It makes SO MUCH sense that Luca worked on gambling games. Vampire Survivors is a game that knows how to get its hooks into you, but not in a scummy way.
Very fun idea with the custom puppet. You could've gone with a black screen, visualizer or anything but you chose to go the extra mile and make the video more entertaining. That extra effort you put into everything is why I love noclip.
@@hansolowe19 If you look closely, you'll see that the puppet was actually done by Danny himself after the interview was recorded. I can't find the clip, but I believe when he was younger Danny wanted to be a professional puppeteer and spent Hundreds of hours honing the craft. What you are witnessing in this video, is nothing less than Puppetry Perfected!
I love that this game doesn't shy away from making you ridiculously overpowered. It understands that this can also be fun if you worked your way towards being so OP.
And the game also lets you nerf yourself in so many ways. Once you unlock everything, you can be as overpowered or as weak as you want. Both are fun ways to experiment with the game and your knowledge of it.
You can be ridiculously over powered! so much that if you want to ever play your favourite character again your two options are nerf yourself or buy a new pc!
When I started vampire survivors, I thought "this is it?" but after about a half an hour I realized how amazing it is. I'm glad to hear the people behind it are amazing as well.
As someone who played Holocure first, a game inspired by it but with a lot more "baggage" (to put it in the smallest amount of words I can think of RN), and only recently started playing this game on my phone, it is very nice but the first impression, playing with Antonio and having to become decent at using him, to unlock an easier character to play at the start is a barrier to entry. But at least it helps sell you on the vibe of the game. It is fun but loses a lot from being played on a big keyboard when it is that simple and you have nothing to do with basically one entire hand besides occasionally interacting with the level up or pause menus (why I like playing Holocure a lot more on PC, since you can aim your weapons one hand and also do some other mechanics, while moving with your other hand at all times), at least looking back at how I bought and refunded the game on steam back before it went up in price. Now with the silly yet entertaining Among Us dlc, and giving a longer try (with the game being free for the base game on mobile), I feel like buying it if only to show support, since as he says on the interview: "it is a game with low production value" (at least at the base of it, certainly with all the people working on it and the more elaborate stuff they've put into the game it isn't so true anymore) yet still does a lot with it to be entertaining and replayable. And I certainly wish to see what else the team can do both in this game and in future games.
80 hours on Vampire Survivors and all achievements unlocked. I pretty much drop everything the moment the game is patched just to see what new insanity has been added. Easily one of my most played games of the past year or so and I wish Luca continued success with such a unique little gem.
Kicking myself for not listening to friends suggesting this game until recently. Once I finally sat down to play it I could not stop. It's only been five days but I've dreamt of it every night and wake up so excited to get a chance to play the new characters I unlocked or go after some relic! Last night I played it until I was falling asleep during my last run, and my eyes kept closing then pop back open and I'd be running straight into a pack of mobs and getting hit. I know one of the reviews said it was like crack so now I understand.
Yep. Like, Doom wasn't the first FPS, but it was the best at the time, and it's the one that keeps kicking to this day. It was actually nice to hear the dev acknowledge that he was influenced by other games, instead of being pretensious about his ideas.
it litteraly is the genesis of the bullet heaven genre, earlier games was did not make it so far. i hope he does a shmup or a pinball next game anyway I hope we'll see more games from him.
I still play Magic Survival. VS is just Magic Survival with a few more game mechanics (like goals and unlocking). The core game loop is completely identical.
He barely mentioned it though. Vampire Survivors was a complete knockoff of Magic Survival during the early days, like obviously stealing the ideas and game concept. Luca should pay the developer of Magic Survival because it was essentially stolen ideas that got VS to get popular in the first place.
I don't know about *paying* the Magic Survival dev but I certainly think more mention of its influence should be brought up. I honestly didn't even know about Magic Survival being an inspiration for VS until just a couple months ago. I had honestly thought VS was unique and jump-started the 'survival reverse bullet hell' genre on its own.
The whole story is really amazing. Something barely existing with the right idea for fun got it's golden chance to pop off, and Luca made sure to not let that slide. And not only did it write the history of Vampire Survivors, but also for many other great games inspired by it. Respect!
I had the pleasure to meet Luca when working at Marmalade, he wasn't there for too long and we had only a few interactions but he was always a very nice guy. I'm very happy for him and his success, it's a dream a lot of us working with games have and we have to celebrate everytime one gets there 😄
What started off as a passing amusement on my mobile turned into a deep impression of a game that understood exactly what it wants to be and delivers polished gameplay and a sense of discovery that puts many other modern games to shame. Vampire Survivors made me realise that all these years the thing I've missed most in gaming is a game that just wants to provide a fun experience without all the trappings of predatory monetisation or psychological manipulation for marketing purposes.
You just said it, Pal. The main thing that still has me in awe about Vampire Survivors is that the only thing it asks of me is to play it. I feel like a teen again going going out of my way to look up guides and watch videos to know how to unlock/achieve stuff in the game. I really LOVE the old idea of video games made just to be played with and enjoyed without anything else but your time an effort. This game is just amazing. Have a nice day!
The success of Vampire Survivors demonstrates that gamers don't need fancy graphics and complex stories to have fun, and also demonstrates the fact that the next big new genre is out there, sleeping in the brain juice of some person, waiting to come out.
