SCHiM - Ewoud van der Werf


Ewoud van der Werf

Technical Artist



SCHiM:
A Retrospective

After 4+ years of programming, 3d modeling, concepting, polishing, marketing, porting, struggling, succeeding, traveling, and learning, we finally shipped SCHiM! 🚢
It's been pretty well documented that SCHiM started as my exam project, and I graduated pretty swiftly later. But only after I realized that my real test started!


SCHiM - Launch Trailer


Awards

We have won multiple awards during the development, and while showcasing the game around the world!

Multiplatform Release

One of the things I would have never believed to see is that we released SCHiM simultaneously on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5 and Xbox. I am also amazed that I was able to port SCHiM myself on all these platforms while still designing and developing the game.

It's an incredible feeling to play my own game on a Nintendo console, a brand that I grew up with myself 😳
I hope to share this feeling with other indie game developers and help them port their games in the future.

Original Soundtrack

One of my biggest ambitions as a game developer is to create a game with an original soundtrack, the OST is a key part of any game for me. I am glad to have worked with Moonsailor to deliver something truly unique and sincere.

Two of my favorite Japanese artists I gave Moonsailor as inspirations are: Masakatsu Takagi (known for the Wolf Children Soundtrack) and Rei Harakami. The latter has the biggest influence on the SCHiM Soundtrack.

Having developers with great taste in music is a delight, and also a hefty challenge. Through them we were introduced to the works of Rei Harakami, and adapting his style to something that would feel and sound good in a game has been some of the best fun we've had in vgm in a long time.
- Rafael Langoni

Physical Editions

I cannot overstate how amazing it is to not only hold your own game physically in your hands, but also to see your game sold on real-life store shelves. I am thankful to PLAYISM, our Japanese publisher, for releasing a dedicated Japanese physical on launch day and helping us collaborate with my favorite manga artist: Keiichi Arawi 👨‍🎨

There is a Western physical edition releasing as well, a collaboration with iam8bit. This release comes in two flavors: the retail edition (available at wholesale in America, Europe & Australia) and an exclusive iam8bit version. For the exclusive edition, we were able to work with another one of my favorite artists, Owen D. Pomery! Owen does amazing ligne claire inspired art, and was one of the first inspirations for the art style of SCHiM 👀



"An Indie Game I Can Be Proud Of"

Period.