How Cuphead Was Made and Struggled Finding The Right Protagonist
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- Опубліковано 23 чер 2024
- Use my link bit.ly/ThatGuyGlenDCFeb22 and check out the first chapter of any DataCamp course for FREE to unlock new career opportunities and become data fluent today!
This Cuphead documentary details the development of indie 2D platformer Cuphead and goes behind the scenes of its creation. Discover more about developer Studio MDHR and its two founders, Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. Growing up as brothers, Jared and Chad loved watching cartoons from the 30s and playing run-and-gun video games such as Mega Man, Contra and Gunstar Heroes. The documentary also explores all the design decisions that Studio MDHR made and shows how the 1930s cartoon style started as a joke.
It also takes a close look at all the hurdles the team had to go through. The two brothers and other members of the team had no prior development experience before working on Cuphead so the learning curve was steep. Additionally, the studio decided to stick as closely as possible to the traditional techniques of early animation, meaning drawing every single frame of animation by hand. This unfortunately slowed down production by 80%. Furthermore, the team went through more than 150 designs for the titular character Cuphead before they landed on the right one. Lastly, Jared and Chad share some advice for aspiring indie developers and talk about what’s next for Studio MDHR.
0:00 Part 1
5:52 Ad
7:02 Part 2
References:
thatguyglen.fun/video/how-cup...
Outro song: Thank You R.G.E. - Joe Bagale
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#Cuphead #StudioMDHR #GameDevelopment - Ігри
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Ok bro
Love your stuff
dam why is this so wholesome
I’m back in cup head cuz of the show
Speaking of hand drawned video game awarded with guiness world record , you should speak of Skullgirls too
It's insane how they were able to complete such an ambitious project with such little experience. These people are super human, much respect
I bet they heard some cobra kai motivational soundtrack😂😂
You don't need to be super human to bring your dream to life. Just brave.
@@Firguy And strong self discipline
@@Firguy I'll keep that in mind the next time i try and jump off a 10 story building.
@@BLANKONTOP Let's not do that
The fact two inexperienced people can make such a masterpiece and that a triple a company cant even get a game right with a big group of experienced people really says something
Ambitious and incredibly risky. A lot of indie games have struck gold by hitting the ground running coming out at the right place at the right time. Unfortunately if AAA devs are even small enough to be in a position to make their own creative games, the publishing corporations tend to be the ones that kill off or stall fledgling franchises. My favorite AAA game series have been from early studios that put their all into an experimental game before it deviates from its core gameplay to chase trends (Battlefront/Battlefield series), changes enough to become a casual formula (Far Cry series), dies as a trilogy (Crysis series), or worse is stuck in limbo before it gets there (Half Life series, Deus Ex (Edios) series, Titanfall series).
Why would a triple a company "get a game right" when everyone and their mom buys the game regardless?
yes, when something really has a lot of love and affection, something really good comes out, when something has a lot of greed and money involved, something generic and often lazy comes out
@@youare5907 because it is that broken than they may lose money
Man what we need is a physical release. Don't even tell me they don't have the money either. With all of these promotions they should definitely have the funds for it. There were Xbox cases showing it in collectors merchandise but no disc. I won't be cheated like that. This game is a no purchase from me.
Even with drawing ability, the fact that this dude taught himself TRADITIONAL animation in a classic 40's rubberhose style just for this game is fucking insane. I always assumed he already had years of animation under his belt.
The presentation here is fantastic. I had a lot of respect for the making of Cuphead before but seeing it all broken down like this increases that tenfold. Excellent work.
Thank you very much!
Lo
@Funkin Nerds’ it
@@JamGunForPBJ it
Hirtgfb.
.
What made Cuphead really stick out for me, is the 1930's artstyle. It was so freaking authentic my cousins even thought the game was super old. I think they also made a right decision of making the game fairly difficult. It's always super rewarding when you beat all the bosses
seeing the bosses die brings some absolute dopamine rush
@@Rafelandroid2 both dopamine and relief, I never felt so much adrenaline in my life when I was fighting dr. Robotnik after I finished that fight both my hands and feet were numb but I was just so happy I freaking beaten hom
@@aizakkukun4985 we do a little satisfaction grinding
I know I'm replying hella late here, but the first time I saw the devs react to cuphead speedrun, I genuinely thought I was watching some SNES gameplay of a game I hadn't played yet. I still haven't gotten around to getting the game yet but it's on my list for sure. That type of animation has fascinated me since I was a kid, knowing they would've had to draw every frame.
