Indus Battle Royale: A Game That Brings Indian Culture to the World of Battle Royale
As the video game industry continues to grow and evolve, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Indian representation is lacking. Despite India being a major market for video games, few games feature Indian elements or themes. Even the popular Battlegrounds Mobile India, which was specifically designed for the Indian market, had a strong Western influence. That’s why when SuperGaming announced Indus Battle Royale, a game that is heavily inspired by Indian culture and mythology, I was intrigued. I had the opportunity to speak with Rishi Alwani, a lore writer and communications representative for Indus Battle Royale, to gain insight into the development process and the thought behind creating a game like this in India.
Indo-futurism
Indus Battle Royale is a made-in-India game that takes a unique approach to science fiction by introducing a concept called Indo-futurism. This futuristic utopian world is set in India, where the country is depicted as the most technologically advanced in the world. According to Rishi Alwani, one of the lore writers and communications representative for the game, the idea of Indo-futurism was heavily influenced by the world of Wakanda and the concept of Afro-futurism. The game developers wanted to create a world that blended Indian culture with a positive and futuristic outlook. They drew inspiration from the Indus Valley Civilization and Indian mythology, highlighting lesser-known aspects of Indian culture that they felt the world should know more about. The biggest motivation for creating a game like Indus Battle Royale was the lack of Indian representation in the gaming industry, and the desire to fill that gap.
Additionally, the developers wanted to showcase the richness and diversity of Indian culture in a new and exciting way, by blending it with a futuristic setting. They wanted to create a game that not only entertained players, but also educated them on the deep-rooted history and culture of India. They aimed to showcase a positive and uplifting image of India, breaking away from the stereotypical portrayal often seen in the media.
The game features a unique blend of Indian mythology, culture and technology, creating a unique and immersive experience for players. The characters, locations, and weapons in the game are all inspired by Indian culture, giving players a sense of authenticity and connection to the game’s world. The developers also wanted to tap into India’s rich storytelling tradition, by weaving in elements of Indian folklore and mythology, to make the game world feel alive and believable.
Indus Battle Royale is not only a game but it is a celebration of Indian culture and heritage. It aims to showcase the rich history, diverse culture and positive outlook of India through its unique take on science fiction and futurism.
Indus Battle Royale is a game that is bringing Indian culture and representation to the forefront in the gaming industry. The team behind the game recognized the lack of Indian representation in video games, and sought to fill that gap. They noticed that while games like Assassin’s Creed take inspiration from various historical periods, India was not often included. They saw the closest representation of Indian culture in the game Beyond Good and Evil Two, but since the future of that game was uncertain, they decided to create their own game with a strong Indian influence. The team behind Indus Battle Royale did not want to wait for another studio to create a game that represented India, they wanted to do it themselves.
Rishi Alwani, one of the lore writers and communications representative for Indus Battle Royale, shared that the game was created with the goal of not only incorporating strong Indian influences, but also offering a positive and optimistic outlook on the future. He acknowledged that science fiction often portrays a dystopian and oppressive society, characterized by excessive capitalism and consumerism. However, with Indus Battle Royale, the team aimed to break away from this typical portrayal and instead, offer a positive and uplifting vision of the future, inspired by Indian culture and heritage. They aimed to bring a fresh and unique perspective on science fiction through their game, Indus Battle Royale.
Challenges in incorporating ‘Indo-futurism’
Creating something new and unique can be a challenging task, and the team behind Indus Battle Royale faced similar difficulties while developing the game. The concept of Indo-futurism, which is a futuristic utopian world where India is the most technologically advanced, is something that had not been done before. Rishi Alwani, one of the lore writers and communications representative for the game, stated that usually, it’s easier to build upon something that has been done before, but in this case, they had to invent the language, thought process and codex around Indo-futurism, as it was not a clearly defined concept. This was the major challenge they faced while developing the game, as they had to come together and establish a foundation for Indo-futurism.
Creating a game with a unique concept like Indo-futurism requires a team effort, and the team behind Indus Battle Royale put in a lot of work to establish a foundation for the concept. It wasn’t just the writers, but the CEO of the company, Roby John, also had to play a vital role in defining and creating Indo-futurism. According to Rishi Alwani, one of the lore writers and communications representative for the game, the team had to come together and figure out how to take the concept to the next level, and how to define it in a way that mattered. It was not just about putting the game together, but it was also about creating the thought process and language behind it. Establishing the foundation for Indo-futurism was a vital and important part of the game development process.
Why another battle royale?
Indus Battle Royale is a new game that is entering a crowded market of battle royale games in India. Games like PUBG and BGMI, along with popular titles like Garena Free Fire and COD Mobile, have been instrumental in creating a surge in gaming in India. So, it’s natural to wonder why another battle royale game is needed. According to Rishi Alwani, one of the lore writers and communications representative for Indus Battle Royale, the team sees it as a positive thing that there are already many games in the ecosystem. He said, “Internally for us, the way we see it is the more games in the ecosystem, the better for everyone. We’re all gamers. Who wants fewer video games to play, right? And for us from a business perspective, we really like the fact that those games are there because a rising tide lifts all the ships. You can’t just be a market where you have fewer games for people to play and try and experience.”
