For long time I established Sengkala Dev, there are lot of stories between me and Sengkala Dev until 2022
2014
Febuary
The idea to make historical games of Indonesia came when I have day dreams about the battle between Korean Turtle ship with Majapahit junks in February 2014. I realized not much game mods about this and if I hoped western developers make it, I asked myself should history of my nation must made by foreigners while we understand more than they?
From that time I tried to understand Gamemaker Studio and Made first game called Perang Laut, the sea battle between Majapahit and Srivijaya junks. I upload it to Desura and got critics from Desura’s management in my email from my game very simple. I made thread in Kaskus about it https://www.kaskus.co.id/thread/5301e455bfcb1789318b45d1/perang-laut-105-game-perang-angkatan-laut-majapahit-dan-sriwijaya/?ref=profile&med=thread
March
I proud I can make game while I am a student in Madrasah Aliyah Negeri/Student Islamic High School 19 South Jakarta and at that time no one taught me about it. I show this game to my friend in front my class, but they don’t care. I show it my sociology teacher and my senior. They praised me a little. Before making games, since middle 2013, I focus on writing fictions since I like to write and the game becomes second passion for me.
Since March 2014, I made a project called Pedalahusa and Pedalahusa is a skirmish game between many kingdoms in Indonesia and Europeans. I opened anyone from any high school to help me. There 1 people want help but I forgot to contact him.
So basically, I only got support Raden Agung, the composer. I have known him from Gending Majapahit composed by him in middle Febuary 2014 and he allowed me to use his music in my first game. From that time I contact with him in email and Facebook. We become good friend.
Rest 2014
Half 2014 was very hard for me since internet connection has stopped due economy problem in middle August 2014 and my study in 3rd grade high school becomes more complicated as my grade very bad in science. I was worried about my future actually.
I went in several my elementary school’s friends with bicycle every evening after school to access internet for downloading anime and research history for Pedalahusa beside learning Gamemaker Studio 1.4
On 19 December 2014, Pedalahusa got released in Mediafire since I don’t know where should I publish it. In this version, I included the kingdom of Majapahit, Srivijaya, Nansarunai, Makassar, and Dutch. I made thread in Kaskus about it https://www.kaskus.co.id/thread/5497c1f0a4cb17a1388b4567/pedalahusa-game-perang-sederhana-nusantara-tahun-700-1800/?ref=profile&med=thread
2015
2015 become a turning point for me, I accepted in History course at Universitas Indonesia after passing national state university exam in July 2015. I busy doing university orientation, but I have little time in improving Pedalahusa. I was thinking enter history will improve my skill in making historical games beside try to enter computer course and this decision will impact Sengkala’s development project.
In late August I released the last version of Pedalahusa in Mediafire with new factions like Minahasa, Spain, Bali, Bone, and Portugal. After released, I fell I don’t want continue Pedalahusa. I don’t fell I can continue making game agian.
In September to November 2015, I participated in the Religious Tolerance Game Competition from Indonesia Ministry of Religion. I was selected to become a finalist. My game theme is religion refugees and the player must manage it. Unfortunately, my game doesn’t win. The quality of my game at that time very bad actually.
On 7 November 2015, after learning the history of Bali in 19th century as my college assignment, I exited and started the project of Pedalahusa Fall or Bali and from that time, Sengkala Dev has existed.
2016
Around 2016, I found Itch.io and gamejolt so I put Pedalahusa Fall of Bali in there. During this year, development of Fall of Bali have a lot of problems since the game idea evolved from the mini game to big game. In this game, I experiment how to make strategy game and become pioneers of next Sengkala’s game like diplomacy system, war system, stability, and faction conditions.
Research about Bali quite challenging, but lucky, lots of books in Universitas Indonesia offer Bali’s theme. But for Lombok, it quite hard.
When the Pedalahusa Fall of Bali entered Steam at August, this game never got support from the audience and never gets green light. This continues until greenlight system changed to Steam Direct.
In late November 2016, I attend Bekarf Game Prime and know the existence of Indonesia game developers.
2017
Pedalahusa Fall of Bali’s project ended in January 2017 as I felt this game not much get attention from the public.
Perang Laut Martime Warfare development started from May 2017 as remake of Pedalahusa and Perang Laut project in 2014. I learn to make game, it’s need game development document as the main reference in making games and I implement it in this project.
This game entered several competitions like Galaktus in October 2017 and entered final with many supports from my campus alumni who voted it. But I forgot to submit the game when committee tells me I was selected in final stage.
Perang Laut-Maritime Warfare submitted to Bekraf Gameprime Expo but rejected.
Perang Laut-Maritime Warfare open crowdfunding in Kitabisa around September-October with goal Rp 50 millions, but only 1 person supports this project with Rp 50.000 and I can’t withdraw the money.
2018
Perang Laut-Maritime Warfare participated in Indonesia Gaming Xperience in middle July 2018 as first expo Sengkala ever joined. But unfortunately, Sengkala got limited audience.
Sengkala Dev submitted this game to Bekraf Gameprime and rejected to exhibit in the expo. Another expo rejected too.
During this year, I have researched field for Perang Laut-Maritime Warfare by joining World Urban Forum 9 tours to Mallaca at Febuary 2018 as participants and Palembang in August 2019 as speaker.
