We’re already at our 20th developer interview! Can you believe it? Thank you so much for your support on this series. This week, we’re revisiting one of the games that made a strong impression during the Hungry Ghost Games Festival—Blood Lily Loop. And with us today is their developer, Sounding Stone. Please check out the game on Steam!
1. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer this interview! Could we get an introduction to you and what you do at Sounding Stone?
Hello, I’m Sounding Stone, an amateur indie game developer. I have two main series: the horror-oriented Physical Exorcism Series (includes the Blood Lily Sub-series) and the fantasy JRPG-oriented Peacemakers Series. I am the only core member of the former, and I handle planning, scriptwriting, and marketing for the latter.
2. Horror seems to be a recurring genre with Sounding Stone games! Are there horror games that you personally enjoy which may be similar or very different to your studio’s games?
Personally, I’m quite fond of Mad Father, Misao, and Gakkou de atta Kowai Hanashi.
The first two games taught me how to design horror games. They allow players to explore the game world to a certain extent and gather partial information that they can use to piece together the full story.
The latter was one of the inspirations for my new work, Blood Lily Ghost Stories.
3. Apart from horror, Sounding Stone has also developed a few RPG games. How does the team manage the different projects within the studio?
Honestly, my method for managing schedules is quite simple.
Since 2021, I’ve created an online Excel file for each project, drawn a basic Gantt chart, and shared the file with the programmer and illustrator. That’s it.
For your reference, below is a portion of the development schedule for Blood Lily Loop.
4. You sound like an organised person! How do you manage bumps in the road with your team?
Thank you so much for your kind words!
I suppose my role isn’t much different from that of other schedulers. I create a list of tasks for the project, confirm the availability of and estimated time required for the programmer, illustrator, and translator via email or online meetings, plan the most efficient schedule, plot it in a Gantt chart, and track everyone’s progress.
If someone falls behind, I ask them why, reassess the required time with them, and then modify the Gantt chart.
5. What is a typical week or workday like in the studio for you?
I have a full-time job unrelated to game development, so I am only available on weeknights and weekends. I spend one weeknight and Saturday morning watching anime, and I use the rest of my time for game development.
6. What are the benefits that come with using the engine RPGmaker? Since most Sounding Stone games seem to be developed on it.
I always use RPG Maker because its visual interface and built-in commands enable me to display graphics and text, set variables, and perform conditional checks. These features reduce my programming workload and make it easy for me to develop story-driven 2D games.
7. How has reception been for the latest Sounding Stone game releases? Were there any pleasant or unexpected surprises?
Blood Lily Ghoststories is one of my most popular and highly reviewed works in recent years. It has performed well in Japan, and longtime and new fans alike have shown great affection for it. I am deeply grateful to them
8. What keeps you inspired to continue game development?
I enjoy challenging myself by exploring subgenres within the broader horror and fantasy categories that I haven’t explored before. Once I decide on the subgenre of game I want to create next year, I’ll gather the necessary materials and add my own special touches.
I suppose this is how I stay inspired.
9. What is Sounding Stone currently working on?
I’m currently hard at work on two projects: (1) Killers Can’t Sink a Yuri Ship, the latest installment in the Blood Lily Sub-series, and (2) Bloody Emperor, the darkest chapter yet in the Peacemaker Series.
The former is a B-horror mystery comedy, and the latter is a JRPG about a princess knight’s psychological downfall. If you’re interested, please wishlist them!
10. Where can we subscribe to the progress and news about Sounding Stone games?
Please follow the progress of Sounding Stone Games at the links below:
X: https://x.com/i_khaos
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SoundingStoneIndieGame/posts
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Thank you so much for reading our developer interview series! If you are keen on arranging for an interview to feature your game, I would be more than happy to receive your request! Please drop an email to himetokki@gmail.com
My play of Blood Lily Loop (Demo):