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Interview

Final Maze – Developer Spotlight with Hyper-C Games

Today we are taking a moment to shine the spotlight on Final Maze by Hyper-C Games! Before we start we’d like to thank Brian for collaborating with us and for taking the time to talk with us about Final Maze! 😃

Thanks Brian! Let’s get started!


/// Thank you for taking part in our latest Developer Spotlight! Before we start talking about Final Maze, could you please start by telling us a little about yourself and why you are making games?

Thanks for having me! It’s always a pleasure. 

Ok, a little bit about me – I’ve been a software engineer for the past 12 years by trade, but only recently started making games. My 8-year-old son came up to me one day and asked me if I could make video games. I told him that I’ve never done it before, but I will give it a try.

I should have started making games a long time ago! This is so much fun! My son wanted to be able to show and tell his friends that he helped make a game, and that his name is in the credits. So, here we are. I have my 8-year-old son to thank for pushing me into Indie Game Development.

/// Moving on to Final Maze, in a nutshell, what is this new game all about?

Final Maze is designed to be a simplistic yet modern and procedurally generated maze game.  You will never see the same maze twice! We wanted to invent a new control type for mobile devices and do something unique. 

We designed a new Dynamic Virtual HUD Controller. As you control the player a HUD graphic grows or shrinks, indicating directional movement.  It’s very smooth and offers a potential new trend for others.

When it comes to gameplay, there are many choices from the simple menu system. There are 4 levels of difficulty and 8 separate game modes to choose from. First, there is the Classic Mode which is the traditional maze style with only one correct path between you and the endpoint. 

Then there is the Power Cell Mode.  In this mode, your endpoint explodes, and you have to explore the maze to collect pieces and power-up the endpoint. Personally, this is my favorite game mode to play. 

Another fun option is the Enemy Mode, where you have to keep your distance from patrolling enemies. Don’t let them get too close, or they will start chasing you! The VS AI Mode is designed for experienced maze players, as you race the computer to the endpoint. 

Lastly, each game mode we’ve talked about has a sub dark labyrinth mode.  In these modes, you must use your light and memory to find the endpoints!  

For the camera angles, we decided to give players three options to choose from within the settings while playing a maze – Top Down, Birds Eye, and 3D. We also added the ability to pinch-zoom in or out, which can be very handy if you’re playing Ridiculous difficulty. I’d have to admit, playing Final Maze on a large screen tablet with the 3D camera view and Ridiculous Difficulty is very fun!

We built two instant play options directly into the menu system. You select Random to instantly start playing random difficulties and modes. Or, you select My Default, which will load your default difficulty and mode instantly. Any maze difficulty and mode can become your default within the settings of a maze.

/// Every game has a backstory, and we would love to know the story behind Final Maze! Why did you choose to make this game?

I love procedurally generated games and wanted to design a framework that I could utilize for future projects. 

My 8-year-old son was the one that chose to make this game. He told me, that he wanted to make the best maze game ever! He came up with the general look and feel for the game and the various modes. We collaborated over a month on the design, until both of us were happy with the result.

/// Are there any funny or exciting episodes from the development phase of Final Maze that you can share with us?

There is one funny thing that happened… I made a GO version prototype where you actually have to walk/run the maze in real life (GPS and Gyro sensors). I was testing it outside and accidentally ran into a tree. At the time, it wasn’t very funny to me. Now that I think back, it probably was very funny to anyone watching me. Ouch! 🤣

/// Where from here? Is there anything you would like to add to Final Maze in the future, or perhaps even a new game on the horizon?

For Final Maze, my next step is building an iOS version. After that, I’m considering publishing a GO version. I have enough game ideas to keep me busy for the next decade!

/// Are there any secret developer tips for playing Final Maze you could give our readers?

Absolutely! If you’re playing the Enemy Mode, and one starts to chase you – simply get far enough away and the enemy will lose the ability to track you. Also, in VS AI mode, your biggest advantage over the AI is your ability to take turns much faster.

/// A question you would like to ask your future self next time we shine the spotlight your way!

Did you make a GO version of Final Maze? If so, how many more trees did you walk into? 🤣


Thanks again to Hyper-C Games for participating in this developer spotlight. It was a pleasure to talk about Final Maze with you and we look forward to doing it again sometime soon! 😆

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Download Final Maze on Google Play