An Exclusive Interview with the Brains and Nerds Behind Indie 4X Game Predestination

Insert your own joke about fate and inevitability, then sit back and enjoy this extended feature on the story of the successful Kickstarter which launched a thousand spaceships and the dreams of a brainy nerd.

Residents of North Atlantic islands seem to harbour a strong need to create ambitious space sci-fi video games. Englishmen Braben and Bell gave us the seminal Elite in the 80s which, a decade later inspired the Icelandic MMO EVE Online, and now Massively’s EVE Online columnist, Brendan Drain, is attempting revival of the 4X space genre from his Brain and Nerd lair in Northern Ireland.

Recommended Videos

What’s a 4X game, you may ask? It refers to the genre of turn-based strategic games in which the object is to eXplore the game world, eXpand owned territory, eXploit resources (and other inhabitants) in pursuit of the eXtermination of all opposition. Yes, I know it should be the 4 ‘E’s, but the term was first coined in the 90s by game designer and journalist Alan Emrich, so it seems a little late to go changing it now.

Now, in an act of delightful symmetry, young Brendan is taking up the mantle of journalist-turned-designer to create Predestination his independent development studio operation, Brain and Nerd. Based out of a Belfast-based office occupying the top floor of what used to be a house and with a very successful Kickstarter campaign, as well as a small but dedicated team and an enthusiastic community behind him, Brendan seems to be on the inevitable path leading toward the realisation of his own Predestination.

I caught up with Brain and Nerd Lead Developer Brendan, and Project Manager Tina Lauro for the latest skinny on Predestination.

NEXT: Introducing Predestination

 

Predestination Exclusive Series Contents 

  1. An Exclusive Interview with the Brains and Nerds Behind Indie 4X Game Predestination
  2. Introducing Predestination
  3. Predestination: Concepts and Influences
  4. Predestination: Paths to Victory
  5. Predestination: Combat Gameplay
  6. Predestination: Development and Release
  7. Predestination: Building the Brain and Nerd Brand 
  8. Predestination Creator Brendan Drain on Developing His First Game
  9. Closing Thoughts and Useful Links

GameSkinny is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article D&D Marries Stardew Valley in This New Fantasy RPG
Player tends to livestock on farm in Mirthwood
Read Article Fallout 76 Kicks off April Fools Early With Rotating Events
Spooky Scorched about to attack.
Read Article New Dragon’s Dogma 2 Title Update Adds Multiple Saves, More Appearance Changes, Performance Tweaks, and More
the player charging a dragon in dragon's dogma 2
Read Article Predator: Hunting Grounds Will Get New Content With IllFonic Takeover
Predator watching prey from the treetops.
Read Article Overwatch 2 Introduces Its First Free Hero in Season 10
Venture holding her drill and Baptise, Zarya, Pharah, and Lifeweaver standing behind her
Related Content
Read Article D&D Marries Stardew Valley in This New Fantasy RPG
Player tends to livestock on farm in Mirthwood
Read Article Fallout 76 Kicks off April Fools Early With Rotating Events
Spooky Scorched about to attack.
Read Article New Dragon’s Dogma 2 Title Update Adds Multiple Saves, More Appearance Changes, Performance Tweaks, and More
the player charging a dragon in dragon's dogma 2
Read Article Predator: Hunting Grounds Will Get New Content With IllFonic Takeover
Predator watching prey from the treetops.
Read Article Overwatch 2 Introduces Its First Free Hero in Season 10
Venture holding her drill and Baptise, Zarya, Pharah, and Lifeweaver standing behind her
Author
Mat Westhorpe
Broken paramedic and coffee-drinking Englishman whose favourite dumb animal is an oxymoron. After over a decade of humping and dumping the fat and the dead, my lower spine did things normally reserved for Rubik's cubes, bringing my career as a medical clinician to an unexpectedly early end. Fortunately, my real passion is in writing and given that I'm now highly qualified in the art of sitting down, I have the time to pursue it. Having blogged about video games (well, mostly EVE Online) for years, I hope to channel my enjoyment of wordcraft and my hobby of gaming into one handy new career that doesn't involve other people's vomit.