to publish its own games; either independently or with the support of a publisher.
Founded by Muse in Lystrala, Queenship Game Studio is trying to break into the market with video games focused on mental illness.
While studying at SUNY Schenectady School of Music, Lystrala formed a classical ensemble that performed music from video games and movies for several years. During this time, she became interested in composing for video games and developed a stronger interest in this industry.
She and her current teammates, who met through Tech Valley Game Space in Troy, began participating in weekend events of building a game from scratch. This is how they created the prototype for their first game, Open Spaces, which is a visual novel about mental illness.
“People found it really meaningful,” Lystrala said in. “So we kept working on it, which naturally led to the discussion about… ‘What if we keep making games about mental health, community support and relationships?'”
The plan is to release a more polished version of Open Spaces this fall. And the group of four is also working on The Shadowcross, an RPG about depressed emotional states, tentatively slated for late 2022.
What radio stations are in Grand Theft Auto V?
Ready for a sonic journey through the steamy streets of Los Santos? Hold on tight, the GTA V adventure wouldn’t be complete without explosive background music! In this article, we reveal all the radio stations that set the pace for…
Where to find submarine parts in Grand Theft Auto 5?
GTA 5 enthusiasts, you’ve come to the right place! Do you dream of taming the mysteries of the ocean by controlling your own submarine, but you’re missing those pesky submarine parts? Journey with me into the whirlwind universe of GTA…
What gangs are present in Grand Theft Auto 5?
“Prepare to dive into the fast-paced and tumultuous world of Grand Theft Auto 5! Far from the beautiful cars and sophisticated weapons, we’re going to introduce you to the gangs, these true pillars of the insurgent life of Los Santos.…
Where to find all map items in Grand Theft Auto V?
Ready for another adrenaline-filled journey through Los Santos? Put on your virtual jacket, charge your controller and step on the accelerator to go hunting for the hidden treasures of Grand Theft Auto V. Let me guide you through this urban…
How to become a Grand Theft Auto 5 pro with these tips?
Ready to turn Los Santos into your playground? Embark on a high-speed ride through the urban jungle of GTA 5! Through this article, unlock the full potential of your avatar and become the undisputed king of virtualized banditry. Unspeakable tricks,…
How to change skin on minecraft
How to change skin in Minecraft on PC?Method 2 of 4: No download Go to Planet Minecraft and choose a skin there. … Click “Upload to Minecraft” or “Change Skin”. You should be redirected to the official Minecraft page. ……
How to unsubscribe from PlayStation Plus
How to cancel PlayStation Plus auto-renewal? Go to Settings > Account Management > Account Info > PlayStation Subscriptions. Select the subscription you want to cancel. Select Turn off auto-renewal. How to remove a PlayStation Network credit card?Sign in to PlayStation…
How to download full free xbox 360 games
How to buy a gym on Xbox 360?Purchasing Xbox 360 Content Once you’ve selected your content, simply click the Download to Xbox 360 button to begin the purchasing process.How to buy an Xbox 360 game on an Xbox One?Players with…