Old School Gamer Magazine Exclusive: Inside ‘Battlecraft’

Old School Gamer Magazine chats with “Battlecraft” developer Nikola Todorovic, who lets us know what inspired the Steam and Mobile game.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  How was Battlecraft born?

Nikola Todorovic: Battlecraft was born from a desire to create a new style of turn-based strategy with simultaneous turns.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  What was your role in the game?

Todorovic: I’m the lead designer/developer. I built over 90% of the game by myself and even wrote the music! I had assistance on the art side with the characters and environment.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  How did you get involved in the industry?

Todorovic: Games have been a lifelong passion of mine – and it was always my goal to make my own.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  What was development like?

Todorovic: Development was challenging but very rewarding. Battlecraft is an ongoing development process with more updates to come.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  What makes Battlecraft special?

Todorovic: Battlecraft is the first game to feature true simultaneous turn-based combat. This changes the strategy considerably because it introduces the element of prediction.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  What games influenced this one the most?

Todorovic: Final Fantasy Tactics for the perspective and turn-based component. Super Smash Bros. Melee for its depth and predictive-style gameplay.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  Any fun stories or wild moments during development?

Todorovic: Communicating information clearly to the player is very important. Every single aspect of the game needs to be visually consistent and have multiple layers of feedback!

Old School Gamer Magazine:  What were the major lessons learned?

Todorovic: Making a networked multiplayer game as a lone developer is probably not something I will do again. It essentially doubles the complexity and maintenance.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?

Todorovic: Yes, I do believe some older game designs still work best. Games are becoming like on-rails theme park attractions that remove challenge and the joy of exploration for the sake of accessibility. I believe challenge and a sense of discovery are key to rewarding gameplay.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  What’s your favorite memory as a gamer?

Todorovic: Probably the first time I played World of Warcraft was in 2004. The sheer scale, liveliness, and attention to detail of the world were awe-inspiring to me.

Old School Gamer Magazine:  How do you want Battlecraft to be remembered?

Todorovic: I want Battlecraft to be remembered as a game that launched a new style of gameplay – a game that gives more control and decisions to the player rather than taking them away. 

Old School Gamer Magazine:  What’s next?

Todorovic: I’m working on a new title that could be considered a horror-fantasy roguelike. It’s much darker, scarier, and violent – a totally new beast altogether. I hope that fans of horror (and punishing games like Dark Souls) will enjoy it!

Old School Gamer Magazine:  Anything else you’d like to add?

Todorovic: I encourage people to play with their friends online, since Battlecraft is primarily intended as a PvP multiplayer game. Learning someone’s way of thinking and playing mind games is the essence of the game – and by far the most rewarding gameplay Battlecraft has to offer!