LogInEduardo Lamhut has told us about BitCake Studio, discussed the specifics of creating multiplayer games, explained what kind of specialists the company is looking for, and talked about the peculiarities of the gamedev market in South America.
Introduction
My name is Eduardo Lamhut, and I'm the Creative Director at BitCake Studio, a small, fully remote studio in Brazil with around 30 employees. I have a bachelor's degree in Game Design from a university in São Paulo, and I also studied 3D animation at Gnomon School in Los Angeles.
I'm one of the studio's founders, and our story is crazy. My partners and I were invited to visit a bigger studio in Rio de Janeiro one day, even though we didn't know each other then. When we arrived, the studio offered us the opportunity to use their space and mentorship to develop our games, and we jumped at the chance. Today, that studio no longer exists, but we've grown much larger than they ever did and have been going strong for much longer.
Our latest project is Atomic Picnic, a 4-player co-op third-person shooter roguelite. You can think of it as an anime version of Risk of Rain 2 with a dash of Vampire Survivors. You and your team must survive hordes of enemies while completing objectives and staying alive for as long as possible. The game becomes increasingly challenging the longer you survive, and each time you level up, you receive upgrades that improve your chances of survival.
BitCake Studio
BitCake Studio has been a fully remote team since 2016. We've been doing it for so long that everything stayed the same for us work-wise when the pandemic hit. We have three teams working on different projects at various stages of development, some on internal games and some on B2B projects. However, we use the same workflow for all projects.
We use three main software tools: Slack for chat communication, Discord for voice communication, and ClickUp for tasks and documentation. These three apps have been the pillars of our successful remote working system for years. Once work starts, everyone needs to be on Discord to communicate with their team immediately. We use Slack for long-form discussions, feedback on each other's work, and other essential things that are better written than spoken.
Gamedev Market in South America
When we first started, there were only a few studios in Brazil, most of which were outsourcing or advergame companies. We did have MMO publishers that brought titles like Ragnarok Online and other soon-to-be free-to-play games.
However, only one or two development companies made games for hardcore or indie audiences, and those no longer exist. But since 2012, we have seen significant growth in all sectors. We now have a mobile gaming unicorn in Wildlife, and Epic Games just acquired Aquiris and rebranded it as Epic Games Brasil.
We also have successful indies specializing in making games for the local market, such as Dumativa, which raised over four million Brazilian reais ($800K USD) to develop a game in partnership with a prominent local YouTuber.
We recently ran our first Made in Brazil Sale on Steam, organized by BitCake's marketing team and me! It was a massive success, with over 250 studios and 600 games participating and benefiting greatly from sales or wishlists on the platform. I would say that the game development scene in Brazil is incredibly vibrant, with studios of all sizes now thriving.
Multiplayer Games
When creating multiplayer games, even simple tasks become exceedingly complex. For example, balancing a single-player game is relatively straightforward, but what happens when your game can be played by one, two, three, or four players simultaneously? How should the enemies scale based on the number of players? Should they scale linearly, multiplying everything by four for four players? But having four players is more advantageous than having one, as they can revive each other. So, should you scale everything exponentially? And what about the in-game economy? When playing with four players, a player can progress four times faster. How does that affect the pricing of goods in the stores? Should we consider multiplayer when pricing goods?
We are only discussing game design and balancing here. Imagine the code – we once had a bug where if Player 2 used a skill, all other players' cameras would move to Player 2's camera because it wasn't appropriately networked. Making a multiplayer game is ten times more complex than a single-player game for a reason.
Burnout
We haven't had to crunch for over three to four years. We believe crunch is a management issue that can be solved on a management level. We either allocate more time to a project or cut features that we don't think can be completed within the given timeline.
When working with clients, we prioritize open and honest communication to reach a mutual understanding. Our CEO, Milla, is an exceptional producer, and we constantly praise her for creating a work environment where crunch is unnecessary. We also prioritize our team's well-being by allowing flexible work hours and the ability to take days off whenever needed. Fridays are typically lighter workdays, and people usually leave a bit earlier to rest more during the weekend. We also reschedule mid-week holidays to either the beginning or end of the week, giving our team more long weekends to relax and recharge.
Freedom
Everyone can suggest changes to the way we work. On Fridays, we hold team reviews to discuss what was accomplished during that week, and everyone is welcome to propose ways to improve our workflow.
For instance, an artist may suggest that the programming team produce more builds so everyone can playtest more frequently. Conversely, a programmer may offer feedback on how artists can enhance the game's visuals.
At the company level, we strive to be transparent about our actions and our vision for the future of the firm. During meetings regarding the company, anyone can provide suggestions or feedback to management, allowing us to move in the direction that everyone desires.
Education
Multiple team members joined us and moved up to different positions. For instance, a 2D animator we hired went on to become a 3D animator on some of our projects with my mentorship and a lot of studying on his part. Later, he became a VFX artist since he wanted to do so.
And he's not the only one; we also have a programmer who became a tech game designer and a junior 3D artist who later led some projects. It's all about the driving force behind that person.
If they want to grow, we will encourage them in any way we can, be it by providing mentorship or by buying courses that can help them develop their skills.
Hiring
The skills we are looking for depend on the position for which we're hiring. As someone with a background in animation and VFX, I am usually responsible for hiring animators and VFX artists. When looking for candidates, I prioritize those who have no issue asking for help when needed. I find it peculiar how many people are afraid to ask others for assistance. Please do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it. We also highly value individuals eager to grow in their areas of expertise or learn about other fields.
We encourage this by purchasing courses or providing internal mentorship and guidance so that they can switch positions. Lastly, we place great importance on individuals who are receptive to feedback and use it to improve their work. This is a critical aspect of what we do.
We are a very close-knit team that enjoys joking around with each other. When a new member joins, we meet on Monday with the entire team, where everyone introduces themselves, including those from different departments. In my experience, Brazilians are naturally welcoming to everyone, so we rarely have issues.
Our studio is also very diverse, with members from the Trans and Black communities. The ratio between men and women is well-balanced, and our CEO is a woman. Therefore, we strive to ensure that BitCake is an inclusive and welcoming place for anyone who joins the team.
Tips for Artists
When searching for new team members, we seek out individuals driven to advance their careers, whether in their areas of expertise or leadership roles.
We don't necessarily require a master's or bachelor's degree, but we value a solid portfolio and the willingness to receive feedback and improve.
At BitCake, we encourage our team members to prioritize their growth and development. So keep building a portfolio of things you actually want to be working on and you'll get there!