Last year, we embarked on our first Global Game Jam in Valencia, organized by ADEVI (the best, in my opinion). Surrounded by now-friends, we truly enjoyed the experiencie and the relaxed armosphere that events like this foster. We formed Team Croqueta, the two of us with four talented friends, and we created a small game in just threee days, which you can try out here.
A year later we signed up for the GGJ again and this year’s theme was MASK. On Friday, we brainstormed ideas and ultimately came up with TuuMask. The concept centered around a workshop that suddenly attracted a flurry of costumers due to a masquerade ball. Players had to adapt each mask to fit the uniquely generated faces of various colorful customers. While the idea was fun, we weren’t able to finish it for various reasons… but does that really matter?
Before the game jam began, some of us knew that our focus wasn’t necessarily on finishing a game, but rather on enjoying the experience. I spent two whole days modelling masks from some of my favorite video games, all while sipping coffee and indulging in pizza, hamburgers, and sweets. Being surrounded by friends and like-minded people was truly a treasure.
And under this premise, the importance of enjoyment, we created Azens Studio. Formed by Vicente (my partner) and me, our goal is to create video games, yes, but also to relish the process of making them. We aim to share our experiences and resources with others along the way.
It’s funny how Vicente and I started talking because of our shared love for video games, dreaming of creating a studio together one day. Life took us down different paths, but those twists and turns have led us here.
In 2023, I began learning 3D modelling and texturing. This motivated us to attend game events like those organized by ADEVI in Valencia, Guadalindie in Malaga, and Indie Dev Day in Barcelona (now Barcelona Game Fest). These allowed us to meet like-minded people, showing us we weren’t alone. It pushed us to explore new opportunities and, most importantly, to keep moving forward.
I don’t want to suggest that making indie games is an easy journey *cries in 3d artist*. I’m simply tired of viewing as such a huge challenge that it makes me feel small. Yes, it can be overwhelming, and it’s likely many of our projects may never see the light of day. But at least we’ll be learning and progressing, so… will you join us?