Cuphead is the only game that made me take a break for few weeks, then come back and try to finish it. This game is brutal but fun. Love the video as always Glen!
Enjoy dark souls next
Glad you enjoyed it, Faizal! I still need to get back to it too and finish it, but it’s always a joy to return to it. There’s nothing else that compares to Cuphead.
@@lamborghinicentenario2497 i've finished dark souls while it's harder than Cuphead, it's at least have a rhythm that i can see. Cuphead rhythm is extremely hard.
The same thing happened to me but with Celeste.
@@faizaliqbal2284 they're very different, can't really call on harder than the other. personally i think cuphead is way harder than any fromsoft/souls game bar sekiro
I was initially not that interested in Cuphead, but now after hearing the story behind it, I believe this is a development team that I can support.
it's extremely difficult but one of the most well-made games i've ever played. one of my favorites, definitely my favorite 2d/run n gun of all time
Just watch the show, it's more entertaining then suffering through the game's difficulty.
@@MGrey-qb5xz I wasn’t too into the game, but when the show came out, I became obsessed lol
@@MGrey-qb5xz It's not suffering. it isn't insanely difficult. You just have to have patience and use your brain to figure out the bosses and how they work. I only play story based choices matter games with no real gameplay but i still managed to get through cuphead without wanting to throw my laptop across the room. It was fun and rewarding all the way through
I love the show, and because of the show…. I got into this game and it’s amazing developers so I’m ever so thankful for them creating my now favorite video game
I really like how dedicated the team was. Even if it took 7 years, that's not the important detail at all. The important detail was how dedicated they were for this game even for their first time.
Another lesson in taking the time to follow your passions and that it is never too late to start.
Amen!
Yea I agree! This really inspired me. When I was 11 I was really interested in art and animation and attempted it a few times. Rn I’m 15 almost 16 and after I turned 14 I felt that I wasn’t good enough and should quit because there where more younger ppl doing way better than I could. But this has inspired me! I’m still pretty young and have a lot of time to grow! I wish I could have kept trying but it’s better to start now than regret I didn’t
Making a game like Cuphead feels like a nightmare to develop. I can't believe MDHR surpassed it. They deserve a Nobel prize.
Sadly there's no Nobel Prize in animation or game development but to be honest, three Guinness Book World Records is pretty darn close, if not better.
@@supertron6039 id rather get a Nobel prize than guiness world records ngl 😅
@@supertron6039 Guinness world records are incredibly corrupt and don’t care about accuracy, only the thousands it costs to apply. It’s especially true in gaming, look up “Minecraft staircase world record” on UA-cam, it’s an embarrassment
Every type of media struggles for recognition a while until the general public is familiarized with it and discovers the potential it has to inspire us to places we didn't knew were at our reach.
Been playing this game practically when it released on switch. Got me into Mega Man and the whole indie game scene. I have the soundtrack on CD and Vinyl and I have the Art Book and one of the novels. Definetely going to 200% it sometime.
There was even new DLC announced in the latest Nintendo Direct
@@CreeperShorts No???? It was announced in 2019?????????????
@@CreeperShorts we got the release date at TGA
Wait you can 200% it? I thought you could only 100% it
Yeah, Cuphead and Megaman are some of my favourites
Really inspiring. Cant even believe its been 5 years since the game's release.
