Max Hall on Outpost 13, Killer Dogs, and Sci-Fi
with Greg Micek
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Cliqist : Who are you, and why are we talking?
Max Hall : My name is Max, I’m an Independent game developer working on a game called Outpost 13. I’ve been running a Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight campaign now for a little over 2 weeks.
Cliqist : How would you describe Outpost 13 to someone that might not be familiar with it?
Max Hall : Outpost 13 is a free roaming point and click adventure strategy game where you play as a monster in disguise killing off science crew members at an outpost.
Cliqist : Given that the game is a tribute to some great sci-fi classics, what sort of references can we expect to see?
Max Hall : I tip my hat to a handful of my favorite sci-fi films via pixel rendered film posters, characters, and locations throughout the outpost and on the ship. I’ve got a few cool Easter eggs in-store for the people in the know.
Cliqist : What inspired you to make Outpost 13, instead of, for example, a light hearted Kings Quest style adventure?
Max Hall : I was inspired and driven by nostalgia. I grew up on movies from the 80’s and early 90’s, and movies back then had a very different tone to them, a tone I wanted to tap into with Outpost 13. I also love games that let you play as the monster such as Stubbs and AVP, there just isn’t enough of these types of games. This mindset is what inspired me to set out and make a game that I wanted to play. A game where you play as the monster figuring out how to isolate and kill crew members, and propel the story progression through the amount of accumulated fear amongst the remaining crew members.
Cliqist : The whole premise of Outpost 13 seems a little grim, do you have an overwhelming fear of dogs?
Max Hall : Ha ha! No, absolutely not. I love and respect animals, especially dogs.
Cliqist : What sort of play time can players expect to get out of Outpost 13? How replayable would you say it will be?
Max Hall : I’m aiming for about 8hrs of gameplay min to complete a single pass, 4hrs at the outpost and 4hrs once the ship is unlocked. Players will not be able to kill everyone in one pass, and so if they want to experience different social dynamic scenarios amongst the crew, they’ll need to experiment with who they kill.
Cliqist : The Kickstarter campaign is struggling a bit at the moment. What are your plans for the next couple weeks to help close out the campaign and make it a success?
Max Hall : Biggest thing for me is just getting the word out right now. I’m actually a little taken back by this, while Outpost 13 has been struggling on Kickstarter, it’s seen a tremendous positive response on Steam Greenlight where it was Greenlit in only 13 days.
Cliqist : What would you say to someone that’s on the fence about backing Outpost 13?
Max Hall : If Outpost 13 in anyway looks or sounds like a game that you want to play, then you should probably back it.
Cliqist : Is Outpost 13 a scam, or unrealistic pipe-dream? What assurance do backers have that you can deliver on your promises?
Max Hall : Outpost 13 is definitely not a scam, it’s the real deal. There’s nothing crazy or complex about this project, it’s merely a couple of cool simple ideas and systems working together.
While Outpost 13 is my 1st Kickstarter project, it’ll be my 9th professional project completed, and my 3rd project to be completed as my own independent studio. Backers should rest easy knowing that they’re backing someone who completes projects.
Cliqist : Can you close us out with an Outpost 13 inspired haiku?
Max Hall : Ha Ha absolutely!
A dream free further away
A cold void whispers
Devious friendship
Thanks to Max for taking the time to answer our questions! You can learn more about Outpost 13 on its Kickstarter page. You can also track it on the Outpost 13 Campaign Calendar page.
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