Interview with Vincent Blanchard from Canada

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!

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.

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!

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.

Strategy and innovative game mechanics!

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.

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!

Bringing the game to Xbox and PS5 by the first quarter of 2024.

I have to admit, I'm eagerly looking forward to the ongoing advancements in virtual reality (VR) technology!

Passion, camaraderie and innovation.

Read, read and read. Books on game design, posts on reddit in dev forums, etc.

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.

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.

Surround yourself with interesting and interested people. Appreciate what you have, and try to improve on it.