The team behind Indus Battle Royale believes that the more games in the ecosystem, the better it is for the gaming community, and for the industry as a whole. They believe that the presence of other battle royale games in the market only serves to boost the overall popularity of the genre and create a more vibrant gaming ecosystem. Additionally, from a business perspective, the team sees the presence of other games in the market as an opportunity to showcase their game to a wider audience.
Indus Battle Royale is a new game that is breaking new ground by introducing a concept called Indo-futurism, which is a futuristic utopian world where India is the most technologically advanced. The game is heavily influenced by Indian culture and mythology, and aims to bring representation of Indian culture to the forefront in the gaming industry. The game is developed by SuperGaming and is a made-in-India game.
According to Rishi Alwani, one of the lore writers and communications representative for the game, the team behind Indus Battle Royale took inspiration from Afro-futurism and Wakanda, as seen in the movie Black Panther, to create a world where Indian culture is fused with a futuristic and positive outlook. They also drew inspiration from the Indus Valley Civilization, and aimed to surface cool things from Indian mythology and culture that the world may not know.
The game is a unique blend of Indian culture and mythology with futuristic elements, and aims to offer a positive and uplifting vision of the future. The team behind Indus Battle Royale is working to create a game that represents India and showcases it in a positive light. The game is a fresh take on the battle royale genre and it’s exciting to see how it will evolve in the future.
Representation of Indian Culture in Video Games
The video game industry has seen a growing trend in recent years, with India becoming one of the biggest markets for video games. However, despite this growth, the representation of Indian culture in video games has been lacking. This was the main motivator for the development of Indus Battle Royale, a made-in-India game that heavily incorporates Indian culture and mythology.
According to Rishi Alwani, one of the lore writers and communications team for Indus Battle Royale, the team was inspired by Afro-futurism, Wakanda and the Indus Valley Civilization to create a world where Indian culture is fused with a futuristic, positive outlook. This is a stark contrast to the usual portrayal of sci-fi, which often depicts a dystopian and oppressed society.
“You have Assassin’s Creed that takes every passage of history and does its own thing with it. But where is India in all of that? To us, the closest representation was Beyond Good And Evil Two. But we don’t know what’s gonna happen with that game, and why should we wait for another studio to come out and do it when we can do it.” Rishi said.
The team behind Indus Battle Royale faced a unique challenge in creating a game that represents Indian culture as they had to invent the language, thought process, and codex around “Indo-futurism” as it was not a well-defined term. But this is their motivation to create a game that not just represent Indian culture but also a positive outlook for the future.
Challenges in Creating Indo-Futurism in Indus Battle Royale
When trying to create something new and unique, it can be a difficult task to establish its foundation. This is something that the team behind Indus Battle Royale experienced firsthand, as they had to invent the language, thought process, and codex around Indo-futurism.
“Usually if there’s someone who’s done it before, it becomes a lot easier,” said Rishi, one of the developers on the team. “In our case, we actually had to invent the language, the thought process, the codex around Indo-futurism because no one’s taken any concrete attempts to, you know, clearly label it. So for us, at a very abstract level, that was the major, major point where we had to come together and fix that.”
It wasn’t just the writers on the team who faced this challenge, but the entire company, including the CEO, Roby John. “It was a complete company thing where we were like, okay, how do we take this to the next level? How can we define this and bring this in a way that matters? So it wasn’t just putting it together and seeing what you see, but the thought process behind that was also missing. So that was the important part. How can we create Indo-futurism, if we don’t know what Indo-futurism is, right?”
“Why Another Battle Royale? The Business Perspective of Indus Battle Royale
As the popularity of battle royale games continues to rise in India, with titles such as PUBG, BGMI, Garena Free Fire and COD Mobile leading the charge, the question of why create yet another battle royale game arises. However, the team behind Indus Battle Royale, SuperGaming, sees it differently.
“Internally for us, the way we see it is the more games in the ecosystem, the better for everyone. We’re all gamers. Who wants fewer video games to play, right? And for us from a business perspective, we really like the fact that those games are there because a rising tide lifts all the ships. You can’t just be a market where you have fewer games for people to play and try and experience.” said the team.
They see it as an opportunity to give players more options and to tap into the large Indian battle royale playing audience, estimated to be around 350 to 400 million people. “So why wouldn’t we want a slice of that and why wouldn’t there be an Indian game made to cater to that audience? So that’s how we looked at it.”
“Bringing Characters to Life: The Creative Process Behind Indus Battle Royale
The team behind Indus Battle Royale, a made-in-India game that’s heavily inspired by Indian culture and mythology, shared their creative process when it comes to character building. Rishi, a writer on the team, revealed that the process is fluid and that there are characters that came out of the art team’s interpretation of Indo-futurism, while others came out of the lore and writing side.