I think more than "gamers don't need fancy graphics" is "gamers don't need complex mechanics" Because there are a lot of pixel art games, trying to emulate "the good old times" but they have so many mechanics into them that for those wanting a casual gameplay really struggle. VS you just need to literally walk around! Most games nowadays you have to attack, special, jump, dash, parry, block, roll, switch weapons, switch skills, aim, combo and the list goes on...
@@catzor4795 I think the industry has enough space for all kinds of games. Of course, VS is as simple as it gets, but a game doesn't need complicated mechanics for it to has depth. They are two separate things.
@@gabrieldias3479 Yeah, VS is great, but people too often think that when one thing becomes a success, everything else should be the same. This kind of trend starring is when caused the AAA games to be so shit. Accept VS for what it did, and don't stop making the games you wanted to make first, because that's what VS and all the other successes did.
I watch NoClip because it encourages me to keep creating, no matter the obstacle(s). Luca could have given up, stayed in McD’s or gone home to Italy. He didn’t need to stay and learn English, grinding on his personal project by making time through the night. An incredibly inspiring story. Thanks!
This is the first game I've played in a LONG that gave me the same feeling of blowing out a cartridge and slipping it into my NES as a kid. It's just about pure, simple fun executed to near perfection.
My buddy recently showed me this game on Xbox and it took me a round or two to really get into it, but as soon I realized it's basically Castlevania Reference: The Game and figured out the possibilities of different builds I ended up really enjoying. It's a blast when I wanna get just a little bit of gaming in. Not to mention it's a quality game that's FREE WITH NO ADS on phones. That blew my mind. There are ads, but only if you want a free revive or some bonus gold at the end of a round.
amazing documentary for one the best games of the decade, thank you so much And I love that sentiment about "this feels wrong, we need to make it crappier", it hits so close to the heart. Because you know, sometimes the less is better
I don’t know much about art or history, but I think this idea was the main idea of the impressionist art revolution. Impressionist art was critiqued as nothing more than a sketch, but in reality the impressionists’ goal was about painting outdoors and quickly capturing a moment of time, of which it’d be impossible to do at a high level of detail, focusing more on replicating the color, lighting and a sense of movement. By building a game with lower quality assets, the developer can focusing more of his effort on creating more content, creating better gameplay, and crucially this workflow allows him to be fast enough for the game to grow up with its players. He can react in real time to how the players are playing his game and use that to influence his next update.
Luca is a really interesting guy and I hope him and the team continue to put out content for VS and, eventually, a new game. Also, huge respect for the value he puts on his own privacy.
I am so happy to see Splattercat mentioned in the video, him playing the game is what made me buy it! Thank you to Luca & his team for this masterpiece!
When you see Splat plays a game, no matter how hyped he is when he plays it, if you can feel the frustration or boredom underneath (even if it's a sponsored playthrough), you can bet a game isn't worth the time. But if he sounds like he's kinda having a blast, no matter how he's trying to hold it down (for whatever reason), you can tell the game might be fun.
Love it, huge hug to Splat for sharing it, and Luca for producing it! The whole thing started such a huge wave of so many new games produced in this style, pure magic.
This back story is incredible. Its awesome to see this was more of a “landing among the stars” story than a “shooting for the moon”. The drive, honesty, kindness and humanity that the team has shown is very endearing. I am even happier that I bought the game 3 times and all the DLC. Grazie Luca!
I put so many hours into Magic Survival about a year before Vampire Survivors Prototype came out. Makes me sad that it never really got the credit it deserved because it was a really cool concept and the first I've seen of evolving weapons in a Roguelike style. However I'm grateful to Vampire Survivors for making the genre really take off and spawning so many great games with it!
@@Revalopod Hey if we are going back that far we should mention the Boxhead flash series as well lol. Top down zombie shooter on flash. Used to play it on Newgrounds
It's kinda disgusting how VS was basically a complete knockoff of Magic Survival in the early days. It wasn't Lucas touch that made VS good, it was the stolen gameplay and concepts from Magic Survival that people loved, and Luca just themed them with an asset pack (that also violated copyrights..)
I think Luca might be a literal genius, being able to design systems that support all the game interactions, visuals, sounds, etc. that go into making a tiny game gigantic. The fact that he basically makes it super easy to add in content is a massive lift in and of itself.
I love how he shared his experience on playing one step from Eden and how he loved the 3 button presses to playing a new run. He made it into VS in his own way and it works amazing. It’s amazing how he genuinely just loves his job and his creation
VS is a game that had no business being as popular as it is, but once you play it you realize that it does everything right when it comes to gameplay, that most games (especially AAA) get wrong.
It also taps into some critical psychological elements. Slot machines (which VS basically is) are SUPER compelling and addictive due to the fact that it takes advantage of some very strong evolutionary drives.
you mean, it has “every” business to be as popular as it is. This was a game made to be fun and addictive without having actual evil or evil intent like it’s gambling roots.
@@tl1326 I meant what I said. It has no business being as popular as it is because he's using marketplace assets and it's a very low effort game. His words, not mine. The game also has no actual gambling roots, he based his game on Magic Survival, which also features level up choices. So even that concept wasn't new.