19:18 I’m extremely happy that you are one of the first people to actually mention this in a video. People who don’t actually know much about classic cartoons or jazz music claim that Cuphead’s soundtrack was accurate to the music that were featured in similar cartoons and simply label Big Band as “jazz” but that’s just not the case. As good as the soundtrack is and although they do use ragtime as their choice of music for run n’ gun levels which MIGHT be used in rubber hose cartoons, Big band is often not the type of music that you will hear. If anything it was more of blues, classic jazz, and orchestral scores were used. I know this isn’t necessarily an addition to what you said but I just wanted to point out that I’m glad someone felt the need to add that bit of information
for the most part, yes, this is true, but you also have to take into account that when people make statements like that, they're likely referring to music of that era rather than music specifically tied to old rubber hose cartoons and such. and most gamers i know aren't really aficionados on old music either
Cuphead is really something special, and the devs going all in on it is both nerve wracking and awe inspiring. I remember playing it once with my cousin as his grandpa walked by. He normally doesn't really understand videogames, but he had a blast watching us play and said that it brought him right back to his childhood watching old cartoons.
Also ended up binging through all your videos after watching this. Your presentation style and editing are top notch, and the videos are quite well written! Keep up the great work, (that)guy!
Thank you very much and will do!
I like that this game is something the elderly can enjoy too
I love the image of the creator breaking down in tears as he accepts he know has to learn not just how to animate, but in a style that died half a century ago.
very great video! i had a wonderful time watching! this is really amazing what they did! so talneted and so much hard work! they really deserve many things!
minor spelling mistake
Hi cuptoast
Bwry talneted
@@RundownSD i win
why do I see you everywhere crumb
At the age of 9 I caught interest into becoming an animator, it was something that always fascinated me and just clicks right compared to any other field. Cuphead came out when I was 10 y/o, and ever since has truly sparked my passion and interest into becoming an animator. While Cuphead wasn't the *only* thing that made me go "yeah I wanna be an animator when I grow up," still to this day every time I play it, it takes me back to that time me and my older brother started up the game only to be shown a beautifully animated intro with a lovely song, just watching in awe. Core childhood moment tbh, I turn 15 tomorrow so it may have been only 6 years since me wanting to become an animator, but 6 years as a kid and teen feel like forever! That's like, my whole life so far!
Wish you the best of luck! Keep the passion alive.
You keep following your passion!
I have the same passion as you, who knows? Maybe we’ll meet again in the future.
happy fifteenth!
...
biggest respect to these guys, one of the most ambitious and inspiring games of the decade and they pulled it off + the game is actually good
I didn't know about their lack of experience with classic animation when they started working on Cuphead and now my respect for them has increased tenfold. It's one thing putting in so many hours into a project but working on something solely from your passion and no prior training in that field... it's beyond impressive.
what an inspiring story! as always thank you so much for your beautifully-edited essay, it's hard not to notice enormous amount of effort you put in your videos
My pleasure! I’m just doing what I love so I’m glad people like it :D
@@ThatGuyGlen some of my favourite videos on UA-cam. Never stop - SO inspiring. Love them 😊
Love how this snowballed from just a dream to them learning new things to hiring a team and releasing their game ….putting everything they did to make the dreams come true. the art alone is amazing then add the gameplay, pure genius. Also the new series on Netflix is really clever and funny 😄 I hope they still have more in them for more games or other games .
So... Cuphead was a game made by love and passion! And that's why the final product is such a masterpice! I'm glad this family could finish the project with all the obstacles that were in front of them.
Thank you so much for making this video!
My pleasure!
I don't know how but with every upload your improvement in the quality of the video grows tenfold and you always manage to capture the aesthetics of the title in question, amazing stuff!!
Thank you very much!
I played the whole game from beginning to end.
You _cannot_ tell me that these two arent cartoonishly sadistic people. That game is appropriately hellish
Are you saying that in a good or bad way?
@@cloudyloudly2404 Good. Great game *Nightmarish difficulty*
@@goldenapplesaga5446 NOOB 😎😎😎
i played and beaten the entirety of cuphead with my sister couple of years back, and hearing the development story with chad and jared makes it feel like i experienced that level of bonding that they probably intended it to have
This is such a fantastic story on how the two brothers passion project had finally paid of with it being massive success and branching off into many different gaming platforms and making a successful television program.
It is absolutely nuts this game ever got made, it’s so incredibly ambitious that it sounds like something you’d hear about in a lost media video haha
These brothers are honestly an inspiration for me. They had a vision and went for it truly filling the need for something they would wanna see.
