Lesson 7 of 10
In Progress

Shovel Knight

Matthew Colon September 23, 2020
  1. What do you think of Shovel Knight?
  2. What key themes did you observe?
  3. Contrast the Kickstarters between Shovel Knight and Pillars of Eternity. What lessons can you draw?
  4. How important is previous experience in making a hit?
  5. By early 2014 the guys were running out of money and the game was incomplete. They decided it was better to kill themselves than fail. “Everything is getting worse except for Shovel Knight. That’s getting better.” They worked without pay and couldn’t afford coffee creamer.
    1. In general, do you see this kind of dedication to craft in Christians?
    2. Does this have anything to do with the quality of Christian made games?
    3. Have you, or would you, make the same decision?
  6. “Like many game creators, Velasco found himself dealing with a heavy dose of post-project depression and imposter syndrome… I’m not even really good at this.”
    1. Have you heard of this before?
    2. Have you experienced it?
    3. Why do you think this exists?
    4. How can you prepare yourself to handle it?
  7. “Since everybody at the company had to agree on every decision…” Yacht Club takes egalitarianism to an extreme: interviewing a candidate with 10 people. They are committed to running a flat hierarchy with no bosses.
    1. What are the pros and cons of this kind of structure?
    2. Is it sustainable?
    3. What in Ensemble’s story sheds light on Yacht Club’s possible future?
    4. Is one way more “Christian” than the other?
    5. If both have pros and cons, which would you rather experience on your project?
  8. Do you think Yacht Club will be a one-hit-wonder? Cyber Shadow has been announced, but as if this writing, has not come out. Do you think it will succeed like Shovel Knight?