There is something about this game that triggers something in my brain that is just pure joy from start to finish. I've never gotten so much value from something so cheap. The first DLC was freaking amazing
I had a feeling he was about my age because how the game really clicks with us 80s babies. Fantastic work as always, you guys make the best docs about gaming.
Now I would be interested in a technical documentary of this! It looks like the waves patterns and incoming enemies come already from way far far far in the game world map? Plus all the collisions, hit testing, etc… they seem to be circles, but they are tons of thousands of them! Constant hierarchy or spatial partitioning? I haven’t played this game myself but have watched others over the shoulder and even just that is a treat to watch. Glad to hear about the overwhelming success specially after learning about its humble beginnings. Clever move to keep the personal side under the radar, I think I would do the same if it ever happened to me. Great documentary, great puppet approach.
I'm so happy for this man, oh my god! The way he talks about all the details, weapons, why everything called what, where he got this /that idea, pure joy.
Honestly the best thing with Vampire Survivors does is the fact that you can just pick it up, play a few hours, and then go do something else for a while. It doesn't demand that you play it and nothing else. It's fantastic to just take a break and go hunting for those pesky vampires that we have yet to find. You aren't punished for putting it down to play something else. There's not so much content the game gets overwhelming. It's a game made to have fun first and foremost. Also that Vampire Muppet is fantastic
I remember buying the game in early 2022 because I had a few bucks to spare on Steam and saw this game on a sale. Back then I do not remember the game being as big, and I was surprised that I managed to find this hidden gem so early on as I was addicted. Then a few weeks later, I see Asmongold playing and I was blown away how huge the game got from when I initially played it. Congratulations to the developers!
Whilst that's crazy magic survival was similar, though I think it's biggest popularity spike came after vampire survivors I remember for a long time it teetering around 10k downloads
Luca sounds like a pretty nice fella, he sounds earnest and laid back. It's always cool when success happens to humble people. Also love the puppet. 🦇🧛♂🦇
I have always wanted to hear and listen to what the creator has to say about his project. Vampire Survivors is truely one of the biggest suprises for me. And it came to the point where I want to support the creator more, because the price for the game and DLC is worth more imo.
Hey mystery Vampire Survivors creator Luca. Just want to say I have had a great time playing your game and love to see underdogs win! You have joined a small club of indie developers that have become shooting stars. That's something to be proud of.
Absolutely love the custom puppet you all used overall another fantastic documentary on a big surprise game. Truly once you start its hard to not like Vampire Survivors.
Little did he know that he not only re-invented and re-introduced the Bullet Heaven/Reverse Bullet Hell genre, but he also put the edge for this genre so high up, that even today, after hundreds of other devs and dev teams, whom made more or less pretty good Bullet Heaven games, Vampire Survivors still stands at the top.
What a beautiful story about a game that's legitimately one of the most fun games I've played in years. Luca and team deserve every bit of success for creating this game. :)
What another wonderful documentary! The puppet is a nice touch of extra hard work, and most (if not all) really appreciate it! Keep up the good work! You are doing a favor for future generations!
I only within the past 2 months found this game, and bought it on switch after watching a RUclips play of it. One of the most fun games I have ever played, thanks for the video.
The stuff that poncle keeps pumping out consistently is fantastic. The last couple of maps have been insane. Amazing documentary on the development of an amazing game.
Hearing Luca's story is really inspiring. It's a great game and the little references to old games are amazing. Luca obviously knows his game history. Such a simple concept implemented really well in a daring style was definitely the right choice. I am yet to finish it, but I've enjoyed it so much so far. Can't wait to see where Luca and the team at Poncle go in the future.
Holy shit Danny this is incredible. What an awesome idea and way to respect all involved. Really cool to have someone so passionate from GB to now covering things
Nice to see/hear about the creation of one of my favorite games of the last years. So many hours sunken into this easy but complex game. It is brilliant.
Honestly, I also love the "crappy" look/feel to the game something about it is so endearing I am so glad that they made it like that on purpose and are working extra to keep it that way 😂 us folks who grew up on old pixelated games know that flashier and shinier does not always mean better!
The best thing I'll say about this guy is that the game is completely free on the app stores now. Like there are ads. But it's only for a revive or to boost your money. And it's not like other games that hinder your progress because it's free. Nope just the full free game. With ads for assistance. I haven't even used them because I know the game so well now. Love this dev.
Extreme quality documentary, congratulations! I enjoyed getting to know the story of Luca and his team, for me as a beginner gamedev, it is inspiring to know stories like this, and the difficulties involved in the process.
Consistently the best video game related documentaries on this platform, well done Noclip yet again. Also, a huge well done to the dev for creating a recipe that is doomed to succeed; simple, fun, addictive mechanics, no handholding, 30-minute sessions at an overwhelmingly fair price. very few games can coax 100 hours out of a player for
Ths thing is that now I will always perceive Luca as this puppet and not acknowledge that he even has a human form. But it's also cool how he said he priced the game in a "fair way" rather than a "smart way." It makes sense from an expectation standpoint, but it's also probably one of the reasons the game was able to take off so quickly. I know I bought it simply because I was like "hey it's only $3."
