The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Run, J-Stache Run

Being a giant, beloved video game blog has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we're giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with Tavit Geudelekian of Primary Wave Games about the studio's first release, Run, J-Stache Run for iPhone. Tavit previously served as a producer at Atari (N+, Ghostbusters) and worked in pre-production on Mizuguchi's unreleased QJ for Wii.

How did you or your company get started?

Primary Wave Games can best be described as an interactive/games imprint of independent music publisher Primary Wave. I had been working at Atari for the past four years as a games producer and I had collaborated with my buddy Ryan Barkan over at PW on a music-based game proposal that we pitched up to Atari. Unfortunately, at the time Atari didn't have the resources to bite on that project, but Ryan and I kept in close touch and when I wanted to make a move towards the world of music, Primary Wave was there to catch me.

Primary Wave has a really fresh perspective on music publishing. We really get behind our artists and catalogs through proactive marketing and collaborative licensing, seeking out both traditional and non-traditional avenues to raise the value and profile of our intellectual property. Primary Wave Games is our effort to extend those marketing and creative services into the interactive world by making games and projects that begin to actively bridge the gap between music and games.

Why did you want to make games?

Throughout my time at Atari I was lovingly known as one of the two go-to guys when it came to rhythm-action or music-based games. Working with Ryan on our music-based game idea, and then later being involved in creating a concept of a game that would be handed off to the legendary Tetsuo Mizuguchi and Q Entertainment, I knew that I always wanted to combine two of my greater passions in life;: music and games.

Primary Wave Games gives me the opportunity to do just that, and while this isn't my raison d'etre for getting into games, the combination of music and interactivity are critical to why I do want to make games (deep down). Music -- arguably more than any other media -- has a universality and acceptance that allows it to penetrate deep into so many parts of our society. Interactivity or, in my case, gaming is the critical step to inviting people into an even more intimate relationship with the associated media; Metal Gear Solid would make a great series of movies i'm sure, but nowhere near as poignant as the game's effect of pulling me into Snake's predicaments.

In this light, I want to make games because it's an art (yes, perhaps a commercial-art for now, but an art nonetheless) that I believe is the next step in the evolution of society's demand for the consumption of media. From the early days of my first NES up through my professional growth as a games producer, games have always brought me joy and I want to make things that might help spread some of that joy around.

Why be independent rather than try to work for someone else?

Well I can immediately evoke the age-old belief that the fewer cooks in the kitchen, the more creative control and curiosity that one can theoretically achieve. This isn't always the case but I do think there is some truth to the argument. I've found that in application, purely indie companies also do have to struggle with the burn rates and bottom lines of running a studio, and so in some cases aligning with a larger body of business can actually erase a lot of those bottom-line concerns and just free you up to get creative.

Take Primary Wave Games as a good example of that: Ryan and I run the studio like an indie but with all the stability of the parent Primary Wave Music Publishing to have our backs. We service PW first and try to create awesome concepts that marry their catalogs with good game mechanics and concepts, but we also look outside the PW family for independent projects that we can create through our network of developers.

What's your game called, and what's it about?

Our first game is called Run J-Stache, Run and it's a puzzle-action game for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Run J-Stache, Run is based upon an original IP that was created by Primary Wave -- the hard-partying anthropomorphic mustache of John Oates, one half of the legendary Rock & Soul band Hall & Oates. When J-Stache and Oates get together they form a crimefighting duo that are pitted against a secret society of evil mustachioed celebrities.

Run J-Stache, Run is like the prequel to all that, where the player controls J-Stache as he tries to bust out of rehab through over 45 levels of puzzle action. Players flick J-Stache through each room of rehab, bouncing and banking off of obstacles, busting through breakable walls, collecting Rock & Soul tapes and taking rides on the various turntables strewn throughout the levels.

Do you feel like you're making the game you always wanted to play?

One great part about working on Run J-Stache, Run is that it was Ryan and my first dip into both independent and casual game development. As such, we were learning the rules as we went along and ended up creating a very fun casual game with enough potential depth that our players just keep asking for more. We've now updated the game three times with over 25 new levels since we released the original, and we've still got another update with more levels waiting in the wings.

How long did it take you to create?

The code-building and testing for the 1.0 of Run J-Stache, Run took us roughly 3 months from concept to submission to Apple. It was developed by a single programmer and a single level-designer.

What are you proudest of about your game?

It's actually a three way tie: First, I'm super proud that we were able to greenlight, build and release the game so smoothly. It was our first game as a studio, so we needed to prove our pipeline, and I think we did that very well. Second was that we created such a modular game that we were able to add new playable mustaches and tons of new levels every time that fans asked for more. Our first update hit just two weeks after our initial release and the next just two weeks after that. We plan on continuing to update the game as long as there's demand for more J-Stache! Finally, the creative director of Primary Wave created an amazing original soundtrack to the game inspired by all things Hall & Oates. The entire album's-worth of music is unlockable in an in-game player for all your quirky 80s-synth-loop needs.

What one thing would you tell someone to convince them to get your game?

If you like Run J-Stache, Run and want more, just let us know and there's a very good chance we'll be adding more content to the game. Hit us up on our blog or follow us on Twitter: @PWGames.

What's next?

We're already at beta on our next iPhone/iPod Touch game, which we're getting ready to announce on our blog. We're working with a fantastic band, some fantastic songs from their catalog, an amazing visual artist for the graphics, and a great partner in the blogosphere to tie us into some even cooler content, so we're very excited to lift the veil on our new baby. Only clue we can mete out right now is that you'll be bringing a lot of sunshine to the world.

Run J-Stache, Run (Primary Wave Games, $0.99):

If you'd like to give any of Armor Games' releases a try, you can find them all at their site right here. If you'd like to have your own shot at converting our readers into fans, email justin aat joystiq dawt com, subject line "The Joystiq Indie Pitch." Still haven't had enough? Check out the Pitch archives.