Growing the Broken Roads narrative team with Film Victoria’s support

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Last week, Film Victoria announced their decisions regarding funding outcomes of their Assigned Production Investment program, and we are incredibly proud that Broken Roads was one of the selected projects.

This is an extremely competitive program with the best of the Victorian games scene vying for valuable funding, and to be selected creates a fantastic opportunity for Drop Bear Bytes to grow our team during alpha development, and to secure our existing talent for longer.

From the outset, we always intended Broken Roads to be a traditional RPG with a very strong narrative, and have now signed Alexander Swords to join the team as Lead Writer. Alexander, who has worked on the likes of Dead Static Drive and Totem Teller, created the Forest Paths method which he will be presenting at GDC 2020 next month.

"It's rare for a game like this to come along anywhere outside the US or Europe,” says Alexander, “so it's a wonderful opportunity for me to apply my craft at this level on something so ambitious. It’s great to know we have such a supportive ally in Film Victoria that understands what power a writing team can bring to a game like Broken Roads."

The funding has also allowed us to extend our engagement with Jade Stewart, a Melbourne-based narrative designer of Palawa aboriginal descent. Her writing is vital in helping us bring an authentic voice to the indigenous content in the game.

"Film Victoria's funding support gives new and emerging voices, like me and many of my teammates at Drop Bear Bytes, a chance to shine in a field dominated by veterans,” says Jade. “I wouldn't have dreamed to touch the content that I can now, working with decades-experienced veterans and newcomers to the industry. I encourage any team to apply for project funding; you'll change a life!"

We also have more behind-the-scenes things going on with the project and the team which we plan to reveal in the next couple of weeks.

Finally, a huge congrats to our fellow funding recipients:

  • Beating Heart, Ultimerse

  • Chaos Tavern, DragonBear Studios

  • Frog Detective 3, Worm Club

  • I Want to go to Mars, 15 Minutes of Fame

  • Nine: The Splintered Mind – Part 1, OD1N Studios

  • Pico Tanks, Panda Arcade

  • Shop Drifter, Studio Zero

  • Unannounced project, Massive Monster

  • Wood & Weather, Paper House

Thanks again to everyone at Film Victoria who has made this possible. We are truly appreciative that the Victorian government offers this kind of support to local game developers.

-          The Drop Bear Bytes team

Craig Ritchie