Alexandre Huger

I've always loved playing video games, starting with Nintendo NES and Windows 98. I also loved creating and designing things. I started RPG Maker XP in 2004. That was a long time ago! I teach myself 90% of the time, whether it's programming, using Unity, various image/video processing software like Photoshop, After Effects, or sound processing software. Everything needed to create a video game.

It's pretty simple. This is a solo project that I have been working on for over 4 years. To keep going all these years, it's mostly about having a passion, even a calling, for video games. It requires determination, ambition, perseverance, and acceptance that the journey will not be easy. It's also about being open to self-criticism and receiving feedback as a gift to improve the game to new heights, and of course, always wanting more knowledge.

I founded my micro-enterprise (independent developer), SOLIDS Studio, to market my first video game, UNFAIR, on Steam. It was released in 2019 – it lives up to its name! I then continued with two small projects during the development of The Dark Side of CECLON.

That's a good question. I think it's ultimately a very personal feeling. I have a lot of answers in mind. But to choose one, I believe gameplay is the central point of a video game for me; it's the player's direct interaction/action with the game. Add to that a challenging but well-balanced difficulty that offers that famous reward, that sense of accomplishment! If on top of that, you have a good storyline, true immersion, and the ability to gradually improve your character to make them more powerful – essentially, the satisfaction of progressing – then you have a very interesting game.

Overall, what stands out most from my two major projects are the RPG aspects (power progression), the principle of facing challenges (bosses), experiencing the satisfaction of success, and finally, the exploration aspect (finding all the secrets).

Inspiration for my projects comes naturally, probably a sweet blend of the games I've played and my imagination. Afterward, once the idea is clear, I jot down all the ideas that come to me, a sort of brainstorming. As production progresses, I test, modify, remove, and validate ideas; gradually, I shape the project like a stone sculptor.

It's an honor and real pride to have received this gold award at NYX; it's already a great personal achievement! I'm very happy about that. As an independent developer, we often work in the shadows without external "rewards" for years; this award further strengthens my determination and motivation after these 4 years of hard work. It's like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel waiting for us with a good fast food meal.

Having this award will allow me to show it on Steam and social networks. I think it's important to have awards to "reassure" people about the quality of the work done. It's a kind of validation that is very important in the video game industry.

As far as the game itself is concerned, it is very ambitious; making an open-world game alone with all that it entails: day/night system, main character movements, performance, navmesh management (enemy movement), and all the complexities related to statistics, skills, damage management, etc., is not easy. As far as marketing is concerned, the first challenge is simply to exist. We have a very large number of video games on the market every year. This number is only increasing, and we have more and more talented individuals (a little nod to all the people in the industry). We must emerge from the shadows, and do so intelligently. The other challenge is when you're alone, it's very difficult to juggle project development and marketing on the side.

I am in France; unfortunately, as an independent person, we have little help because this type of company status is not a true company as such. But there are many passionate people in the industry who contribute in their way to help independents!

Everything is interesting; things move very fast! All studios, small, medium, and large, all contribute their share. I would say that the main element is the ability to create increasingly realistic, detailed, and immersive games! New computer components (PC and Next Gen consoles).

Without hesitation, the first thing would be creativity. Video games have only one true limit, and that's our ability to imagine and make players dream. Then, passion. Everyone in the industry and video game players are fans of what they do and what they play; they talk about it with their hearts, like a historian would talk about history. Finally, I would say the community aspect and diversity; it's a big family where everyone has a place and finds happiness. Video games offer an infinite variety of genres and subgenres; everyone can find something they like.

In terms of education, the main resource is to educate yourself wherever you can. The most accessible is the web. We have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. Forums, tutorials, courses, encyclopedias, template projects, videos, training, etc., there are endless possibilities. Whether it's Unity, Unreal, or other game engines, you'll find everything you need, or almost everything, on the internet. Here are some website ideas: Udemy, Code Academy, and Unity Education. Less academically, my personal story should be learned by setting clear goals and gradually solving them. A main goal (my final game), many sub-goals to reach it. One problem = one solution. And most importantly, don't forget to play video games that have proven themselves; it's still a true guide to best practices to follow and improve.

I think the video game industry will continue to evolve and offer even more incredible experiences. I think VR (headsets) will go even further, and we'll probably be able to create more immersive and marketable experiences, like feeling smells and physical sensations (wind, cold, heat, electric shock?). It reminds me of a very funny experience in the South Park video game where at an event, they put a device on my nose to feel Cartman's farts. Very crazy, but imagine that in many other games!

Many people inspire me. Everyone has something to learn from everyone else. Passionate people regardless of the field, people who have achieved their goals, and especially courageous and determined people who do not give up. There is no magic recipe, but to give ourselves the best chance, we must first be determined and believe in our projects; then we must be consistent – consistency is a virtue – and, above all, never give up, absolute zero does not exist! Neither is the impossible.

There is no miracle recipe, but to put all the odds on our side, we first need to be determined and believe in our projects, then we need to be regular, consistency is a virtue, and above all, never give up. Absolute 0 does not exist! Neither is the impossible.

Yes, I would like to say to all independent developers, teams, game studios, all industry players, and the NYX Game Awards to keep doing what they do, to make players dream, and to keep this wonderful video game industry alive. I will conclude with a big THANK YOU.