Zach from Dopterra here again! So, you might be wondering why I decided to make a retro-inspired adventure-RPG starring a giant anthropomorphic moth. Well, as for the moth thing, I've just always liked 'em. As for the rest, Creepy Castle started as an idea I cooked up for a 48-hour RPG competition back in 2009. Or was it a game jam? I can't even remember anymore, but either way, that's where the concept for the game took root: a retro-looking, side-view, nonlinear, exploration-focused RPG with an action-oriented battle system. I created this early version of Creepy Castle using GameMaker, and a lot of what's featured in this prototype version will still be found in the final game, including a good chunk of the map design and the locations of enemies and bosses. In fact, some of the original code is still around, too!

Behold, the original Creepy Castle! It got its start in a 48-hour RPG competition.

After the 48-hour contest, my plan was to flesh out Creepy Castle and turn it into a full-fledged game that was worthy of being released to the public, but one thing led to another and I ended up putting it on the back burner for years until I finally got motivated to commit to the whole indie thing and put the project up on Kickstarter in September 2014. Was the gaming world ready for an RPG with active duels and a cartoony bug protagonist? Apparently it was, because not only did we meet the funding goal, but thanks to everyone's support, we managed to hit a few stretch goals too! (Yay!)

The new incarnation of Creepy Castle is miles apart from the original version. Despite the fact that some of the aforementioned original content is carrying over, and that the game is still being built with GameMaker, there are tons of new additions, and a lot of what was originally there has been rebuilt with updated code. In the 48-hour version of the game, for instance, there was only one type of battle, but there will be nine in the final game, plus there are substantial new areas, as well as the addition of art for character portraits and cutscenes, and a whole lot more. The story has been rewritten, too, and it's now presented in a different way - in the form of lore that you encounter as you explore the castle.

The Fire Dungeon is just one of many, many enhancements made to Creepy Castle since it was first conceived.

Perhaps most importantly, though, is that the original Creepy Castle scenario is just the beginning. There are now four scenarios in all, some of which are bigger than the Creepy Castle portion of the game. The stories in all four scenarios are interconnected, too. And as you might have seen on our Kickstarter page, the game will even feature cameo appearances by some of your other favorite indie characters.

Creepy Castle wouldn't be here without the support of our fans on Kickstarter.

For something made in 48 hours, I think the original prototype of Creepy Castle turned out pretty darn good, but it's only a shadow of what the final game will be. Once it's complete, Creepy Castle will be exponentially bigger and better in every way, and I'm hopeful you'll agree that the time invested in all the enhancements has been well spent.