One of the characters that Rishi is most excited about is Big Gaj, a powerful-looking character with an imposing piece of armor that players can use to create fear in the minds of their opponents on the battlefield. Big Gaj made an appearance in their first cinematic trailer, with a final shot of him pointing a gun out. Rishi also hinted that there are more characters and paragons to come.
The team also shared that the process of character building is a mix of both art and story, with the goal of finding the right balance of representing Indian culture in a futuristic, positive-looking outlook and expression. They also highlighted the importance of creating a unique universe for the game where Indian culture is fused with a futuristic perspective.”
“Designing Authentic Gun Mechanics for Indus Battle Royale: The Challenges of Creating a Made-In-India Game
Creating a video game is no easy task, and it becomes even more challenging when the game is set to be heavily inspired by Indian culture and mythology. This was the case for the team behind Indus Battle Royale, a made-in-India game that aims to showcase a sci-fi utopia inspired by Indian culture. One of the biggest challenges they faced was designing the game’s gun mechanics, as Rishi, one of the game’s developers, shared in an interview.
“A really interesting anecdote for us as a team was when you are actually making a game and if I look at it versus let’s say other countries, for instance, if you’re living in the US and you’re making a game in the US for you to design a gun, to design the bullet spread trajectory, all that, you just need to walk into a Walmart, buy a gun, you’re there,” said Rishi.
In contrast, the team behind Indus Battle Royale had to go through a lot more to design the game’s gun mechanics. They had to get licenses, go to a firing range, and do everything officially. And it’s not like it’s easy to get access to stuff, to get stuff done, right,” Rishi added.
This added complexity resulted in one of the more complex gun systems around in terms of parameters available, for the team to fiddle with and show to the end-user. The team had to put in extra effort to make the gun mechanics feel authentic and realistic, which added a lot of value to the game itself.
“The Challenges of Consensus Building in Game Development: An Inside Look at Indus Battle Royale”
The process of creating a successful game is a complex one, and for the team behind Indus Battle Royale, it’s been a journey filled with challenges and obstacles to overcome. Rishi, a member of the team, shared his experience of working on the game, highlighting the importance of consensus building in order to create something that players will care about and love.
One of the biggest challenges the team faced was in designing the game’s gun mechanics. According to Rishi, the team had to go through a lot of extra steps in order to make the game’s weapons feel authentic, including getting licenses, going to firing ranges, and officially learning how to shoot. This was in contrast to teams in the West, who have easier access to guns and can test them in their own backyard.
Another challenge the team faced was in balancing the different perspectives and ideas from the various members of the team. Rishi explained that the team was made up of some of the finest minds in the industry, with years of experience in making games. However, this also meant that there was a lot of consensus that needed to be built in order to ensure that the game was moving in the right direction.
Overall, Rishi emphasized that the development of Indus Battle Royale was a team effort, with everyone working together to create something that would be loved by players. He also acknowledged the challenges faced by Indian game development in recent times, and the importance of balancing the various perspectives and ideas in order to create a successful game.
Indus Battle Royale At ComicCon Bengaluru
The game development process for Indus Battle Royale has been a unique experience for the team behind it. Despite the challenges they faced in creating a game inspired by Indian culture, the team has worked hard to build a game that they believe players will love and care about. One of the ways they are getting feedback on the game is by organizing a second community play test at ComicCon Bengaluru this weekend. Visitors to the event will have the opportunity to try the game and offer their suggestions for improvements. Despite the game still being in development, the team is excited to get feedback from players and continue to work on creating a unique and enjoyable gaming experience.
FAQs For Indus Battle Royale By Indusbattelroyale.com
Q: What is Indus Battle Royale?
A: Indus Battle Royale is a made-in-India game that is heavily inspired by Indian culture and mythology. It aims to create a world where Indian culture is fused with a futuristic positive-looking outlook and expression.
Q: What is the motivation behind creating a game inspired by Indian culture?
A: The biggest motivation for creating a game like Indus Battle Royale is the lack of representation of Indian culture in video games across the industry. The team behind the game wants to create a game not just with strong Indian influence, but also an overall positive outcome, which is rarely seen in science fiction depicting the future.
Q: What challenges did the team face while incorporating “Indo-futurism”?
A: One of the main challenges the team faced was that they had to invent the language, the thought process, and the codex around Indo-futurism because no one had taken any concrete attempts to clearly label it. This required the team to come together and fix that at a very abstract level.
Q: Why another battle royale game?
A: The team behind Indus Battle Royale believes that the more games in the ecosystem, the better it is for everyone. They see it as giving people more options on what to play and also want to tap into the Indian battle royale playing audience, which is estimated to be roughly 350 to 400 million people.
Q: How are the characters in the game coming to fruition?
A: The process of character building is fluid and involves both the art team and the lore and writing team. The art team came up with some characters just by hearing the words “Indo-futurism” and trying to find the right balance of that, while the rest of the team thought about the story beats they wanted to talk about and how to do all that.
Q: When will the game be ready?
A: The game is still some time away from being completely ready, but the team has organized a second community playtest at ComicCon Bengaluru this weekend, where visitors can try the game and offer their