Very good documentary. It’s pretty fascinating to hear about all the things that went into this development, and how he still produces things in JavaScript first and then the ideas get ported over. A passion project turned into an endearing game with a great community
As someone who grew up with games of the Vampire Survivors art style, I absolutely love it. It is one my most played games on my Steam Deck, it is perfect for the platform. Low power usage and unlimited fun, one of absolute favorites.
What a coincidence. I just finished 100%ing the game(and both DLCs). I originally used cheats to unlock everything but fell so in love with the game that I reset my save and did it again without cheats. Great video. Thank you, Luca, and the entire Poncle team! Congrats on the well deserved BAFTA. I’m trying so hard to resist the urge to reset again.
This video made me realize that with 11 hours in the game I have only scratched the surface when it felt like I had done most of what the game has to offer lmao
We desperately need more people like Luca in the game industry. Real OG gamers that know the market and not those old cutpurses that we have now in charge of the big gaming companies. I've arrived late on the Vampire Survivors craze and first played on my cellphone (a real sh*tty normal one) and it runs amazingly even with tons of effects covering the screen. Huge props to all the programmers there!
This is such an awesome story and is so well deserved for Luca, ive played vampire survivors more in the past year than any other game ive spent way more on.
It makes SO MUCH sense that Luca worked on gambling games. Vampire Survivors is a game that knows how to get its hooks into you, but not in a scummy way.
It explains many of those slot-machine effects when you pick up the treasures.
the damn song when opening a chest so good
totally, and it only needs players participation for it to take its effects
I always rant and rave about the genius behind a lot of subtle game mechanics that make it so good, and now I know how that happened.
like genuinely took the right lessons from designing gambling games, doesn't happen often enough.
Very fun idea with the custom puppet. You could've gone with a black screen, visualizer or anything but you chose to go the extra mile and make the video more entertaining. That extra effort you put into everything is why I love noclip.
Yea I first balked at the puppet, then loved it.
Or sent the puppet to Luca and have him use it while talking.
@@hansolowe19
If you look closely, you'll see that the puppet was actually done by Danny himself after the interview was recorded.
I can't find the clip, but I believe when he was younger Danny wanted to be a professional puppeteer and spent Hundreds of hours honing the craft.
What you are witnessing in this video, is nothing less than Puppetry Perfected!
@@franka4312 I know. I'm saying that would have been funny.
Totally 100% agree
I love that this game doesn't shy away from making you ridiculously overpowered. It understands that this can also be fun if you worked your way towards being so OP.
And the game also lets you nerf yourself in so many ways.
Once you unlock everything, you can be as overpowered or as weak as you want. Both are fun ways to experiment with the game and your knowledge of it.
You can be ridiculously over powered! so much that if you want to ever play your favourite character again your two options are nerf yourself or buy a new pc!
Great yt profile picture
@@zoso1up haha, same mate ;D
When I started vampire survivors, I thought "this is it?" but after about a half an hour I realized how amazing it is. I'm glad to hear the people behind it are amazing as well.
As a huge fan of Binding of Isaac, not being able to control attacks almost made me quit it early. I'm so glad I didn't.
As someone who played Holocure first, a game inspired by it but with a lot more "baggage" (to put it in the smallest amount of words I can think of RN), and only recently started playing this game on my phone, it is very nice but the first impression, playing with Antonio and having to become decent at using him, to unlock an easier character to play at the start is a barrier to entry. But at least it helps sell you on the vibe of the game.
It is fun but loses a lot from being played on a big keyboard when it is that simple and you have nothing to do with basically one entire hand besides occasionally interacting with the level up or pause menus (why I like playing Holocure a lot more on PC, since you can aim your weapons one hand and also do some other mechanics, while moving with your other hand at all times), at least looking back at how I bought and refunded the game on steam back before it went up in price. Now with the silly yet entertaining Among Us dlc, and giving a longer try (with the game being free for the base game on mobile), I feel like buying it if only to show support, since as he says on the interview: "it is a game with low production value" (at least at the base of it, certainly with all the people working on it and the more elaborate stuff they've put into the game it isn't so true anymore) yet still does a lot with it to be entertaining and replayable. And I certainly wish to see what else the team can do both in this game and in future games.
80 hours on Vampire Survivors and all achievements unlocked. I pretty much drop everything the moment the game is patched just to see what new insanity has been added. Easily one of my most played games of the past year or so and I wish Luca continued success with such a unique little gem.
never say you're done with vampire survivors lol
Kicking myself for not listening to friends suggesting this game until recently. Once I finally sat down to play it I could not stop. It's only been five days but I've dreamt of it every night and wake up so excited to get a chance to play the new characters I unlocked or go after some relic! Last night I played it until I was falling asleep during my last run, and my eyes kept closing then pop back open and I'd be running straight into a pack of mobs and getting hit. I know one of the reviews said it was like crack so now I understand.
Me too - every update I binge until I unlock all secrets characters and unlocks like an addict 😆
I have 1k hours and about 70% of those hours were me afk gold farming 😅
Mine is 50+ hours with all achievements. Can not wait for couch co-op update
While not the first 'bullet heaven' or 'one-stick shooter', Luca's game certainly revolutionized and re-popularized the genre. Kudos!
Yep. Like, Doom wasn't the first FPS, but it was the best at the time, and it's the one that keeps kicking to this day.
It was actually nice to hear the dev acknowledge that he was influenced by other games, instead of being pretensious about his ideas.
