Overview

Over six years, I dedicated myself to the solo venture of Repella Fella, approaching it as a marathon rather than a sprint.

Set in a post-apocalyptic Australia, the game immerses players in a journey filled with critical choices that influence both current gameplay and future installments. These decisions are woven through three interconnected narratives.

Repella Fella boasts over 120 choices, enhancing replayability with varied paths and outcomes. The game features 8 hours of animated gameplay, brought to life by more than 90 voice actors, including Jay Anthony Franke (JCDenton from Deus Ex). Highlights include:

• A total of 649 animation files
• Combined animation duration of 6 hours, 3 minutes, and 59 seconds
• Extensive dialogue spanning thousands of lines
• A free demo and prologue available on Steam
• 60+ achievements

Development

The game was developed using Construct 3 and Adobe Animate, following a meticulous process for each scene:

• Drafting requirements (actions, dialogue, choices, outcomes, subsequent effects)
• Seeking inspiration (locations, angles, styles)
• Designing vector-based characters and backgrounds
• Voice actor engagement (including myself, I voice the main character)
• Detailed animation, including nested timelines and camera work
• Selecting fitting music and sound effects
• Ensuring seamless scene transitions due to the game's branching nature
• Converting and editing the video in After Effects

From 2016 to 2023, I produced over 6 hours of 2560x1440 @ 30FPS vector-based footage, allowing for quality-preserving zoom. This involved thousands of hours illustrating characters, vehicles, weapons, objects, and backgrounds in Adobe Animate, redrawing even royalty-free assets for consistency.

Writing

I wrote the game's story, dialogue, and choices, along with a 120-page in-game guide detailing the world of Repella Fella. The game world is enriched with posters, notes, audio cassettes, and interactive phone numbers.

Testing

The game underwent extensive testing, including user feedback from demo and prologue releases, dedicated testers, personal testing, and live feedback at events like PAX Melbourne 2022 and SXSW Sydney 2023. This process uncovered numerous usability issues which were addressed before release.

Beyond gaming

Repella Fella's online presence was crafted through a branded website, social media, trailers, and physical marketing materials for game expos. Embracing the inevitability of piracy, I created a pirate version featuring a unique intro video and a song performed by voice actor Emily Goeman.

Reception

The game is available on Steam and GOG for PC, Mac, and Linux/SteamOS, and holds a 98% 'Very Positive' rating on Steam. Featured at PAX Melbourne 2022 and SXSW Sydney 2023, with appearances in various online promotions and events, the game included a donation of 100k copies to the 2023 JingleJam charity giveaway.