Noita

A Long Journey of a Game Idea

Abstract

In this article, we present a case study where we used timelines as a structuring method for understanding the creative process of game development spanning several years. In the case study, an indie game, Noita, with over ten years of development time, was analyzed through a multitude of sources such as devlogs, prototypes, builds, interviews and fan engagement. As a result, we came up with a timeline with over 150 entries in seven distinct phases to showcase the richness of the design journey, with multiple milestones and influences on the development process. In this article, we reflect on the research process and suggest the use of the timeline method as a part of the multidisciplinary toolset for studying game design.