Send us Fan Mail A lot of people talk about “making an indie game.” Far fewer talk about what happens after the hype, when you’re staring down a deadline, a Kickstarter budget, and a thousand tiny decisions that decide whether the game actually ships. We’re joined by Tom Hardwidge from Tall Story Games to get the real story behind building narrative, puzzle-driven point and click adventure games like Lucy Dreaming and the newly released Heir of the Dog. We start where we always do with what we’ve been playing, then rewind through Tom’s gaming DNA: ZX Spectrum beginnings, Sierra-era PC adventures, saving up for a Super Nintendo, and why classic 2D design still holds up today. From there, Tom connects the dots between a career in digital marketing, web design, and Flash creative coding and the surprisingly direct skills you need for indie game development: interface design, player flow, fast prototyping, and learning by shipping. Then we get into the part most dev diaries skip. Tom explains how Kickstarter funding really works in practice, why that money isn’t “profit” until every reward and invoice is paid, and how stretch goals like localization, music, and voice acting can change the math fast. We also talk hiring contractors, choosing collaborators you actually gel with, navigating Steam publishing, and what console porting to platforms like Nintendo Switch takes behind the scenes. Finally, Tom breaks down Heir of the Dog’s Victorian comedy premise and its core mechanic: using a pocket watch to shift time and solve puzzles as different forms. If you enjoy indie games, pixel art, retro comedy, and honest creative process talk, hit subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show. Tall Story Games https://share.google/pZDOnjtCAuOax7emS Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.
