Hello, buds!
We’ve reached the end of our very first funded period as game developers. And what a month it has been! September has easily been the most eventful, stressful, and rewarding month so far. We’ve attended meetings, pitched to investors, filed our first NFI application, taken Steps into the public for the first time, and wrapped up our first phase with Østnorsk Filmsenter. September has been filled with moments we look forward to sharing with you.
A Different Kind of Month
After launching our website and Steam page at the start of September, our day-to-day has widened. For months, our focus had been on pure development. But now, it’s also about visibility, outreach, and preparing for the future. It’s a little scary, but also incredibly motivating.
In-between everything that has happened this month, we have managed to make room for the development of Steps. But needless to say this month has been a month of preparing for what’s ahead.
A Meeting with Østnorsk Filmsenter
At the beginning of September we met with Østnorsk Filmsenter. Questions have been building up, especially about how to position ourselves for future funding rounds, both with Østnorsk itself and when transitioning towards NFI.
The meeting was encouraging and eye-opening. They provided us with good feedback and we walked away with a clearer understanding of the standards that are expected of us as game developers within the games industry.
We learned that our current pitch deck (a document we rely on to present Steps in a direct and intuitive way) needs to be reshaped to better fit its purpose. We also learned that for our upcoming applications, we’ll need to include a proper game design document that expands on the content that’s currently crammed into our pitch deck. As of now, our pitch deck looks more like a game design document, but in the format of a pitch deck, and those need to be separated.
But perhaps the most important takeaway was that even though we can’t apply for more funding from Østnorsk Filmsenter until we finish the first phase, we are allowed to apply to NFI for a period after the second phase of Østnorsk funding, already now. Earlier, we have been advised to complete both Østnorsk phases before approaching NFI, but Østnorsk actually encouraged us to apply now.
The only downside was that the deadline was only two days away…
Our First NFI Application
It can take up to three months for NFI to respond to applications. If we wait until the next deadline in January to apply, we could easily find ourselves stuck in limbo, working for months without knowing whether the application would go through or not.
That’s a risk we want to avoid if possible!
So we agreed on trying to reach the deadline, no matter the cost of our well-being. The application form at NFI requires more from us than phase 1 at Østnorsk. In just two days we needed to deliver a full application package, including:
- A structured, 20-page game design document for Steps
- A detailed progress schedule for both this phase and the phases ahead
- A GANTT chart, displaying our planned schedule
- A complete budget report
- And inclusions of official papers from Brønnøysund and our bank account etc.
It felt like an impossible task. But drawing from the muscle memory of those sleepless student weekends back at the university, we pushed through. By some miracle, we managed to submit everything on time.
Is it perfect? No. But for the time we had, it’s as good as it could possibly be. And while we’re a bit nervous, we’re also proud of what we managed to achieve. We expect NFI to be a step up in difficulty, so all we can do now is wait and pray that we stand out in the national scene.
For Steps to exist, this step has to be overcome!
As newcomers, we know it’s a steep climb. We also know that not having secured funding for Østnorsk’s second phase yet might put us at a disadvantage. But as Mathias put it best: “If we don’t get it this time, we’ll have more to show next time we try. And if we have to, we can take the risk, start production without knowing, and hope to get the payment afterwards.”
That’s the reality of where we are right now. Risk is part of the game.
A Reality Check From Investors
Speaking of risk, we also had our very first investor meeting this month. We went in hopeful, imagining what it might look like to bring on a partner who could help build our company. Spoiler: it didn’t pan out. But the experience was very valuable.
Up until now, we’ve been focusing on proving that we can execute our project, that we’re capable of turning our ideas into something of value. This is something that government funders strongly emphasize. Investors, however, look at things very differently. What they want to see, above all else, is the willingness in paying customers.
We kind of knew this already, but hearing it firsthand was a wake-up call for us. Investors want proof that your idea can generate revenue early on. And with Steps being designed as a holistic single-player experience, that’s not easy.
We are not sure that we want to compromise the soul of Steps to fit a monetization model that is revenue-focused. Still, it’s something we’ll need to think about when shaping our games in the future. There are options of getting revenue at an early stage that can keep our hands clean.
If you’ve got ideas, or know of creative ways indie studios like ours can be more attractive to investors without losing our vision, we’d love to hear from you at contact@glueplantgames.com.
The First Step Out in the Field
After barely recovering from our NFI sprint, we got a surprise invitation to a test event in Hamar: Testbonanza.
Honestly, we weren’t sure if we should go. Steps is still rough, buggy, and absolutely not “ready” to be shown publicly. But then we thought: why not? What do we have to lose?
So we put together a few quick levels (for the future, we have estimated around three weeks per level). I finished the build three minutes before I had to drive to the event, with no time left to test it. Risky? Yup! But why not jump straight into it?
It was so worth it!
Yes, the game was rough. Yes, bugs popped up. But over the course of the evening, over 20 people sat down to play Steps. And some even left with a smile.
We got to meet people from the industry and talk to curious players. After five hours, when almost all other studios had left, we wrapped up and left with many new impressions, new ideas …and a lot more bugs to fix.
So what we have learned from this experience is that you are allowed to lower your shoulders. Don’t be afraid to show what you have, even if it’s imperfect, or almost nothing to show at all. Sometimes, even a sloppy prototype can be enough to learn a lot. And the things you make can have value and inspire someone else, even if you don’t think it will.
Sometimes it is good to take a leap and just jump straight into what’s uncomfortable. You may thank yourself later.
Wrapping Up Phase 1
So, in-between everything else that has happened, we’ve been preparing for the end of phase 1 at Østnorsk Filmsenter. Between periods of kindergarten sickness (the joys of parenting), Mathias and I have managed to:
- Continue building new assets
- Finish the Skin Menu, where the player can collect and transform into new blocks
- Create a custom 3D sound system that will make levels come to life
- And wrap everything up into a proper end report and financial statement
Looking back, we’re really proud of our work and growth over the last four months. We have accomplished what we set out to do, added a bit more on top, and have only worked a week more than what’s in our original schedule.
This time, we’ve managed things far better than during our school days. We have been structured, made room to breathe, and jumped into new territories. We’re leaving this phase more confident and are clearer than ever about what it takes to bring a game to life.
Now, we’re looking ahead to Phase 2, with the application deadline on October 15. We hope we’ve shown enough progress and potential to keep the momentum going.
Upcoming: SpillExpo Lillestrøm
Before our leaves are falling off, we’re thrilled to share that we’ll be showcasing Steps at SpillExpo in Lillestrøm from November 7 - 9, as part of their indie program!
This is huge for us. One of our goals for the next year is to attend two physical events and one digital event, so SpillExpo will be the first on that checklist.
We are currently getting everything ready for the event, so if you are going to be there, please stop by and say hi!
Until Next Time
September was long, chaotic, and somewhat exhausting. But it was also inspiring and challenged us in a good way.
We wrapped up our first funding period, applied for our first NFI grant, learned hard lessons from investors, took Steps out into the public, and started preparing for the next big chapter of our journey.
It really feels like we’ve taken our last first steps.
Thank you for reading and for your support!
See you in November^^