How Did Digital Scorpion Interactive Enter the Video Game Industry?

Hello Readers! With all of our recent posts about the lore of Valoris, the writers of Digital Scorpion Interactive thought we would change things up a bit. We interviewed our company’s founders, Aric Hood and Nick Revell, on the humble origins of the organization. In this article, Nick and Aric talk about their stories, inspirations, and lessons learned that drive their passion for their work. We hope you enjoy this sneak peek into the studio and into the personalities that started it all.

Humble Beginnings:

Aric Hood , our Creative Director, initially went to his local community college to study Mechatronics but later dropped out to pursue music. In his search for his passions, Aric graduated from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2019, where he learned about different aspects of the craft, such as audio engineering, film and theatre audio, and audio for commercial purposes. Video game audio piqued his interest as a key subject in his studies.

Nicholas Revell , our Executive Producer, completed his Undergraduate Degree at Frostburg State University in Computer Science with a Minor in Business to initially do work in industries like government contracting and consulting. At one point, Nick was offered an area manager position at Amazon, where he worked for eight months before realizing he wanted to pursue a different passion.

Our two founders worked together during their time at Amazon; however, they both wanted to pursue a passion project that would serve as a touch point for those who wanted a new life opportunity. Nick loved to research the ins and outs of different business models and, thus, decided one day with Aric to create Digital Scorpion Interactive. As a result of this decision, Nick is currently pursuing his Masters in Game Design at Full Sail University.

What can readers expect from your upcoming game Hit N’ Bit?

Nick: “The main goal with Hit N’ Bit is to tell a compelling story. The gameplay is designed to throw the player into the shoes of the two main characters, Hitendra and Thybit, and immerse them in the world of their creation. In fulfilling their destinies, the story of Hit N’ Bit emphasizes the lore surrounding the game. The narrative also drives the art direction of the story.”

Aric: “A key theme that we wish to highlight is the idea of juxtaposition, and they want players to think about the relation between concepts such as light and darkness within the two story lines. At the same time, the studio is also figuring out how to make the game seem less linear through the possibility of implementing a Metroidvania game model.”

As an indie game development studio, how do you set yourself apart from other companies, bigger or smaller?

Aric: “An aspect of the company that we take pride in is that none of the workers work exclusively in their own “silos.” In addition to each worker or intern having their own set of tasks, everyone can visit other departments and learn more about the various aspects of creating a video game. The company model allows someone who primarily works on narrative work in the studio to possibly explore different crafts like art, audio, or game development.”

Nick: “Similarly, we as founders love to work directly with the different teams to offer guidance and answer questions. By acting as the first line of assistance, we hope to foster a more open and welcoming work environment despite being a remote company with employees worldwide. A key component in our work philosophy is to lead and teach rather than to expect and demand results as the only measure of success.”

What is one thing you hope to achieve with Digital Scorpion Interactive beyond creating video games?

Nick: “My goal with Digital Scorpion Interactive is to start a non-profit that operates under the company. The separate yet connected entity would incorporate everything I’ve learned at Digital Scorpion Interactive, including management style, to allow people opportunities that would enable people to experiment with their imaginative drives. While the plan is slowly in the works, I hope to create opportunities for people to forge their paths and also take time to enjoy their life.”

What games do you draw inspiration from in your work?

Nick: “The first game I ever played was Super Mario 64 by Nintendo , which inspired me to start with creating a platform-based game. I also draw inspiration from various genres in my creative process, primarily from sci-fi, horror, and psychological horror games. Some titles that I admire include Hollow Knight made by Team Cherry , Castlevania by Konami Digital Entertainment , Ori and Will of the Wisps by Moon Studios , and Star Citizen by Cloud Imperium Games . As a fan of these various video games, I would like to produce games that incorporate all my favorite qualities and further improve upon them in innovative ways.”

How do you want to impact the next generation of gamers, games, or the video game industry?

Nick: “The way I want Digital Scorpion Interactive to impact the industry is to set up the next generation of game designers and storytellers. A few of our previous interns at Digital Scorpion Interactive have gone on to work at famous corporate game studios based on their work with our company. I am extremely proud of our past interns and employees and hope for the best in their future endeavors. In addition, I wish the same for our current staff to better foster a collaborative and healthy industry.”

The DSI website mentions the values of Ingenuity, Integrity, and Innovation. What do you hope to achieve with this framework in mind?

Aric: “The company’s three values are essential to how I want the company to operate. I always want the interns and employees to be innovative by challenging them to find new ways to run games and figure out the next big trend. Integrity is vital to the company because it builds a more open work environment and a solid foundation built on trusting each other. In addition to these ideas, I desire to encourage others to express their ingenuity by being authentic to themselves, to be original and cherish each individual’s hard work. Ultimately, I want Digital Scorpion Interactive to be a place that brings out the best in people in ways that set them up for future success.”

