We chatted with Cole Beernaerts, and let’s hear what he has to say about his first game, Captain Soda, and the video game industry.
Azfar Rayan: How about sharing a bit about yourself for those who aren’t familiar with Cole Beernaerts and Ray Flower Games?
Cole Beernaerts: I’m an indie developer based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and I’m currently making my first commercial game. I moved to Vancouver in 2015 to study game design in college, and since graduation, I have been making small prototypes for games, hoping to make something great out of them. I have also participated in some game jams, trying to be like all the great breakout developers like Edmund McMillen and Rami Ismail.
It was a big dream, of course, and I knew that it would be extremely hard; however, Jake Birkett has made a sustainable career as an indie developer without breakout hits at the time, so I thought I could also follow in that path to make a sustainable career and not go broke doing it.
So, in October 2020, I decided to start development of my first commercial game with the aim of making it a successful title with business strategy in mind. I founded Ray Flower Games earlier this year as a solo developer working from home.
Azfar Rayan: When did you start playing games, and how did you get involved with making one?
Cole Beernaerts: I have been playing games since I was about five years old, playing SNES games, and getting every Nintendo console since. I loved sketching and coming up with ideas for my games while growing up, and so I have always wanted to make my own. In 2015, I moved to Vancouver to study at the Art Institute of Vancouver in the Game Art & Design program and started making my first few student games.
Azfar Rayan: Why Captain Soda? What motivated you to work on this game?
Cole Beernaerts: I brainstormed a lot before I started working on the actual game in October 2020. I chose a game that spanned my skills, experience, and interests at the time well. There is a surprising lack of soda-themed games on the market despite the theme being quite iconic, and even fewer that have any sort of mechanics related to it, so I saw an opportunity for me to make a great game. I liked the idea of soda as well and thought it would be fun to explore.
Azfar Rayan: Did you find it challenging when you started making Captain Soda? How did you cope with them?
Cole Beernaerts: From the start, I knew it was going to be challenging. I have never sold a game before and haven’t made anything this big. I had very little industry experience, though I did have quite a bit of hobby/casual experience. Before I started, I took an online game production course to learn how to make high-leverage, sellable games. I knew I needed a mentor to help me achieve my goals, so I actively searched for one while developing the game and learning as I go.
Azfar Rayan: Did you develop this game all by yourself, or did you hire people to execute your plans? What’s the current setup of Ray Flower Games?
Cole Beernaerts: Captain Soda is a game that I am developing by myself, not out of choice but convenience. I hire for some contract work when needed to fill specific roles or help out with certain parts of the development, like developing the art style, music, sound, and mentorship. I am currently doing everything else by myself- code, art, animation, marketing, design, and business stuff. Ray Flower Games is a one-man studio at the moment.
Azfar Rayan: You followed your passion and studied Game Art & Design? Has the degree from the Institute of Vancouver inspired you more?
Cole Beernaerts: The program itself was quite short (1.5 years), but it gave me a lot of useful industry connections and game-making skills. Although it was quite expensive for what it was, I just wish the market in Vancouver was easier to get into as a junior position. The difficulty of the industry is also a factor in my decision to create Captain Soda.
Azfar Rayan: Do you have any mentors or people from your past who inspired you to get involved in this project?
Cole Beernaerts: My self-improvement coach, Jarett Metcalfe, helped me realize that creating my games was what I really wanted to do. From the game production online course I took called FGGS (Finish Good Games that Sell), which was a part of Pro Indie Dev, I hired the creator of that course, Gabriel Dal Santo Chaves, to mentor me on developing Captain Soda, help me reach my goals, and make it into a game that I can finish.
Azfar Rayan: Is Captain Soda’s demo on Steam right now? What are your expectations when there are so many games to compete with?
Cole Beernaerts: There was a playtest on Steam for Captain Soda a few weeks ago, but currently, there is no active playtest. I plan to hold another one sometime in the future and will give access to anyone who has wishlisted it on Steam. I have done a lot of research on this project to help predict sales revenue.
I tried to make a game that appealed to existing markets—games similar to Hell is Other Demons, Super Crate Box, and other arcade-shooter-like games. While there is certainly a lot of competition, Captain Soda offers a new, unique experience and flavor that I hope players will give it a chance and enjoy.
Azfar Rayan: What are your top 3 favorite games? And what type of games do you want to make in the near future? Will your favorite games or genre have an impact on your future projects?
Cole Beernaerts: My top three favorite games right now are Splatoon, Zelda, and Factorio. Terraria is an honorable mention as well. I’m very into sandbox and survival games. I’ve wanted to make my own Zelda-like game since I was a kid, and at one point, I wanted to make a Zelda/Splatoon hybrid game.
I can say that my future projects will definitely take inspiration from what genres I enjoy, like Action, RPG, and Sandbox (Sandbox sounds very appealing to make for me, although challenging); however, I don’t limit myself to that. Some of the game jam games I created are very diverse in genre.
Azfar Rayan: When you are not making or playing gaming, what else are you up to? What are your hobbies and interests?
Cole Beernaerts: I enjoy biking and have lately gotten more into cooking. I also go hiking every so often to the parks and mountains around here in BC.
Azfar Rayan: So, what does the future hold for Cole Beernaerts, and where can we expect to find you?
Cole Beernaerts: I plan to hold another playtest for Captain Soda sometime before launch. When Captain Soda is released, I hope to release some post-launch updates. After that, I hope to make some much smaller projects and release those to help me get into the groove of making commercial games and improve my skills.
You can find me on Twitter and Reddit. I usually post Captain Soda content there. I also have a mailing list, so those who want juicy gifs and updates on the project can sign up on the website.
Azfar Rayan: Anything you’d like to share with your readers at GamesCreed?
Cole Beernaerts: While there is no active playtest going on at the moment, I do have a special offer just for readers of GamesCreed. A few spare keys are available for those who want to check out the alpha demo… Just join the Ray Flower Games’ Discord Server and send a message mentioning GamesCreed. If you are interested in the game, please show your support by wishlisting it or signing up on the mailing list.
Many thanks to Cole Beernaerts for taking the time to answer my questions and do the interview with us. We wish him all the very best with his first game, Captain Soda. Keep up with Cole Beernaerts by following him on Twitter and his website. Don’t forget to wishlist his game and share your feedback so that he can improve his work in future games.
Stay tuned to GamesCreed’s gaming blog section for more interviews and special features and our game reviews section for my review on Captain Soda.