Every single time I see Cuphead’s animation I’m extremely impressed. Same with the music. So much love and care was put into the game. I feel like this is how games should be made. Games should be made out of passion, not for money. Cuphead is an example of what every video game could be like if developers are passionate about what they’re doing
This is super inspiring! I've been working on a passion project and I always feel like I need to get it done quick or I'll neved finish it. But seeing that these guys went through so much to get Cuphead done makes me feel like I should pace myself rather than try to finish it quick. I'm glad I watched this video!
So glad to see the success of this beautiful created game
What indie game would you like to see me cover next? Leave a suggestion in the comments below! Also, if you enjoyed the video, please consider subscribing to stay up to date on future “How Games Were Made” episodes. Leaving a like and sharing the video also helps out! Support me on Patreon and get exclusive content like Q&A sessions, ad-free content, access to my Discord server and more: www.patreon.com/ThatGuyGlen
cover night in the woods!
Kindergarten probably
Fnaf
Inside
Henry Stickmin please!
The creation of Cuphead is very inspiring to me. I've been wanting to make a game for a while now, based on a combination of random things like Dungeons and Dragons and some MMORPGs like Runescape and semi-inspired by VRChat. I essentially want to make a fantasy world that's customizable to the player and gives the ability to make it whatever you want. I'd feel uncomfortable marketing it to children, being that having a lot of freedom can have its bad impacts, so I'd probably give it a T or M rating, but I've never felt like I've had the level of freedom I wanted in an MMO before and I want to make that possible for myself and many other people. Seeing how this game was created by just a few people as their passion project after having little to no experience in the industry, I think it's something I'll be capable of in the future. I'm currently 17 and am studying some things like Art and Blender. I will also learn Unity in the future and hopefully get a paid version of the program at some point. So hopefully my project will go the way I want it to.
Yo, follow your dreams :D
Who knows maybe in the somewhere future I am playing your game
As a solo developer, I and many others would advise starting by designing and making at least a few smaller games first. Platformers, shooters and puzzle games are a good place to start. It will help you get a feel for the progression and logistics of a project.
@@geventv6548 I have agree with this guy. it feels so good to follow ur dreams.🖖
Not going to lie- I love how you edit the vids fit the game's theme! Also the quality of the information- N O I C E
Much appreciated!
This is a classic example of just doing something You always dreamed of not thinking about and letting it influence by how others would view it and just doing it because you love it.
Which is the most beautifull thing there is
And now a cartoon is coming up about Cuphead. They did a phenomenal job
Knowing the dynamic between my brother and most people’s relationships with their brothers, those “friendly” drawing competitions prolly turned into full on brawls over little shit 😂
"Then I started crying because I knew I had to attempt animation." Same.
Cuphead is truly a work of art... Even though it makes me angry lol.
I like to think Cuphead started as "wow a platformer fleischer game sounds cool nobodys ever done that" then like a year into the project they went "oh god..."
Like the amount of work that this game took is insane.
I don't play video games. But what I really love about it is that it's all hand drawn. That's how dedicated they were. And they did a beautiful job in my opinion. And I can't wait to watch the cartoon 📝
I'm so glad they didn't settle for comfort. They had a passion and they saw it through.
Cuphead is one of my favourite games, and MDHR are a great bunch of people.
Incredible job on the video, editing, and getting all the footage and information behind the development/ developers of Cuphead. I loved how you kept the theme all the way through out
Thank you very much, glad you liked it!
I've been wanting to play this game. I have an M1 Mac and it looks like it is compatible. Time to finally give it a shot. The difficulty is honestly one of the most appealing aspects. I want to kick ass and get the street cred.
Great video! Shows the story behind this game with details, and amazing presentasion and visual style.
Well done :)
Thank you very much, glad to hear you liked it!
I'm surprised this channel isn't larger, fantastic quality content man. Keep it up!
Much appreciated!
The team were undoubtedly amazing and extremely talented and dedicated, but the thing that brought Cuphead to the public eyes were that invitation to E3. Hard work,talent,and dedication with a little kick of luck is what make Cuphead the Indie game success that it is
This story of how cuphead came to be is very inspiring and cool it shows how when you put your mind to something you can make anything possible even if others say its not possible
I admire that you present each video in the visual grammar of the source. Here even the ad is consistent with the rest of the presentation. Cohesiveness of style is important to me and I really appreciate it when someone goes the extra mile.
