boothilllogoOld West JRPG Boot Hill Heroes Released; Let’s Talk to the Developer

with Greg Micek

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[dropcap]B[/dropcap]oot Hill Heroes is a game we’ve covered several times here on Cliqist, including a glowing review from Mitchell.  The development has had it’s share of ups and down, including nail biting Steam Greelight process; but in the end the development team prevailed.  Boot Hill Heroes was released on Steam today, something that must come as a huge relief for both the developers, but also people that have been waiting for the game.  We recently had an oppotunity to speak with Writer, Programer, and Artist David Welch about his efforts; here’s what he had to say.

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boothill2Cliqist : Can you tell me a little about yourself?

David Welch : I grew up during the classic NES and SNES console era. I was always fascinated with ability of video games to pull you into a different world – it’s like taking a vacation from your couch!  RPGs are especially powerful in taking you to other realms so naturally I grew to love this genre. I had always wanted to create my own RPGs but never thought I could do it by myself. I think it was the recent influx of indie games that inspired me to make my own.

 

boothill6Cliqist : What’s Boot Hill Heroes about?

David Welch : Boot Hill Heroes is an RPG that’s set in a Wild West setting. It’s about a farm boy who goes to the city, only to get swept up in a conspiracy involving a group of notorious outlaws. In order to stop a war brewing between the Indians and the town folk, he and his friends must track down members of the evil Saints-Little Gang and bring them to justice.

 

Cliqist : Congratulations on the Steam release!  Things were looking pretty iffy  there for a while.  Were you worried it wouldn’t see a Steam release?

David Welch : Yeah. When it was very close to being Greenlit, it seemed to halt and even go down in rank. It was tough to see it go so far only to slip, but eventually it was approved.

 

boothill3Cliqist : Did you ever consider throwing in the towel?

David Welch : No. Once your game is on Steam and you’ve told everyone you can, there isn’t anything to quit.

 

Cliqist : Any post-launch plans for the game?

David Welch : Still working on getting the game to more platforms and working on the next game in the saga.

 

boothill2Cliqist : What about after Boot Hill Heroes, any other games in the works?

David Welch : Other than Boot Hill Heroes part 2 and 3, I usually come up with a new idea a month that I’m really excited about. I have so many ideas, I’m not sure which I would focus on. Maybe I’ll let interested players decide for me?

 

Cliqist : Looking back on the entire experience of Boot Hill Heroes, from funding through its release on Steam, what are some lessons you’ve learned?

David Welch : Keep your projects as simple as possible no matter how tempting it is to be more ambitious. Don’t promise more than you can deliver. Spend a good chunk of your time networking and marketing yourself and your game.

 

boothill1Cliqist : Why should someone buy Boot Hill Heroes instead of Alien Isolation?

David Welch : They should buy both.

 

Cliqist : Can you close us out with a Boot Hill Heroes inspired haiku?

David Welch :

Grave markers dot hills

Heroes of grit and gumption

Died with their boots on

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Thanks to David for taking the time to discuss Boot Hill Heroes with us!  If you’d like to learn more about the game, and possibly buy it, head over to its Steam page; there you’ll find it on sale for just $4.49.  Is it worth it?  Check out our review from earlier this year and see for yourself!

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About the Author

Greg Micek

Greg Micek has been writing on and off about games since the late nineties, always with a focus on indie games. He started DIYGames.com in 2000, which was one of the earliest gaming sites to focus exclusively on indie games.

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