Today we’d like to introduce you to Rickland Powell.
Rickland, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve run several companies over the past few decades. I went into retirement when my wife was diagnosed with cancer, and spent her last years traveling when she was able. When that was no longer possible, I stayed with her at home until she passed.
Shortly after, I took up a stronger interest in working as an actor, appearing in several movies. A cadre of good friends came to me and asked if I would consider coming out of retirement to help them run a company. These friends have advanced degrees from MIT and have solved some problems plaguing the computer game industry for decades and they were eager to show it off.
I was hesitant, enjoying my retirement and acting career, but with a name like Evil Overlord, how could I resist?
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The hardest challenge, was having to work under a very tight budget. The initial money was from the founders. We grew the company to seven people in half a year, before we took any outside funding. When we did, it was only because we had good friends and family that wanted to invest and it allowed us to get to that crucial 18-month runway.
It’s a very exciting time now, as our first game has been released and getting great reviews – Susurrus: Season of Tides is an Interactive Literature MMO. In lay terms, that’s a sort of ‘choose your own adventure’ game in a shared world.
You want an obstacle? Try explaining this ground-breaking style of game to the press!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Evil Overlord Games – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Evil Overlord Games is a creator of Interactive Literature games, sometimes called Interactive Fiction. This is a genre wherein the story isn’t necessarily set. The reader can interact with the story as it develops.
In our game, Susurrus: Season of Tides, a player/reader has a single player experience as they read the story of the world around them. They are presented with choices of what their character can do, click on the choice they want, and read the next segment of story. And so on from there.
This first game is an urban fantasy – a game set in today’s world, but a step sideways. For those unfamiliar with the term, think of a world like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Dresden Files”, or “Twilight”. A world wherein magic, vampires, and other extraordinary creatures live alongside us mere mortals, while we are oblivious to their existence.
I’m extremely proud of our incredible writing team and their expansive imaginations! The stories they have created are truly captivating in their intensity, suspense, and horror. The artwork which accompanies the stories is something to behold. Some of the top fantasy illustrators, led by Duncan Eagleson, have provided the visual depth, pulling the player deeper into the story. Finally, our soundtrack expertly composed by Guthrie Lowe, sends an eerie quality seeping into the minds of those playing/reading.
Apart from enjoying the story that unfolds around the character one chooses to play, the world itself is a character.
There are several factions in the city, vying for power. The choices your character makes, will affect the balance of power in the city for all players, even though you won’t ever interact with another player directly! This is an exciting development in gameplay, especially for folks who want to play at their own pace and not feel compelled to play at specific times or for long periods.
The best part: Our game is completely free to play with no advertising! If players really like our story, we do encourage a visit to our Patreon page and pledge a dollar a month. There are also a few items in our store that folks can buy, but nothing is mandatory and there is no way to ‘Pay to win’ in our game.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?
Our game (and the technology behind it) has caught the attention of some very large companies, and we are talking with them about working together on projects. We will see what comes of these discussions. Watch (And ‘Like’) our Facebook page for updates.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.EvilOverlordGames.com
- Phone: 617 – HUG – EVIL (484 – 3845)
- Email: mind-control@eogamesinc.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvilOverlordGames/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/eogamesinc/
- Other: https://www.patreon.com/EvilOverlordGames
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