Another great video! Happy to see the success this channel is having.
Thanks, PBG! Appreciate the support!
I always respected the devs for the hand drawn art and the unique background ideas for levels but I never knew it was like this. They truly deserve their success! Also, great video, constant flow of information while being interesting and not too complex
banger video as always, it's always cool hearing the this developer stories, the people behind some of the most beloved game
Much appreciated!
It's so interesting seeing how it was made and how much dedication was put into it
Inspiring story. I'm in a similar position. Similar age, with the same passion and dream to make a game with one of my childhood friends. We've talked about making a fighting game since we were kids. We coincidentally moved into the same area 30 years later and restarted talking about it. Glad to know it's not impossible to make your dream a reality.
Glad to see your subscriber count triple. I still think that you deserve at least over half a million subscribers as your videos have amazing quality and good work putt into it. Not like others above half a million.
Much appreciated! And half a million would be crazy! :P
cuphead will be the last evidence that hand drawn animation exists back then in the future. we have to cherish this
Wow! The editing is amazing on this video, good job!
Talk about an inspiring success story! Nice to see a story where everything works out just great.
Good quality as always, your style is so unique bro! 😄
Much appreciated!
Great video as always. I for one can't wait for the cartoon coming out this month as well as the dlc in June
Thank you!
what a sweet story. i love hearing of families coming together on a passion project like this
This is so amazing, enjoyed learning this. I could tell love was truly put into this game.
An extremely well put video Glen really hope this blows up soon, because your voice acting along with smooth transitions are a pleasure to watch. Loved playing cuphead and loved the video.
Thank you so much and I'm glad to hear you liked it!
This is a great story of perseverance. They had a dream, and worked hard, and learned new skills such as programming and animation to make their dream come true. Its crazy to see such a great and polished game come from two people who just had a strong desire. This was very inspiring
Your videos get higher and higher quality! I love learning from your research. Thank you!!
My pleasure and thank you! I’m just doing what I love and I’m happy people like the videos :D
I'm so happy for them, great work Studio MDHR!
Amazing story! I'm still stuck at the final boss but is enough for me to tell that is a masterpiece.
Wow, I love every single video you make! Your style is amazing, and it seems like every video is better than the last! I look forward to every upload, keep up the amazing work! Wow, I’ll be glad to say I was one of the first couple thousand subscribers when you hit a million! Thanks for what you do! :)
Thank you very much for the kind words and for supporting the channel since the early days! 1 million subscribers seems impossible, I’m just hoping I can reach 100k someday :P
i love your vids so much. i grew up obsessed with and enraptured by game design and game development, and ive been watching your channel for a long time. now im in college studying game design, and its been wonderful. i know what i want to do, because i already love it. thanks for all the effort you put into such well-made vids, i still look forward to every upload :)
That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear you’re following your passion, I know it’s not always easy going for a more creative education and career. That passion will get you there though, I know it! Just have fun along the way and stay curious :D
F'ing fascinating, hope for alot more from them plus inspirational considering I love 30's style cartoons & video games.
Such a well researched and structured video. Clear to the point communication, amazing presentation and highly informative. Honestly I am willing to pay for content this good! I hope you get to 1 mil subs soon, because this level of quality is not common nowadays
Thank you very much for the kind words! Comments like yours make my day :D
@@ThatGuyGlen you truly deserve all the love, for the hardwork you're putting in.
So this documentary was amazingly made, thank you for that. It made me buy the game!
My pleasure, glad you liked it!
Great job! I really liked this video, it explained everything well and the visuals were great! Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much, glad to hear you enjoyed it!
The fact that "The Last Delicious Course" is coming out almost 6 years later shows they are really putting effort
Those brothers are amazing! And soon we will get DLC and the cartoon series! 🤩
Cartoon is out!
This is amazing! Very detailed and very good video
Finally! I wanted to see a video from you talking about my favorite game for so long!