It just reminds me of Smash TV.
@@_ajweir I'd buy that for a dollar!
it litteraly is the genesis of the bullet heaven genre, earlier games was did not make it so far. i hope he does a shmup or a pinball next game anyway I hope we'll see more games from him.
@@_ajweirBIG MONEY; BIG PRIZES, I LOVE IT!
The amount of hours I sunk into this game across three platforms for not even the price of a coffee is bonkers! So much love for this game!
Great documentary, and big props to Luca for acknowledging Magic Survival. Humble despite having popularised the idea into its own genre.
I played Magic Survival more than half a year before Vampire Survivor came out. Definitely was the inspiration for Vampire Survivor.
I still play Magic Survival. VS is just Magic Survival with a few more game mechanics (like goals and unlocking). The core game loop is completely identical.
He barely mentioned it though. Vampire Survivors was a complete knockoff of Magic Survival during the early days, like obviously stealing the ideas and game concept. Luca should pay the developer of Magic Survival because it was essentially stolen ideas that got VS to get popular in the first place.
@darukineo How _does_ it work?
I don't know about *paying* the Magic Survival dev but I certainly think more mention of its influence should be brought up. I honestly didn't even know about Magic Survival being an inspiration for VS until just a couple months ago. I had honestly thought VS was unique and jump-started the 'survival reverse bullet hell' genre on its own.
The whole story is really amazing. Something barely existing with the right idea for fun got it's golden chance to pop off, and Luca made sure to not let that slide. And not only did it write the history of Vampire Survivors, but also for many other great games inspired by it. Respect!
yo dex :)
dex!
Give this man 1k+ likes
You look familiar. :P
You deserved to be mentioned as well Dex! I've had so much fun watching you dissecting every weapon, stage and character in the game :)
I had the pleasure to meet Luca when working at Marmalade, he wasn't there for too long and we had only a few interactions but he was always a very nice guy. I'm very happy for him and his success, it's a dream a lot of us working with games have and we have to celebrate everytime one gets there 😄
The custom puppet was just perfect, absolutely perfecto.
I love how you gave us something entertaining to watch whilst respecting Luca's privacy
I legit bought the DLC without a thought just because this guy deserves it. Thank you for providing a quality game for all of us!
What started off as a passing amusement on my mobile turned into a deep impression of a game that understood exactly what it wants to be and delivers polished gameplay and a sense of discovery that puts many other modern games to shame. Vampire Survivors made me realise that all these years the thing I've missed most in gaming is a game that just wants to provide a fun experience without all the trappings of predatory monetisation or psychological manipulation for marketing purposes.
You just said it, Pal. The main thing that still has me in awe about Vampire Survivors is that the only thing it asks of me is to play it. I feel like a teen again going going out of my way to look up guides and watch videos to know how to unlock/achieve stuff in the game. I really LOVE the old idea of video games made just to be played with and enjoyed without anything else but your time an effort. This game is just amazing. Have a nice day!
The success of Vampire Survivors demonstrates that gamers don't need fancy graphics and complex stories to have fun, and also demonstrates the fact that the next big new genre is out there, sleeping in the brain juice of some person, waiting to come out.
I think more than "gamers don't need fancy graphics" is "gamers don't need complex mechanics"
Because there are a lot of pixel art games, trying to emulate "the good old times" but they have so many mechanics into them that for those wanting a casual gameplay really struggle.
VS you just need to literally walk around!
Most games nowadays you have to attack, special, jump, dash, parry, block, roll, switch weapons, switch skills, aim, combo and the list goes on...
@@gabrieldias3479It's the opposite. Games need to have more depth and lessen being a movie.
Video games are a form of art you need all the elements to work in synergy and that's what makes a great game.
@@catzor4795 I think the industry has enough space for all kinds of games.
Of course, VS is as simple as it gets, but a game doesn't need complicated mechanics for it to has depth. They are two separate things.
@@gabrieldias3479 Yeah, VS is great, but people too often think that when one thing becomes a success, everything else should be the same. This kind of trend starring is when caused the AAA games to be so shit.
Accept VS for what it did, and don't stop making the games you wanted to make first, because that's what VS and all the other successes did.
I watch NoClip because it encourages me to keep creating, no matter the obstacle(s).
Luca could have given up, stayed in McD’s or gone home to Italy.
He didn’t need to stay and learn English, grinding on his personal project by making time through the night.
An incredibly inspiring story.
Thanks!
I love how he takes the gambling feel from his past, and removes the harm in it to improve his game.
ok i had no idea what this puppet was for when it was discussed in passing. but now, now i understand and demand ALL future docs are puppet-related.
The puppet was fun to make! I'm happy to see it used the way it was! I have a video on how i made it if anybody was curious as well!
It was really a great job. Congratulations
We need more documentaries done via puppet
But maybe next time send them a decent mic first.
@@unvergebeneid I’m pretty sure it’s a zoom call. So that’s about as good as you’re gonna get.
@@JeffReams well I suppose they can record on their end. It's not always the easiest thing to coordinate when people are busy.
@@JeffReams not really, even with video calls, a good mic makes a huge difference.
lol id be a welcome one
This is the first game I've played in a LONG that gave me the same feeling of blowing out a cartridge and slipping it into my NES as a kid. It's just about pure, simple fun executed to near perfection.
