"Cubiques" is a mobile puzzle game made by a solo independent developer named Dilmer Valecillos. The game has been praised for its minimalistic art direction and simplicity. Recently, I got the chance to speak with Mr. Valecillos about the upcoming sequel to "Cubiques" and his other projects coming in the near future.
The Interview
Blasting News: For the uninitiated, how would you describe “Cubiques 1” and “2” and who would you recommend them to?
Valecillos: “Cubiques 1” is a simple puzzle game for the non-professional gamer. Basically for someone who just wants to pass the time in a relaxing environment.
The music is beautiful and the puzzles are challenging. “Cubiques 2” adds a bit more complexity by bringing more cubes into action. Each move causes all cubes to move which makes it a bit harder than the previous version. Also, the environment still minimalistic, but very peaceful and beautiful. Music is also relaxing and for mobile gamers. Both can be recommended to casual gamers.
BN: I see that the game was developed with Unity. How do you feel about developing with the that engine? It seems to be very popular with indie developers.
V: I love Unity and have been using it for about 3 years; ever since my first indie game, “Stickman World.” Unity allows me to focus on the game and while it is still very technical, I can dedicate more time in the actual game than in the ins and outs of having to maintain a game engine.
One awesome thing, and there are many, is the ability to build to many platforms. For instance, for “Cubiques 1” and “2,” I was able to provide a Mac, tvOS, and iOS version without much extra work. Unity rocks and is the easiest and fuller featured engine around.
BN: What were some of the inspirations for “Cubique” and its distinct gameplay and style?
V: I think we all got inspired with “Monument Valley” aesthetics. I personally loved that game and always wanted to create an isometric game. Especially since I was a fan of games such as “Starcraft” and “Age of Empire," which were different but used the same camera techniques that I use in my games. I also got very inspired while watching "Indie Game: the Movie" and seeing how games such as "Super Meat Boy" and "Braid" did in the marketplace.
I loved the idea of being able to self-publish my own games and have millions of people playing my own creations.
BN: What was your role in the development of “Cubique?”
V: I am a solo game developer. I do 99% of all the work: level Design, programming, marketing, and anything needed to make sure the game is complete. The 1% or more sometimes is done by people I meet through social media. I meet a lot of Indies and it's crazy how we all help each other.
BN: Sounds like a great community.
V: It is great and very different from other communities.
BN: For the sequel, what do you wish to improve or elevate from the original title?
V: Definitely more levels. A lot more polished as far as look and feel I wanted for the main screen.
Added social capabilities to help gamers share their game progress and screenshots. The overall game looks great. Both are very good. I feel proud about both to be honest.
BN: What platforms can players expect to play this game and when?
V: September 28th, 2017 is the release date and the builds are already approved by Apple. The platforms are iOS Universal (iPhones and iPads), tvOS, and Mac all in their appropriate App Stores.
BN: Any upcoming titles you're working on that you'd like to plug?
V: Absolutely. I am working on two new games: “Tiny Rooms” and “Tiny Wheels.” I will be sharing more details and there are some images in my twitter account.
BN: Thank you very much for agreeing to this Interview, Mr. Valecillos.
V: Thank you.