Apologies it took so long :P
@@ThatGuyGlen Better late than never! The wait was definitely worth it!
My 4 year old son loves the cuphead cartoon I had to pull him from the tv, soon he can try the game 👍🏻
Cuphead fulfills the role of balance within challenge in games. It's true, most people nowadays complain about how a game is difficult, but there are some who can't differ between a plain hard game to a hard and fair game.
Hard and challenging games fulfill the role of accomplishment when finishing the game entirely, but a hard and challenging game needs a crucial requirement, and it's called making it fair. Cuphead is hard, but it's definitely not impossible and it definitely needs some time to finish.
I can’t wait for the sequel and great video man.
Immaculate video, each time they get better! 😍
Wow, after this video, I have much much more respect to the dev team. Incredible game.
Damn, the editing is AMAZING!
Yeah, and with each video it gets better and better.
@@ramoncf7 so true
Much appreciated!
This channel is a gold mine love it!
I'm a bit late and never seen these videos before, but i'm only 1:44 in and the amount of work you put into editing this video seems crazy, keep up the good work :)
i was pleasantly suprised that i remembered cuphead back in the early 2010's; i had read about it on a K-Zone magazine!
anyhoo, its nice seeing you again, glen!
Good to see you in the comments, Caleb! I remember people talking about Cuphead after E3 in 2014, it really stood out and still does!
wow, such a coincidence that I played cuphead for the first time yesterday!
I think one of the craziest things about cuphead is the fact that it’s a indie game. It’s crazy how every single frame is hand drawn, all songs are fantastic, and made by a small group of people.
Excellent work as always Glen.
Fantastic coverage of an inspiring story.
It's really cool to imagine that one day you might make a documentary about a member of your audience and their game who was inspired/cought a vision for their project thanks to watching your work and the fascinating stories you showcase. :D
Thank you! And that would be insane, honestly :D I’m glad to know the videos can serve as inspiration for people though!
This really is the truth though! It was Glen's video on Stardew Valley (one of my favorite games of all time) where I learned that it was created by just Eric Barone alone. That revelation has sat in the back of my head for months now and is ultimately what gave me the inspiration to get started on the next stage of my artistic career. Just earlier today, I purchased a few courses in C#/Unity and got a sub to a coding site. I don't know where this will take me but if it takes me somewhere good... it will owe a great debt to that video.
@@meerdeadpool I knew Eric Barone's development of SDV was a solo affair, but learning what that was really like definitely inspired me more.
I wish you good luck on your journey.
I know for me, I need a bit more direction and grounding in what I'm doing than just programming courses, so I would say not to get discouraged if you don't find yourself loving them.
I find the tiny bit of programming/scripting you'll do just to get something to work in Unity to be vastly more educational than hours of lectures I had to sit through in college.
"Coding with Mosh" is a great resource though, and there's a bunch of great youtube Unity tutorials that can get you started making stuff real quick :D
I have to say it, your content and effort you put into each video are amazing! keep up the good work!
Thank you very much and will do!
very good video, my respect increase even more after this breakdown of the game developement that's truly incredible !
Much appreciated!
Appreciate all the effort you're putting into the video to make it unique ❤️ Can't wait for your next video🔥
Glad you liked it :D
As a mariofan, i love that its a little bit more creative and inspired by other games :D
Love your vids, keep ‘em coming!!
I’ll keep them coming!
Great video! So in depth!
Much appreciated, glad you liked it!
6 million copies sold in 2020
times $15 per sale average
minus 30% platform fees
is $63 million
With between 3 and 20 workers from 2013 til 2020. Assuming most of those people were added in 2016 and 2017 comes out to ~75 worker years from 2013 to 2020?
That's around $800k per year of labor before taxes.
That's definitely respectable income. But I hope their next game takes less time and sells better because for the crazy risks they took that's not the greatest return on investment. (Though I didn't really account for merchandise sales, hopefully that's put them in F U money territory)
Excellent video. My appreciation for the game and its developers increased tenfold
Thank you!
Great and inspiring video essay, Glen!
just found your UA-cam channel absolutely love it already
Glad to hear you like it!