What’s make different in 2018 was a new member, Wahyu. Wahyu help Sengkala since July 2018 in making assets for UI Perang Laut-, Maritime Warfare and very helpful for us.
2019
In January 2019, I got prized from KL Game Jam 2018. I used this prize to buy Steam Direct, but I put the money in Steam Wallet and Steam Wallet can’t use for Steam Direct. Big mistake for me and delayed Perang Laut-Maritime Warfare to enter Steam.
Perang Laut Maritime Warfare development ended in June 2019 since I felt the project has reached the goal of development.
Perang Laut-Maritime Warfare submitted in Bekraf Game Prime and rejected again.
I graduated in August 2019 and get Bacholer of Arts and my spirit in making game quite shaken at that time.
I make another game, Pedalahusa Mengkasar. This project starts from around July 2019 to February 2020 and continued in several Times in 2020. I offered this project to film producers since they Made local film about Makassar war but rejected.
Ar that time there has been a big milestone for Sengkala Dev since this game selected in final Increfest, the competition held by Ministry of Industry in early September 2019. I never expected this game selected to final, but Sengkala Dev not win.
In October 2019. Sengkala Dev games exhibited in an electrical expo in ministry of industry 2019 and in late November 2019, Perang Laut-Maritime Warfare presented in Directorate of History, Indonesia Ministry of Education and Culture. I have written this information in Dato of Srivijaya’s post mortem in Game developer (Gamasutra).
2020
Surabaya Inferno development started from February 2020 to June 2020 and recontinued in August 2020 to September 2020 to release this game in Steam after I borrowed the money. My big dream since 2016 is Sengkala games appears in Steam.
20 September 2020 the first game of Sengkala Dev released on Steam but Surabaya Inferno got low respond since the quality of the game very bad and many bugs found by the player. But I happy this game got the review from Paper Rock Shotgun about Surabaya Inferno
In October 2020 big milestone for Sengkala again. Our proposal accepted after 2000 proposal about historical game development in Srivijaya era. This project called Dato of Srivijaya. Dato of Srivijaya idea come from August 2019 since I have an idea about that and read again the Srivijaya proceeding from Seminar Srivijaya 2018 which I participated as a speaker.
In February 2020, the information about Faciitation of Culture Projects reach me. This Faciitation held by Directorate General of Culture Indonesia ministry of Education and Culture. This is the first time they held this as result of Culture Laws passed in parliament in 2018. I submitted the idea of this project in July 2020 when second phase registration opened.. I had prepared the documents since middle june 2020 and got recommendation from Culture agency of Jakarta province after several meetings and fixing the documents.
Dato of Srivijaya idea passed in registration phase and documents verification than field check passed. After workshop and contract signed in 4 Oktober 2022, Dato of Srivijaya get funding about 17.1 million IDR. Very low since I very pessimist at first time this project can get funding while another participant has more than hundred millions rupiah in their budget. This is the very first time Sengkala Dev have budget in game development and from this I learn how to manage money and time.
Sengkala Dec recruited several people including my sister in doing this project. After project done, all recruited members disband.
When Sengkala Dev released Dato of Srivijaya it was very awful version since the programmer only me again. I tried to fix the problem until march 2021 and big update in march 2022.
2021
In 2021, Perang Laut Maritime Warfare got bid updated after I cooperated with other art studios in fix Perang Laut Maritime Warfare quality. I updated the AI and the system of Perang Laut. Perang Laut Maritime Warfare participant in Steam Next Fest at October 2021. This is first time Sengkala Dev joined Steam Fest. Perang Laut got many wishlists, but not reached thousand.
We released Perang Laut Maritime Warfare in 27 October 2021 and updated in November 2021. The quality of Perang Laut more better than Surabaya Inferno and Dato of Srivijaya but since I only the programmer and designer, I found several issues in this game which need updating. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time. From December 2021 to early March 2022, I am updating Dato of Srivijaya with new assets.
Several people seen me as unemployed and lazy since I now work in office and my revenue from game very little.
2022
In January 2022, Sengkala Dev opened recruitment for the first time. There are several people joined Sengkala but 4 members withdraw due many reasons. Although there are many obstacles in maintaining the team, all members in Sengkala are improving Sengkala’s quality. In June 2022 I open again recruitment and the idea to remake Fall of Bali start with this team. Fall of Bali’s project member make the quality of the game more good than what I can do alone.
Now, beside making games, I become an assistant history research for lecture Universitas Indonesia by collecting history source since March 2022. Especially in October 2022, I help research about a potential national hero from Jakarta. A lot of newspaper sources from Japanese occupation I found and improving my insight about Surabaya Inferno.
Since September 2022, Surabaya Inferno updating and in 20 December 2022, Surabaya Inferno’s updated after getting support from pixel artist and QA testing make the quality of Surabaya Inferno more better than before.
Some this passage I have written in Gamasutra (now game developer)
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/dato-of-srivijaya-long-path-recreating-srivijaya-s-legacy
2023
I hope Fall of Bali, Surabaya Inferno, and another Sengkala’s project can success in selling, seeking funding, and players enjoy it!
Big hope Sengkala can get more popularity in this year.
Thank you for reading this
Tangerang, 2 January 2023
Sengkala Dev 