This game is art, this comment is poetry
The Christmas tree story genuinely got me crying. So happy for the dude.
Thanks to Vampire Survivor, I played this game more than I played myself.
My buddy recently showed me this game on Xbox and it took me a round or two to really get into it, but as soon I realized it's basically Castlevania Reference: The Game and figured out the possibilities of different builds I ended up really enjoying. It's a blast when I wanna get just a little bit of gaming in.
Not to mention it's a quality game that's FREE WITH NO ADS on phones. That blew my mind. There are ads, but only if you want a free revive or some bonus gold at the end of a round.
Vampire survivors on iOS was a gamer changer for me, loved it at home, but now it rules my life
I imagine it as like
"Oh hey, Vampire Survivors is up on iOS!" *Taps download*
"I've... made a terrible mistake"
amazing documentary for one the best games of the decade, thank you so much
And I love that sentiment about "this feels wrong, we need to make it crappier", it hits so close to the heart. Because you know, sometimes the less is better
I don’t know much about art or history, but I think this idea was the main idea of the impressionist art revolution.
Impressionist art was critiqued as nothing more than a sketch, but in reality the impressionists’ goal was about painting outdoors and quickly capturing a moment of time, of which it’d be impossible to do at a high level of detail, focusing more on replicating the color, lighting and a sense of movement.
By building a game with lower quality assets, the developer can focusing more of his effort on creating more content, creating better gameplay, and crucially this workflow allows him to be fast enough for the game to grow up with its players. He can react in real time to how the players are playing his game and use that to influence his next update.
Luca is a really interesting guy and I hope him and the team continue to put out content for VS and, eventually, a new game. Also, huge respect for the value he puts on his own privacy.
I am so happy to see Splattercat mentioned in the video, him playing the game is what made me buy it! Thank you to Luca & his team for this masterpiece!
Same here. First time i heard of VS was in Splattys channel. Great channel and great game
When you see Splat plays a game, no matter how hyped he is when he plays it, if you can feel the frustration or boredom underneath (even if it's a sponsored playthrough), you can bet a game isn't worth the time.
But if he sounds like he's kinda having a blast, no matter how he's trying to hold it down (for whatever reason), you can tell the game might be fun.
Love it, huge hug to Splat for sharing it, and Luca for producing it! The whole thing started such a huge wave of so many new games produced in this style, pure magic.
This back story is incredible. Its awesome to see this was more of a “landing among the stars” story than a “shooting for the moon”. The drive, honesty, kindness and humanity that the team has shown is very endearing. I am even happier that I bought the game 3 times and all the DLC. Grazie Luca!
Mad respect for both Luca and noclip. The puppet is absolutely hilarious.
I put so many hours into Magic Survival about a year before Vampire Survivors Prototype came out. Makes me sad that it never really got the credit it deserved because it was a really cool concept and the first I've seen of evolving weapons in a Roguelike style.
However I'm grateful to Vampire Survivors for making the genre really take off and spawning so many great games with it!
yeah shouts out to magic survival that game slaps
shoutout to crimsonland from like 2003 for being a really good arena shooter with levelling up and picking perks
@@Revalopod Hey if we are going back that far we should mention the Boxhead flash series as well lol. Top down zombie shooter on flash. Used to play it on Newgrounds
@@WageringWaffle I vaguely remember that
It's kinda disgusting how VS was basically a complete knockoff of Magic Survival in the early days. It wasn't Lucas touch that made VS good, it was the stolen gameplay and concepts from Magic Survival that people loved, and Luca just themed them with an asset pack (that also violated copyrights..)
This game is unreal. I've not had as much fun in literally years playing any game
Nothing so special for me actually with have move content spells and levelling mechanics, the game is actually tower defance game without the towers
@@midnightblue3285You are the tower
I think Luca might be a literal genius, being able to design systems that support all the game interactions, visuals, sounds, etc. that go into making a tiny game gigantic. The fact that he basically makes it super easy to add in content is a massive lift in and of itself.
I love hearing stories about how games are made because it highlights how hard the developers work to bring content to fans.
I love how he shared his experience on playing one step from Eden and how he loved the 3 button presses to playing a new run. He made it into VS in his own way and it works amazing. It’s amazing how he genuinely just loves his job and his creation
VS is a game that had no business being as popular as it is, but once you play it you realize that it does everything right when it comes to gameplay, that most games (especially AAA) get wrong.
It also taps into some critical psychological elements. Slot machines (which VS basically is) are SUPER compelling and addictive due to the fact that it takes advantage of some very strong evolutionary drives.
you mean,
it has “every” business to be as popular as it is.
This was a game made to be fun and addictive without having actual evil or evil intent like it’s gambling roots.
@@tl1326 I meant what I said. It has no business being as popular as it is because he's using marketplace assets and it's a very low effort game. His words, not mine. The game also has no actual gambling roots, he based his game on Magic Survival, which also features level up choices. So even that concept wasn't new.
The docu's lenght is that of 1 run of Vampire Survivors and I love it XD
There is something about this game that triggers something in my brain that is just pure joy from start to finish. I've never gotten so much value from something so cheap. The first DLC was freaking amazing
It's so DAMN STYLISH AND COOL
It's a dopamine receptor fryer, games like this are the scum of the industry
Retro games ?
