Developing a game is nothing short of an actual miracle. Yes, it's just a bunch of coding and animation, but getting it all together in the form of an actual functioning game is akin to magic. As you can tell, like most of you, I know nothing about video game development or how a dev team works, but we'll now be able to take a glimpse at the inner workings of a niche but beloved video game company, Double Fine Productions.
The developer partnered with 2 Player Productions to create Double Fine PsychOdyssey, a documentary of the seven-year development process of Psychonauts 2 – it's out now and available for free on YouTube. Seven years is a long time – and we'll get a look at everything from early concept meetings to the release and reception of the game. Not to mention, behind the scenes look at the team members, their relationships with each other, the ups and downs – everything. Think of a real life 'The Office' based on a video game developer.
"Ten years after the release of their flagship video game Psychonauts, Double Fine Productions returns to its most celebrated franchise with Psychonauts 2," says the description on YouTube. "Now facing the pressure to produce a worthy sequel, the studio must confront overly ambitious designs, poor morale, technical challenges and financial woes, all during a turbulent span of time for the world.
"Double Fine PsychOdyssey is the direct continuation of the acclaimed series Double Fine Adventure, and offers even deeper insight into the passion, humor, and heartbreak of video game development."
The docu-series features 32 episodes, ranging between 30 minutes to one and a half hours. It documents Double Fine's journey over seven years, with footage being shot everyday. This kind of documentary is unprecedented in the video game industry, and should be an enlightening watch not just for Psychonauts fans, but anyone that's interested in video games.
Tim Schafer, the founder of Double Fine productions, and creator of Psychonauts, Grim Fandango, and Full Throttle has been selected to become a part of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. He will be honoured at the DICE Awards in Las Vegas on February 23.