Proud to be Weyrd

THE appeal of video games has transcended age and gender, hence it’s extremely easy to achieve “gamer” status these days. If they are not talking about the latest and hottest games on their phones, patrons glued to the screens are now a common sight at mamaks and cafes, thanks to smart mobile devices.
But while we enjoy playing games, we don’t really hear about individuals who are interested in developing their own. This group of people are like unsung heroes who pour their hearts and souls into a game to help us kill boredom and create conversations (in place of awkward silences that tend to happen) at gatherings.
Two such “heroes” are Shawn Beck and JT Yean, who founded game company Weyrdworks Studio and subsequently Super SteamPuff, a frantic Player vs Player (PvP) shooter that has garnered quite a bit of attention from gamers.
Before embarking on their game development journey, both lads were classmates during their time at The One Academy. After graduating, Yean pursued a career in graphic design while Beck “took on a very laid-back job peddling 3D animation software as a demo artist” and sneakily learnt how to code during office hours.
“Soon after I taught myself how to code, I was presented with an opportunity to develop a fully playable prototype for a competition – co-hosted by MDeC (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation) – within three weeks. To cut a long story short, we won a grant to develop the game which convinced me to quit my job and I never looked back since. JT came in a few years later after helping me out with one of my first games, Velocibox,” said Beck.
Is it tough to be an indie game developer here in Malaysia? Do you get any support from organisations or government bodies?
Game development is hard, but it can also be very rewarding and fun. We get an insane amount of support from MDeC in terms of mentorship, network, community and development funding. Speaking of community, we actually have an active community of game developers who meet up regularly for hackathons.
Has there ever been a time where either one of you felt like giving up and going back to working nine to five?
Not really. We really believe in the work we do. Complacency does set in after awhile of being your own boss twenty-four seven, so we break the monotony with part-time work. Now, I’m a part-time game development lecturer at KDU University College while JT freelances by doing graphic design and advertising work.
What’s the toughest part of creating a new game?
This applies universally to anything – the hardest part about coming up with an idea is starting with a clean, blank slate. We usually develop our best ideas during game jams or hackathons where we are required to conceive a game prototype around a set theme. Constraints can breed creativity.
Name the best experience you’ve had since the release of Super SteamPuff.
Seeing people come back for more at our showcase events; the laughter, cries and screams when they play our game. The multiplayer option is still the most popular game mode in there.
Do you feel like there’s a future for game developers in Malaysia? What would help grow the industry?
Of course there is. There’s a lot of potential here in Malaysia that remains untapped. The games market has always been global and we’ve already had a couple of great successes that are publicly unheard of. We have the talent; we just need to make it known.
Finally, what’s in the pipeline for Weyrdworks Studio?
We’re working on adding extra content for Super SteamPuff before porting it to Steam. After which we’d most likely focus on developing more PC games. There are a couple of ideas in the works but they’re not confirmed yet so fans will just have to stay tuned.
TRIVIA
Hobbies
Shawn (S): Starting a new hobby.
JT: Collecting beer bottle caps.
Favourite author
S: Khaled Hosseini.
JT: Michael Pollan.
Favourite game console of all time
S: The first PlayStation.
JT: The Game Boy Colour.
Favourite game franchise
S: Metal Gear Solid.
JT: The Longest Journey