Episode 3 - Soul Survivor! Hatred Driven

 

If there was a single Developer who was driven strictly by avoiding the failures

of 3 crossovers in a row. It would most definitely be the story of Metateen and sheer motivation to not only outlast those he had developed with but also sided with.

Unlike the previous two stories. This one focuses on four crossovers in particular. With one man centered around all four of them and even at one point, had to compete with two of them. In the world of indie crossovers. Competition and nice play often do not go hand in hand. This adventure highly represents that focus. It is a highly rare occasion that a competitive environment was the key to long term survival of the developer.  This chapter has a lot of leaks of DMs and a now defunct Discord group.

While we had discussed Indie Game Battle. A certain group was mentioned time and time again, that group being Indie Game Utopia. With the focus of one particular individual being Starturbo.  In late 2016, before the fall of the same year. Starturbo in the Indie Game Utopia discord server. Made a private channel dedicated to the development of his first attempt of a crossover being Crossbrawl.  While it had not gone anywhere. It was simply a small attempt, nothing of high significance.  Yet he still had the community on his side. His ring of friends and the pride of others to make another crossover and even the faith he wouldn't fail again.

It wasn't until the development of Pixel Royale is when Starturbo placed himself in a positon of interest. Pixel Royale was being developed in late 2016.  It is also important to note Metateen during this time period was working on his own crossover. Highly fueled from the failure of Crossbrawl. Radiant Combatant wasn't first known until February 2017. This is the same time period where Pixel Royale was at it's height of development. 

Meaning from February 2017 - March 2017. Indie Game Utopia, Blob Games Studio, and Metateen were all competing with one another for a very brief period of time. This significance of this time period is that it shows off the origins of all the sides making crossovers and going against one another. It was simply direct action. What both sides knew is that Metateen was deeply involved in both projects. What they both didn't know but suspected is that he was a spy and a very dangerous individual alone.  As he would feed information strictly about the position and feelings that the teams had for one another. Eventually confirming that they had the BGS team worried for the success of Pixel Royale.

As shown in January he had acquired the complete agreement to Indie Game Battle, in January of that very same Year. The Indie Game Utopia portion did the very same thing with Pixel Royale, as they reused the name "Crossbrawl" for the comic-series he was directed to make as to be a script for the Pixel Royale story mode, this was the same task given to Metateen when he was given the power for the Indie Game Battle comic. Meaning he was had control to a high degree over both crossovers.  Even then, he still found a way to be the spokesman for information regarding Royale.

While each of them had their own crossovers being developed, the 2017 sphere of influence in the servers were beginning to take it's toll. As in Pixel Royale, Starturbo while he was in charge of the games development and progress. Was absolutely dominated by Metateen, as with every move he would make. Metateen was 4 steps ahead of him. He was the composer, the story maker, and at one point the primary programmer. Keeping the faith and hope for Pixel Royale alive. Starturbo was not pleased that his crossover was being dominated by someone else whom he knew was a spy for BGS. With feuds between the both of them continuing with no end. 

It became clear that in terms of progression, development, and even stability. Metateen had Starturbo absolutely outmaneuvered. Even having those close to him agree with the man who challenged him. While the Pixel Royale title was canceled. It would be the immediately known in the BGS team. The cancellation led to Metateen being removed from servers connected to Pixel Royale. Those servers being Eagles and Bas-Makes-Games'. Yet humorously would remain in the Indie Game Utopia server.  The biggest piece supporting this would be the crossbrawl script that had information and lore that was only known in those servers.

However with the death of Pixel Royale. It was now strictly Metateen vs BGS. As said before in the Indie Game Battle tale. Metateen had outmaneuvered the entire BGS team in order to get the rights and the plot points for Indie Game Battle.  This would eventually prove to be complicated as the BGS team had plans for Radiant Combatant to be their "other crossover" under a different creator not associated in the team. 

In May 2017, they were demanding GIFs from Metateen and if he didn't submit to sending GIFs of gameplay regarding Radiant Combatant. He would constantly refuse and when they met opposition that there would be no submission. The entire BGS team had withdrawn from Radiant Combatant completely. They would do the same as the Pixel Royale team would do. With removing him from the BGS server and Austins servers. 

Effectively in May was the tension between Metateen and the BGS team at it's height while this would only last until September 2017. With the death of Indie Game Battle. Metateen was officially the last man standing of the 3 way crossover saga.

Startrubo had quit, Felixs corruption and weak will forced him out. This did create a twist of fate, both servers got what they wanted. BGS got the death of Pixel Royale and Indie Game Utopia got the death of Indie Game Battle. Leaving both sides satisfied and would effectively show off that the same year they all would get what they desired the most. The failure of the other, what of Meta? In September Metateen and Trevor.  Would gain two different forms of support from the death of Indie Game Battle. With Trevor, he would gain Felixes left overs, the community willing to financially support and back as much as possible!... For Meta, the desire to not end up quitting and submitting to the failures that both Felix and Starturbo had effectively made. 

From 2018 onward, the development cycle for Radiant Combatant was slow and rather non-existent. There was a series of planned releases but never met those deadlines highly due to time mismanagement. It wasn't until November when a surge of Radiant Combatant information was released. Humorously 1 year after the realization he was the last man standing. 

Following deeply into 2019, Radiant Combatant is effectively the last symbol of crossover spite between the BGS and Indie Game Utopia crowd. As they had successfully bred a developer who has to this point done everything they had failed to do. Crafting someone who has also avoided the choices they made that he had deemed led to their demise. Yet from all of this, looking back there is several portions in this specific saga too take into consideration.

It's important to note that due to his position and the ability to make crossovers his achievement in terms of holding Indie Properties, combining all the ones from Indie Game Battle, Pixel Royale, and Radiant Combatant. Easily reaches within +100 properties. Including characters and locations with the margin. Making one of the very rare individuals who had properties not bought out but played a role in the crossover development.

There was a confirmed plan in mind, to combine the 2 crossovers from opposing sides but the death of the 2 of them only leaving the one. Those plans are not planted to be. 

Taken from the Radiant Combatant Doc. This would imply that Metateen had a script for the Indie Game Battle comic prepared for a release and the final goal for Radiant Combatant originally.

 

There is however a sign of embarrassment to be considered. Everything the two sides, a community, constant support, the faith and expectations of completion, the gap of success, the portion of people providing input, daily if not constant feedback. The positivity and even the ring of friendship then... Those are traits two sides had that Meta did not. It paints a very morbid picture that out of the three sides. 

The side dedicated to isolation was the victor and the one who develops their crossover today... There is a twist of beautiful irony, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Could easily be summed up for the tale of this developer.  This is also the first chapter which features a developer who at this point has not cancelled their crossover. It's merely another piece of beautiful irony... As the sides that played one another and fought found an agreement for one challenger that one alone.

Despite everything... The drama, the survival, and even the doubt endured. There is one highly significant lesson in this chapter. Those who desire to develop with others, need to reaffirm who they develop with. Others maybe either direct to develop while others are too afraid to step forward...

Hint for the next chapter: