Get rich as a shipowner in this Ports of Call like game. We had a word with the developer.
When we became aware of a Norwegian-developed game reminiscent of the classic Amiga game, Ports of Call, there was little doubt that it had to be investigated further. We reached out to the developer to learn more.
Behind the developer name Drogos we find Tux Solbakk, a passionate game developer from Norway. He is preparing to release Freight Manager in early access at the start of September. In the game, you run your own shipping company and try to make money transporting varius goods across the seven seas. We like the concept, so we needed some answers to a few questions.
Who is Drogos?
I’m a 46-year-old man, born in Alta but raised in Kragerø, and I’ve always been interested in programming and video games. I’ve moved around a lot and worked many different jobs over the years. I’m not afraid of manual labor, I live in the countryside and always have plenty to do. But I’m happiest in the warmth, so during winter you’ll most likely find me behind the screen – unless I absolutely have to go outside to shovel snow or the like.
How did you start making games?
Luckily, my middle school in Kragerø introduced programming as an elective quite early. I learned a lot there, and my free time quickly went into experimenting with game development. At first, just modding simple games like Snake. I’ve always tinkered with game development in different forms – mostly web-based prototypes that never left my bedroom but still taught me a lot.
The first game I shared with the world was made in libGDX for Android and iOS. It was an Arkanoid-style game that didn’t really work well on touch screens. After that, I experimented a bit with Unreal Engine, planning to make a small RTS inspired by various classics in a modern style. That never came to be, but it left me wanting more.
More recently, I’ve been working with Unity, and I really enjoy the C# ecosystem.
What are you working on now?
Besides my job and other necessities, all my time goes into Freight Manager these days. Launch is coming up and it’s the final push! I expect this will continue through autumn and winter, so time will probably fly before I can enjoy the spring sun again. I’m learning new things and techniques every day, and with so much constantly evolving, I see game development as something that will always offer new challenges. I’m really excited for the road ahead!
Tell us a little about Freight Manager.
It started when I saw a short video clip explaining ship navigation from a top-down view, and I suddenly wanted to try steering myself. So, I jumped into Unity to test what I could do. I got the controls working and created a visual style I liked. That gave me the motivation to keep going and turn it into a real game. And here we are today, with a still fairly basic game that I look forward to improving!
I decided to go for early access, hoping for feedback on further development. I have many plans myself, but since this is a solo project, I believe input and ideas from others will be very helpful moving forward.
Freight Manager might remind some of a beloved Amiga shipping game?
Yes, the slightly older crowd may recognize some elements from a well known old Amiga title. I’ve also seen some say it resembles another newer game, which I assume is based on the same idea, though I haven’t tried it myself. I guess it depends on your age what it reminds you most of.
What everyone wants to know: do you have to visit the office regularly to avoid getting robbed?
Haha! That’s the retro gamer in you, remembering back to the Amiga days. But no, in this game you won’t get robbed just because you haven’t visited the office, and I can honestly say that won’t be added during early access or full release. That said, I do hope players will share fun ideas, and that the game can evolve during early access.
What tools do you use to make the game, and how do you keep track of ideas and bugs?
Besides Unity, as mentioned, I develop on Linux, so I’m limited to software that works there. I use Blender for 3D modeling, Inkscape for vector graphics, GIMP for pixel graphics, Shotcut for video editing, and a bunch of other tools for different tasks. To keep track of projects, tasks, ideas, and bugs, I use a self-developed CMS and a self developed wiki, which work perfectly for my needs. It’s also fully XML based, making it easy to integrate whenever I need to.
What’s it like making games in Norway?
After moving out of Oslo and into the countryside, I’ve sacrificed being part of a developer community. It seems to me that in Norway, game development communities still mostly form in and around workplaces, with most companies wanting people in the office. For me, that has meant switching to English and seeking out communities abroad. I hope that might change someday, but for now, I’ve had minimal contact with other game developers in Norway, unfortunately.
We thank Tux Solbakk for taking the time in his busy schedule to answer our questions!
Freight Manager launches in early access on Steam on September 5th. Here’s the trailer: