openindie - your indie game podcast

Welcome to another dev talk episode of openindie! In this session, host Sarah sits down with Leo, the Creative Director at 6side Studio, to dive into the development of their debut commercial title, Dawn of Defense.

If you've ever wondered what happens when you mash up tower defense, real-time strategy, and roguelite mechanics, this episode is exactly what you need. Leo shares the fascinating origin story of the project, from sketching out territorial grid patterns on a whiteboard to securing state funding in Cologne by weaving an Asterix and Obelix-style Roman invasion into the game's core lore.

Throughout the talk, we get a highly transparent look at the indie development pipeline. Leo discusses the studio's massive Steam demo success which pulled in an impressive 30,000 players and how analyzing player feedback ultimately led to a complete economy rework and the introduction of hero units. He also opens up about the daunting world of pitching, sharing the story of their fateful road trip to Hamburg's "Pitch Level Up" event and how putting their pitch deck in front of industry professionals changed the studio's trajectory forever.

Packed with technical insights, clever design workarounds, and solid networking advice, this is a must-listen for strategy gamers and aspiring devs alike. Dawn of Defense is aiming for a Q4 2026 release, so be sure to go check out the demo on Steam!

Episode Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00
Mixing Genre: 2:07
TD Fans: 5:15
Idea for the Game: 9:17
The Release: 12:00
Dev Progress: 14:07
Managing Complexity: 19:53
Gameplay and Art Style: 25:55
Demo: 29:14
Feature to be proud of: 34:10
From Bug to Feature: 35:33
Dev Moment: 37:42
Publisher Search: 40:35
openindie Sidenote - Episode about publishing agreements: 45:53
6side Studio - Founding Story: 47:10
Indiegame scene in Germany: 53:01
Best and Worst part in being indie: 56:36
More advice for indie devs: 1:00:54
Next up for Leo: 1:02:34
Listen to & Support Us: 1:05:52
Outro: 1:07:22

As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

You've poured your heart into developing your game, a publisher shows interest, and suddenly you're staring at a contract full of terms you've never heard of. Our guest today is there to help you in that situation.
To kick off our brand-new format Behind the Build, Sarah sits down with René Otto, attorney and founder of Deviant Legal, a law firm built entirely for the games industry. René works with over 300 developers and publishers, and he's written a free, 20,000-word guide to help indie devs actually understand what they're signing.
You can get the guide here - no strings attached: https://deviantlegal.com/guide/game-developers-guide-publishing-agreements/
They break down the clauses that matter most: royalties, recoupment traps, perpetual licenses, and the confusing world of first negotiation, first refusal, and last refusal. René explains not just what these terms mean, but how they quietly work together and why a deal that looks fine on the surface can cost you everything.
Plus: the publisher who hid Easter eggs in their contract template, the developer who lost both their money and their game in a single deal, and why some publishers get suspicious when you don't negotiate.
A must-listen for any indie dev who's ever received a publishing offer, dreamed of one, or just wants to know what they're getting into before signing on the dotted line.
Episode Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00
Guest Intro: 1:38
Topic Overview: 5:48
Guide for Publishing Agreements: 12:26
Typical Red Flags: 15:08
Typical Legal Terms: 19:55
Important Sections in the Guide: 27:30
Owning IP Rights: 33:27
Negotiating Money: 36:05
Crafting Milestones: 42:33
Dealing with License Fees: 46:26
Handling Marketing: 49:28
Community Questions: 54:56
Example of a Great Publisher: 1:06:04
A Guide for Devs Worldwide: 1:09:24
Making Contracts More Accessible: 1:10:29
How René Became a Video Game Lawyer: 1:12:21
René's Law Firm: 1:19:48
The Pros and Cons of Being a Lawyer: 1:28:24
Sending a Message Back in Time: 1:31:25
Memorable Career Moments: 1:35:03
Advice for Devs Looking for a Publisher: 1:39:41
René's Next Steps: 1:42:31
Outro: 1:44:59
As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Sarah & iV sit down once again for a cozy chat about the indie games they really enjoyed playing in 2025 and the games they're most looking forward to in 2026.

If you're looking for great indie games to play, give the ones mentioned here a shot. We're pretty sure you won't regret it.

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EPISODE TIMESTAMPS
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TypInc.: 0:25
Blue Prince: 10:03
Keep Driving: 20:48
Dredge: 29:46
Vikings on Trampolines: 37:51
Shroom and Gloom: 41:50
Outro: 46:52

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GAMES FEATURED
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⌨️ TypInc.
Developer: Game Game Games
Genre: Deckbuilder Typing Game
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3230090/TypInc/

👑 Blue Prince
Developer: Dogubomb
Genre: Strategy Roguelike Puzzle Adventure
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1569580/Blue_Prince/

🚗 Keep Driving
Developer: Y/CJ/Y
Genre: Management RPG
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2756920/Keep_Driving/

🎣 Dredge
Developer: Black Salt Games
Genre: Mystery Fishing Strategy Adventure
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1562430/DREDGE/

🛝 Vikings on Trampolines
Developer: D-Pad Studio
Genre: Co-op Party Game
https://store.steampowered.com/app/748810/Vikings_On_Trampolines/

🍄 Shroom and Gloom
Developer: Team Lazerbeam
Genre: Card-based Roguelike Strategy
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3271280/Shroom_and_Gloom/

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What were the games you loved in 2025? Did our recommendations help you discover your next favorite game? We'd love to know!

If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about our show!

In this episode, we are trying something new! Instead of our usual developer interviews, Sarah and iV are sitting down to give you a dedicated review and deep dive into the unique indie gem, Cryptmaster.

We spent 30+ hours snooping around dungeons, typing frantically, and laughing at the Cryptmaster’s insults so you don't have to (but you definitely should).

Episode Timestamps:
The Cryptmaster is back: 0:00
Why this episode: 0:46
What is Cryptmaster: 1:30
The devs: 2:02
Gameplay mechanics: 2:45
Typing for treasure: 6:38
What makes it special: 8:18
Developing Cryptmaster: 11:06
Magic moments: 13:44
Conclusion: 17:48
Your thoughts: 19:33

The New Format: Why we are shifting gears to talk gameplay and personal reviews.
The Mechanics: How playing a game only with a keyboard (no mouse!) creates a frantic, fun, and immersive experience.
Real-Time vs. Turn-Based: The stress (and joy) of typing "HIT" or "ZAP" before a mosquito bites you.
Behind the Scenes: The fascinating story of how Cryptmaster originally started as a pirate game.
Voice Acting: How developer Lee Williams ended up voicing the sarcastic Cryptmaster himself.
Magic Moments: How not to Tomb Raid

Game Info:
Game: Cryptmaster
Developers: Paul Hart & Lee Williams
Genre: Dungeon Crawler Puzzle Adventure
Platforms: PC & Consoles

Links & Resources:
Full Interview with Developer Lee Williams: Episode #42
Find us here

Have you played Cryptmaster? Type your favorite word in the comments.

If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about our show!

Sarah sits down with Lee Williams, one half of the duo behind Cryptmaster, the word-based dungeon crawler that mixes 80s gamebook visuals with dark humor into one of the year’s most original RPGs.

Lee talks about his journey from teacher to game writer, voicing the Cryptmaster himself, and collaborating remotely with co-developer Paul Hart across time zones. Expect behind-the-scenes stories such as the placeholder voice that became permanent, a bug that turned into a sea witch summoning feature, and a collectible card game that unexpectedly became a fan favorite.

He also offers advice for fellow indie developers, and gives a sneak peek at what is next: a wizards’ tower simulator packed with puzzles and twisted humor, along with possible updates for Cryptmaster including a New Game Plus mode.

Episode Timestamps:

Intro: 0:00
How Lee feels about the release of Cryptmaster: 1:12
The gameplay of Cryptmaster: 2:07
How Paul and Lee came up with the idea: 5:39
The voice and character of the Cryptmaster: 10:34
Why talking with the Cryptmaster feels natural: 15:17
Choosing the art style of the game: 23:12
Lee's favorite feature: 26:03
It's not a bug, it's a feature!: 29:38
How Lee got started as a game developer: 33:41
Magic moment in game development: 41:05
Best part / worst part of making your own game: 42:05
Lessons learned while being a game developer: 44:37
How Paul and Lee organize their work together: 46:17
Are there plans for a game studio?: 49:48
Game development scene in the UK: 51:38
How the Cryptmaster found its publisher: 53:27
Lee's advice for fellow game developers: 55:45
First details about Lee's and Paul's next game: 57:27
Outro: 1:00:32

As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.