The world of indie development comes with a lot of ups and downs, more often than not caused by a lack of money. The upcoming tower defense/platformer Toaster Defense isn't an exception, with the developer having to balance time and money in order to properly make his game. That being said, Nathan Wooten, or Wooshido, has already put a lot of time and money into making sure his upcoming title is something that stands out. To that end, Wooten is seeking funding through a Kickstarter to avoid traditional publishers.
In its fully funded form, Wooten would like to be able to hire some additional artists, as well as commission more from the ones he's already working with. Game Rant spoke to Wooten about how meeting his funding goals could result in additional levels, new customization options, and more. It's Wooten's hope that he can take time off from his day job and focus on getting Toaster Defense as close to perfect as he can. However, how close he gets will largely come down to what kind of funding he will be able to secure, and without a traditional publisher Toaster Defense's progress is still up in the air.
Paying the Artists
Currently, Toaster Defense's Steam and Kickstarter pages feature art from a 2D animator that has yet to be fully paid for the work they did. The same can be said for the musician who composed music tracks in the game. Moving forward, Wooten stated he will either have to pay the artists with Kickstarter funding or out of his own pocket. While it’s good that the artists will be getting paid regardless, Wooten paying out-of-pocket will certainly affect the time and effort he can spend polishing the game.
"I was hoping to get some more artists on board, maybe another 3D modeler to help me create some additional levels."
That being said, Toaster Defense is still in development, and the more funding it's able to secure, the stronger of a game it will be. Wooten spoke briefly about his hope to add more levels, and potentially more NPCs, if he's able to meet his financial goals on Kickstarter. While extremely passionate about his new title, the developer needs that excitement to extend to a larger gaming audience.
Pitching to Publishers
"It became a thing where this is my first game, and pitching to publishers seemed a little intimidating."
A common trend for small indie developers seems to be avoiding getting mixed up with the complicated workings of indie game publishers like Devolver Digital. Be it because the developer wants to hold ownership or avoiding the process because it's daunting, it has been a common sight for developers to seek funding elsewhere. For Toaster Defense's developer Wooshido, it's more about avoiding the hassle of the publishing process. It's Wooten's hope that Kickstarter can fill this need, and allow him to lessen his hours or leave his main job completely.
It can be frustrating having to chase money for a project when all a developer want to do is focus on the details, but that's how things often get done. For indie developers, this can be a never-ending chase that doesn't always end with the game they'd hoped for. That being said, with 20 percent of his Kickstarter goal already met, Nathan Wooten is establishing himself in the gaming industry as an independent developer who doesn't need big checks to motivate him to create an innovative and entertaining game.
Toaster Defense is in development for PC.
Source: Kickstarter