Forgotten Fields: An aspiring story of an author finding his roots

Forgotten Fields is an atmospheric, story-rich indie game inspired by the very scenic beauty of Goa, India. It is projected to release on Steam on April 14th.

Indie games had never been the focus of mainstream gaming until the proliferation of the "Metroidvania" and "Rouge-like" games from different small development teams. Indie games are developed by teams without major financial and technical support. However, despite having their backs covered by publishers, a game developed by a small development team is also put under the same genre.

For India, the biggest breakthrough in terms of Indie games happened with the release of "Raji: An Ancient Epic." The game was nominated for the "Best debut Indie game" award at The Game Awards 2020. There is a separate fan-following for Indie games made in India.

After the example set by Nodding Head Games, Frostwood Interactive is set to release another Indie title with the publishing support of Dino Digital.

The story takes the player on a nostalgic joy-ride, citing different aspects of an author’s life. The game revolves around an author who is cooped up in a tiny place and struggling to finish the novel he is writing.

While going through the process of writing his next plot, the author comes in contact with a few acquaintances that leading him through the "Forgotten Fields," the place he grew up in.

---

Background of the developer and publisher

Frostwood Interactive

Frostwood Interactive is a one-man endeavor, created in 2017 for the sole purpose of developing its previous Indie adventure, Rainswept. The person behind this studio, Armaan Sandhu, has been a long-time single-player enthusiast and has always been amazed by storytelling through characters, atmosphere, and music. He hopes to do the same with his upcoming game, Forgotten Fields.

Dino Digital

This studio was founded in 2019 with the sole purpose of the betterment of the Indie gaming scene in India. Ranging from marketing, publishing, financial, and technical support, they lent all they could in making the game possible.

---

The inspiration behind Forgotten Fields

Armaan Sandhu wanted to create a unique experience in Forgotten Fields. He took inspiration from the warm coastal locales of Goa and games like What Remains of Edith Finch, Life is Strange, and other atmospheric Indie titles.

Upon being contacted by the Sportskeeda team regarding the inspirations behind the game, Sandhu had this to say:

"The idea for the game and its story came about when I had a creative block after releasing my first game - Rainswept (2019). I was struggling, and I really wanted to capture the vibe and atmosphere of Mumbai since I had recently shifted out there from Goa - where I'd lived all my life. A trip back home to Goa in December made me realize that there was a lot there for me to pull from, and I began getting inspired by the idea of a struggling novelist returning home to a warm, Goa - type place, while getting nostalgic about the old days and reliving old memories."

Throughout the game, the author lacks inspiration and motivation as he rears closer to the deadline for his submission.

Screengrab via Forgotten Fields

Screengrab via Forgotten Fields

Screengrab via Forgotten Fields

The developer, through the atmospheric presence and light-hearted music, wanted to show how getting to know his roots better had helped him in succeeding with this task.

---

The obstacle faced in the development of Forgotten Fields

The biggest obstacle in most cases for Indie game developers is the lack of financial and technical support. Despite being covered on those ends by Dino Digital, Frostwood Interactive faced a much deeper setback in the making of Forgotten Fields.

The developer was having trouble coming up with creative ideas and had this to say on that matter:

"The biggest obstacle during the development of this game came, as mentioned, in the very beginning as I suffered a major creative block. The ideas for my first game, Rainswept, were based on inspirations that I had stewing in my head for many years, so when I decided to make a game, all of them almost came to me ready-made. But when I had to think up something from scratch for my second game, I was suddenly under pressure and completely lost. After that, it's been mostly smooth sailing!"

---

Future of development

After learning from past experiences and incorporating it all into such an amazing adventure, the developer is optimistic about the release of Forgotten Fields on April 14th. Armaan Sandhu was quite enthusiastic on this matter. Here's how he put it:

"I'm really excited to share a game world based off Goa, India with the rest of the world. I think it'll be a very new and unique experience, and I can't wait to see what players think of it!"

Amer Ahmed, the founder of Dino Digital, also showed his appreciation for being a part of the team that is developing Forgotten Fields. Here's his statement:

"We are extremely proud to be a part of Forgotten Fields not only because it is such a relatable game, with such meaning, but also because it's our first release and it's been an honour to bring this game to life with Armaan."