What other games do you have in mind for Digital Scorpion Interactive?

Aric: “At the moment, Hit N’ Bit is a 2.5D Metroidvania which would act as a transition into the 3D Open-World video game space. As a studio, we want to eventually move into a more 3D environment because these sort of games offer more interactive elements for the player base. Along with that idea, I would also like to explore making games in VR and the Metaverse.”

How would you describe the company culture/work environment?

Aric: “Digital Scorpion operates 100% remotely. Eventually, I would like a central hub, but the dynamic would remain the same. The company culture I want emphasizes an open conversation among teammates, with many meetings already having a friendly atmosphere. At our Friday night All Hands meeting, every team member discusses the work achieved and plans during the weekend. These meetings almost don’t feel like work because everyone is laid back but also serious about their passions.”

How did the two of you meet?

Aric: “Nick and I have known each other since our first year of high school. We have had many struggles in our friendship that have strengthened our bond. Even though we would sometimes go months without talking to each other, it has come to the point in our 11-year friendship where we see each other as brothers.”

How would you two describe each other?

Aric: “Nick can get a little crazy at times, but in a good way that thrives on unconventionality. Nick was initially shy, but since meeting him, I think he has worked hard to become more extroverted and outgoing. Overall, Nick is someone who is very welcoming and loves to make new connections with other people.”

Nick: “I think that Aric is highly hardworking and motivated. The friendship the two of us have compliments each other in a way that Aric’s meticulousness can organize my disorganized thinking. I think of Aric as a good asset and a close confidant.”

What is an exciting story that the two of you share?

Aric: “One of the many ideas we’ve had include planning a cross-country road trip that visits many key points in every state. We initially intended to bring along a few friends during this journey; however, six months before the road trip, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States. We still hope to plan this trip in the future.”

How do you get motivated for difficult tasks?

Aric: “I like to research the topic I’m working on to ensure that I have all the facts and concepts to think about to avoid possible errors or difficulties.

Nick: “My thought process is similar to Aric’s as I like to utilize a whiteboard and write down the ideas I brainstorm before executing a project.”

If you could hang out with any cartoon or video game character for a day, who would it be?

Nick: “I would love to hang out with Finn and Jake from Adventure Time. The duo always gets into crazy adventures and has fun overall with their time which is something I would like to experience. Likewise, I would also enjoy hanging out with Nathan Drake from the Uncharted games because I want to hear all the stories behind all the little trinkets attached to Drake’s travels.”

If the zombie apocalypse was happening, which 3 video game characters would you want on your team for protection?

Nick: “In the event of a zombie apocalypse, I would want Joel (The Last of Us), Dogmeat (Fallout), and Artyom (Metro Series) on my side.”

What is one productivity tool that you couldn’t live without?

Nick: “My favorite productivity tool is the concept of the Kanban Board because it helps me visualize and effectively manage the projects and work I have to do. The Kanban method effectively organizes my sometimes disorganized thoughts and limits what I take at once.”

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

Aric: “I think I would love to have the power of teleportation because it would take the hassle out of traveling. Buying plane tickets, making an itinerary, and booking hotels can get tedious and deters me from traveling as much as I would like. But, with the powers of teleportation, I could travel to and from a place at ease and still be back home whenever I wanted.”

What is one song that would describe one aspect of your life?

Aric: “ Back in 2019, I was selling Verizon services at Walmart. At one point, I was asked, what would be your walk out song once you made it big here? Out of the many choices I could pick, I chose Busy Earnin’ by Jungle.”

What is your favorite audio-based program, and why?

Aric: “My top two audio programs are Logic Pro X on Mac and Presonus Studio 5 for Windows. I like Logic Pro X because it has an excellent sound library, making it easy to create music. On the other hand, Presonus Studio 5 has a smaller music library but has more flexibility in the available tools that allow me to create, mix, and master music all in the same software.”

Concluding Thoughts

So far, readers have gotten a look into some of the minds behind Digital Scorpion Interactive. Nick and Aric’s friendship spans more than a decade and has withstood the test of time. They bring their sociable and diligent personalities into their management styles at the company. At the same time, their love of video games is a great bonding topic for everyone in the company.

We hope our readers learned more about our founders and their fun personalities! Likewise, we hope to bring in other team members to give you a glimpse into the type of work they do. Stay tuned to learn more about our team and some behind-the-scenes looks into our game development process!

Written by Aidan Wong .