Interview with PAX RISING The Drifter’s Developer - Dave Lloyd

BY DRAWZA

Drawza: Firstly, please introduce yourself and your game?

Dave: Hi! I'm Dave Lloyd, I started Powerhoof with Barney Cumming just over a decade ago and we make indie games! Our next one is a pulp adventure thriller called The Drifter!
The Drifter's our fast-paced take on a point 'n click, traditionally that's a slower genre but we're doing a modern take and seeing how much we can amp it up. You play as Mick Carter, you've jumped a box car back to your home town when you witness a violent murder, are pursued by hi-tech soldiers, thrown in a reservoir and drowned! But that's just the start of your problems as you find yourself alive again, seconds earlier, underwater but with a lungful of air. So you've got to escape, work out what's going on, and basically solve your own murder!

What is your background?

Always loved computer games and about 20 years ago found out there's tools that let you make your own. I made my first point 'n click back then and got hooked! Since then I've worked at a couple of game studios in Melbourne as a coder, where I met Barney and we quit to go indie 10 years ago. We released CRAWL in 2017 which did well enough to keep us making games until now!

What made you decide to journey down the path of game development?

I really loved how many plates you get to juggle when making games, especially as a solo/indie dev. Getting to jump between writing, design, code, art, and audio was always so fun to me. Always more to learn and something to be proud of in every game. I've done games in lots of genres, but I like making point 'n clicks because you get to really get a feel for the characters, who they are, and writing/coding them feels like you're directing a little play. It's very satisfying!

What previous games have you created/worked on?

I've done like 50+ games over the years, though most only little gamejam things we stick up on our itch.io page. Though sometimes it feels like the less time I've spent on something the more I'm proud of it.  I worked on some "bigger" licenced titles early in my career like Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal for PS2/Wii/360 , then some iOS stuff like Flight Control/SPY Mouse/Real Racing at Firemint/Firemonkeys. Our first commercial game after going indie was CRAWL, the dungeon crawler where your friends control the monsters, then Regular Human Basketball which is a totally normal basketball game with giant robots.

What are the core concepts?

The Drifter's all about the story at heart, and a juicy plot that rattles along at a good clip. There's investigating to do, mysteries to uncover, puzzling and exploration, but a lot of the time you're being propelled from one situation to the next, out of the frying pan into the fire, trying to keep poor Mick alive.

What were your inspirations?

The Drifter's heavily inspired by pulp 70s horror/thriller films and novels. John Carpenter, Stephen king and tech-thriller authors like Michael Crichton. There's a lot of 70s oz-ploitation in there too, being set in a fictional Australian city.

How long have you been working on this game?

Oof, its' been ages. Really kicked off in 2019 so this is my 6th year working on it!

What is it like to have the game showcased at events such as PAX Aus?

Showcasing's always great fun. Exhausting but invigorating. It's a great reminder of the real people that play your games, which is easy to forget when staring at wishlists on steam. For me it's a great reminder of why I make games in the first place, for people to play.

What advice have you got for upcoming game developers?

The big advice I always give is simply to make more games. I learn a bunch every time I make a little game in a week, and if I only ever shipped 5 year long projects those big games I think i'd go insane, but also the games would really suffer. You have to flex that creative muscle. Make a game for your mum, or your friend or your dog. Throw games at the wall and see what sticks!

Have you had any mentors in the gaming industry?

No specific mentors but so many great peers. The games industry, especially the scene in Melbourne is so open and helpful, it's always made me feel like I'm in the right industry.

How many PAX Aus events have you attended (as both a developer and as a regular attendee)?

I've been to all of them! The first as an attendee, then we've had a booth every year, though took a break during covid before returning 2023.

Check Out the Steam page for The Drifter

Be sure to check out The Drifter and other PAX RISING games

And make sure you check out PAX Aus 2024 in October.