Interview with PAX Rising’s Mist Forge’s developer Rohan

BY DRAWZA

Drawza: Firstly, please introduce yourself and your game?

Rohan: Hi! I'm Rohan and I'm creating Mist Forge, a turn-based roguelite with terraforming.

What is your background?

I'm a software engineer by trade, I started out tinkering in VB6 about 20 years ago!

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

I've been passionate about games my entire life, and I remember I was trying to create a mod for Neverwinter Nights and realized pretty quickly I needed a better understanding of how the code was working. This is what kickstarted my career as a software developer, and has been my guiding light ever since.

What previous games have you created/worked on?

Mist Forge is my first commercial title, but I've been making prototypes and small Jam games for a long time now.

What are the core concepts?

In Mist Forge the player is tasked with exploring a mysterious, mist-shrouded world, while dealing with an ever-present enemy in the form of a "fog of war" come to life. Protect your village, gather resources and bring hope back to your people.

What were your inspirations?

Dorfromantik, For the King, Loop Hero

How long have you been working on this game?

Since about February, so almost 8 months!

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

I'm very nervous excited, and pretty honored to be included. I just hope people like my game!

What advice have you got for upcoming game developers?

Just Make Games. Seriously just keep creating.

What advice have you received that you have held on to throughout your journey?

Just Make Games. I actually don't know where I first heard it but its repeated a lot and it's the best advice you can take on.

Have you had any mentors in the gaming industry?

I haven't really had any mentors, but there are plenty of teams I look up to who inspire me. The people behind games like Dwarf Fortress, Cogmind, Loop Hero.

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

This is my first.

Check Out the website for Mist Forge

Be sure to check out Overhours and other PAX RISING games

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