@@MEICKK You want to kill more and level up, come back and play again, deffinetly a money grap marketting technique
I had a feeling he was about my age because how the game really clicks with us 80s babies.
Fantastic work as always, you guys make the best docs about gaming.
It reminded me of early dos games for IBM PC. Top down pixel games that start simple but get tough later on, whilst being simple controls.
@@cattysplat Agreed man!
Now I would be interested in a technical documentary of this! It looks like the waves patterns and incoming enemies come already from way far far far in the game world map? Plus all the collisions, hit testing, etc… they seem to be circles, but they are tons of thousands of them! Constant hierarchy or spatial partitioning?
I haven’t played this game myself but have watched others over the shoulder and even just that is a treat to watch.
Glad to hear about the overwhelming success specially after learning about its humble beginnings.
Clever move to keep the personal side under the radar, I think I would do the same if it ever happened to me.
Great documentary, great puppet approach.
I'm so happy for this man, oh my god!
The way he talks about all the details, weapons, why everything called what, where he got this /that idea, pure joy.
I would watch gladly a 2 hours cut of this documentary...
Honestly the best thing with Vampire Survivors does is the fact that you can just pick it up, play a few hours, and then go do something else for a while. It doesn't demand that you play it and nothing else. It's fantastic to just take a break and go hunting for those pesky vampires that we have yet to find. You aren't punished for putting it down to play something else. There's not so much content the game gets overwhelming. It's a game made to have fun first and foremost.
Also that Vampire Muppet is fantastic
I remember buying the game in early 2022 because I had a few bucks to spare on Steam and saw this game on a sale. Back then I do not remember the game being as big, and I was surprised that I managed to find this hidden gem so early on as I was addicted. Then a few weeks later, I see Asmongold playing and I was blown away how huge the game got from when I initially played it. Congratulations to the developers!
It not just Asmongold. Freaking Pekora among most of Hololive played the game as well, contributing to its popularity.
@@Mewseeker I learned the game from Sodapoppin.I think he was the earliest to play it in January
Whilst that's crazy magic survival was similar, though I think it's biggest popularity spike came after vampire survivors I remember for a long time it teetering around 10k downloads
some of the things happening in the gameplay clips I have legit never seen and I've played for like 40 hours, that's wild! Way cool Noclip!
Vampire Survivors introduced me to a whole new genre of games that I didn't even know I wanted until I played Vampire Survivors
The moment you first pick up Garlic in this game and then suddenly everything clicks - that's a very special gaming core memory right there!
Luca sounds like a pretty nice fella, he sounds earnest and laid back. It's always cool when success happens to humble people. Also love the puppet. 🦇🧛♂🦇
The documentary I’ve been waiting months for. 🙏🏼
Haven’t felt any of the subject matter in recent months, but I’m all about this video
I have always wanted to hear and listen to what the creator has to say about his project. Vampire Survivors is truely one of the biggest suprises for me. And it came to the point where I want to support the creator more, because the price for the game and DLC is worth more imo.
The length of this video is just perfect for this game!
Hey mystery Vampire Survivors creator Luca. Just want to say I have had a great time playing your game and love to see underdogs win! You have joined a small club of indie developers that have become shooting stars. That's something to be proud of.
Thanks for all the smiles Luca.
You a real one 😎
I love success stories like these because it proves yet again: Gameplay > Graphics, something the Triple A industry just doesn't get
Absolutely love the custom puppet you all used overall another fantastic documentary on a big surprise game. Truly once you start its hard to not like Vampire Survivors.
What a legend and a great support team as well. Massive kudos to Luca and all the devs for making a game that just keeps giving ❤
Been waiting for this one! Congrats to the team on another amazing documentary!
Little did he know that he not only re-invented and re-introduced the Bullet Heaven/Reverse Bullet Hell genre, but he also put the edge for this genre so high up, that even today, after hundreds of other devs and dev teams, whom made more or less pretty good Bullet Heaven games, Vampire Survivors still stands at the top.
What a beautiful story about a game that's legitimately one of the most fun games I've played in years. Luca and team deserve every bit of success for creating this game. :)
I had no idea how much I wanted this. When it showed up while I was scrolling endlessly through my recommendations, though, I clicky so fast.
What another wonderful documentary! The puppet is a nice touch of extra hard work, and most (if not all) really appreciate it! Keep up the good work! You are doing a favor for future generations!
You can feel the gambling influence. The "chime" sound of collecting rupees is addicting, and I love when I hear a ton of them
Poncle and his team restored my faith in the videogame industry. May the vampire gods bless them.
Whoever come up with the muppet style puppet is a genius idea, love it.
I want to give an extremely big thanks for the devs releasing a MacOS port. Racked up 100hrs playing this amazing game on my MacBook.
I only within the past 2 months found this game, and bought it on switch after watching a RUclips play of it. One of the most fun games I have ever played, thanks for the video.
The stuff that poncle keeps pumping out consistently is fantastic. The last couple of maps have been insane.
Amazing documentary on the development of an amazing game.
Noclip consistently being the best in the biz, congrats on such a cool exclusive interview!
To be a solo developer to not only create a WILDLY successful game, but to define an ENTIRE genre of game?! The ultimate dream.
this genre started in the 80s with NES
@@Samtino20what was it called?
