Interview
Vincent Blanchard
Autoexec Games, Canada
Vincent Blanchard is the CEO of Autoexec Games and he is an experienced gamer who previously held a designer position at EA Montreal approximately two decades ago. Over the past 20 years, he has been actively involved in the indie game development scene. He notably co-designed the indie success story, Sang-Froid - Tales of Werewolves.
1 Please provide us with a brief bio of yourself and your background.
My name is Vincent Blanchard and I'm an old gamer. I've worked as a designer at EA Montreal about 20 years ago, and I've been in the indie business for the past 20 years or so. I was the co-designer of the indie hit Sang-Froid - Tales of Werewolves.
2 What led you to become a Game Developer / Marketer?
I started playing video games at the age of 4 and began coding at just 7 years old. I've always loved games like Dune I, Master of Orion, Star Control II and, as far as I can remember, I've always wanted to make games!
3 What is your role in the company, and what traits should a game developer / marketing professional possess to be successful in their role?
As the CEO, I handle a range of responsibilities including writing, design, programming, sound effects, accounting, production, funding, and more. Since the entire TimeMelters team consists of only three individuals, I find myself involved in virtually every aspect of the project. In my opinion, one crucial trait for anyone in this role is unwavering perseverance.
4 Tell us more about your studio / company.
AutoExec Games is a video game studio that strives to create innovative gameplay mixed with rich and unique universes. We are inspired by games of old, whether that be consoles games such as: Phantasy Star, Castlevania, Wonderboy III, and even Cabbage Patch Kids for the Coleco Vision, or even older PC games like: Dark Omen, Wing Commander, Diablo, King’s Quest, Star Control II, etc. In our honest opinion, every game back then had its own unique gameplay. For example, we can describe games as an RTS now, but back then the only RTS games were Warcraft and Dune 2. With their uniqueness, these games paved the way for entire genres to be formed, and that’s what amazed us back then and still amazes us today. We don’t settle with cloning games by simply changing the context or the visuals, we want to create something entirely new, with never before seen mechanics and game rules. Our studio is called AutoExec games as an homage to these pioneers. Back in the day it was a command line you had to enter to start a game, you had to type c:autoexec.bat, and even sometimes edit it or the config.sys file in an attempt to free up more RAM to launch the game. So, in summary, our goal is to create something fresh, something different, something old time gamers like us will find challenging but above all else, it has to be fun!
5 What is your own definition of a great game?
In my view, what makes a game truly exceptional is innovation and a focus on quality over quantity. I lean towards games that offer a satisfying 8-10 hours of gameplay, as opposed to those that stretch to 40+ hours, with 30 of them dedicated to farming or aimless wandering.
6 Describe the genres of the game(s) your studio / company specializes in, as well as its main characteristics.
Strategy, and innovative game mechanics!
7 Tell us more about your ideation process.
Our ideation process begins with envisioning the player's experience. Subsequently, we embark on the development of numerous prototypes. We establish a sturdy foundation, like the Echo mechanic in the case of TimeMelters, and then construct the game around it. This journey was quite extensive, particularly considering our small team of only three individuals. Nevertheless, it ensures that we consistently craft something entirely unique and unprecedented.
8 Congratulations! As the winner of the NYX Game Awards, what does it mean for you and your team to receive this distinction?
Credibility and a bit of visibility which we lack! We have 94% positive review on Steam, but still, we can't get any major outlet to preview our game. We really have a unique co-op gameplay that a lot of people would like but we can't seem to reach them properly. We hope that the NYX Game Awards will enhance our reputation!
9 What are the challenges of developing / marketing your winning entry(ies)?
Bringing the game to Xbox and PS5 by the first quarter of 2024.
10 How has the country, you are based in, helped during your ideation process?
We had funding from a Canadian fund, and we won the Ubisoft Indie Series (Grand Winner) and the Ubisoft RADAR investment contest, which really helped us making this game!
11 What are the current trends in the game industry that you are most excited about?
I have to admit, I'm eagerly looking forward to the ongoing advancements in virtual reality (VR) technology!
12 What are the top THREE (3) favorite things about the gaming industry?
Passion, camaraderie and innovation.
13 What resources would you recommend to someone who is searching to improve their game designs and development ideas / skills?
Read, read and read. Books on game design, posts on reddit in dev forums, etc.
14 Where do you see the evolution of the gaming industry in the next 5-10 years?
An AI-generated game is something I envision becoming a reality in perhaps 10 to 15 years. We could potentially instruct an AI on how we want a particular game to play out, specifying camera behavior, enemy actions, and more. The AI would then autonomously generate all the necessary code and assets. This would enable designers to create games without the need for coding or asset creation.
15 Who inspired you in your life, and why?
Peter Gabriel serves as a prime illustration, in my opinion, of someone who consistently strives for excellence and dedicates the effort to self-improvement and enhancing his craft.
16 What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
Surround yourself with interesting and interested people. Appreciate what you have, and try to improve on it.
17 Do you have anything else, which we haven’t covered, that you would like to include in this interview?
Thanks again for these 5 awards, we REALLY appreciate it! Do visit our Steam page here for more information: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1096140/Timemelters/