Hearing Luca's story is really inspiring. It's a great game and the little references to old games are amazing. Luca obviously knows his game history. Such a simple concept implemented really well in a daring style was definitely the right choice. I am yet to finish it, but I've enjoyed it so much so far. Can't wait to see where Luca and the team at Poncle go in the future.
Holy shit Danny this is incredible. What an awesome idea and way to respect all involved. Really cool to have someone so passionate from GB to now covering things
GB?
Really enjoyed the puppet. Amazing. Getting an insight into Luca was great too
Criminally underrated channel. You got me hooked on your Hades coverage, but I'll be DANGED if you just have not stopped cranking out bangers.
This puppet turn the video into the most adorable documentary I've ever seen!
Finally! I was really expecting this to happen from Noclip!
Nice to see/hear about the creation of one of my favorite games of the last years. So many hours sunken into this easy but complex game. It is brilliant.
Honestly, I also love the "crappy" look/feel to the game something about it is so endearing I am so glad that they made it like that on purpose and are working extra to keep it that way 😂 us folks who grew up on old pixelated games know that flashier and shinier does not always mean better!
The best thing I'll say about this guy is that the game is completely free on the app stores now. Like there are ads. But it's only for a revive or to boost your money. And it's not like other games that hinder your progress because it's free. Nope just the full free game. With ads for assistance. I haven't even used them because I know the game so well now. Love this dev.
Best way to use ads for a mobile game honestly
Ever since you showed us that puppet I've been waiting for this! :D
Extreme quality documentary, congratulations! I enjoyed getting to know the story of Luca and his team, for me as a beginner gamedev, it is inspiring to know stories like this, and the difficulties involved in the process.
A fantastic documentary, about a fantastic contribution to our games industry. Thanks Noclip, thanks Luca, thanks puppet Luca!
Consistently the best video game related documentaries on this platform, well done Noclip yet again.
Also, a huge well done to the dev for creating a recipe that is doomed to succeed; simple, fun, addictive mechanics, no handholding, 30-minute sessions at an overwhelmingly fair price.
very few games can coax 100 hours out of a player for
Ths thing is that now I will always perceive Luca as this puppet and not acknowledge that he even has a human form.
But it's also cool how he said he priced the game in a "fair way" rather than a "smart way." It makes sense from an expectation standpoint, but it's also probably one of the reasons the game was able to take off so quickly. I know I bought it simply because I was like "hey it's only $3."
"Hey, it's only $3." Famous last words before you drop 100+ hours into it - _-
23:42 The Clock Lancet is one of my favorite ones. It’s a big help when it’s maxed out and you’re being swarmed by ALL OF THE THINGS. Lol.
Psh, that stock footage of 3.5" floppies when discussing the C64 wounded me.
(Great video!)
Very good documentary. It’s pretty fascinating to hear about all the things that went into this development, and how he still produces things in JavaScript first and then the ideas get ported over. A passion project turned into an endearing game with a great community
As I put in my Steam review of Vampire Survivors: This is the best $3 I have ever spent.
As someone who grew up with games of the Vampire Survivors art style, I absolutely love it. It is one my most played games on my Steam Deck, it is perfect for the platform. Low power usage and unlimited fun, one of absolute favorites.
Shoutout to My Puppet Pal getting a nod in the credits.
What a coincidence. I just finished 100%ing the game(and both DLCs). I originally used cheats to unlock everything but fell so in love with the game that I reset my save and did it again without cheats. Great video. Thank you, Luca, and the entire Poncle team! Congrats on the well deserved BAFTA.
I’m trying so hard to resist the urge to reset again.
Now they have official amogus, contra, and castlevania dlc.
I'm curious how that happened.
A well deserved success, a very refreshing game that spawned an entire genre of its own.
they created a whole genre which gives me maximum dopamin
I didn't watch yet, do they talk about the mobile game where they copied the idea from?
@@akseli1093Yes, they mention it explicitly.
Yeah Luca literally mentions the game and says that he got the idea from that. Are you trying to be edgy?
@@Monnisti Edgy how? Thought it was weird people were still crediting him for creating the genre if they did talk about where it was copied from
Odd To Castlevania DLC just won Poncle the 🐐recognition. Thank you Luca! ❤️
Played this on mobile first, its deceptively amazing. I compare all other survivor games to VS. It’s the gold standard.
Splattercat I a true gem.
His style is fast and fluid.
He is knowledgeable and funny.
Great to have him review indie games and give them exposure.
This video made me realize that with 11 hours in the game I have only scratched the surface when it felt like I had done most of what the game has to offer lmao
11h? you have no idea lol
"You're a bloody puppet! A wee puppet man!" lol that was a fun watch. love the game
thank you for making this exactly 30 minutes long lol
We desperately need more people like Luca in the game industry. Real OG gamers that know the market and not those old cutpurses that we have now in charge of the big gaming companies.
I've arrived late on the Vampire Survivors craze and first played on my cellphone (a real sh*tty normal one) and it runs amazingly even with tons of effects covering the screen. Huge props to all the programmers there!
I have like 120 hours in this game. Homeboy made literal crack in video game form.
This is such an awesome story and is so well deserved for Luca, ive played vampire survivors more in the past year than any other game ive spent way more on.