![]() ![]() The rationale being that with an art game like this, it is very risky to spend a couple of years on production before seeing whether people like it or not. TK: We knew from the beginning that we were going to put this game on Kickstarter, and on PC as a start. That switch works the best in a two-sided world (with our intention for minimal input from player), going back and forth to solve the puzzles.ĮM: Your Kickstarter is picking up steam, so what was the preparation process like, going into the crowdfunding effort? What kinds of responses have supporters given, and how do you see the current state of game funding changing? Other than that, each mode of each level is going to have a different art style, and with our core mechanic (world-swap) we are swapping between two different and new art styles in each level. So based on a Yin-Yang approach, we needed the forces of black and white. TK: First, our design represents the Crow as “Yin” and the Cat as “Yang”. This question may seem simple, but why two and not three or four oppositional forces? Schmidt to represent real versus surreal, logic versus chaos, presenting dual viewpoints as a way to experience Lona’s struggles. This, added with simple point-and-click mechanics, are our minimal design to get the best out of the “art” experience we’re aiming to deliver.ĮM: The game uses Mr. We also have a “magic” mechanic sometimes you can drag an object (without having any inventory) and put in on an special object to achieve a special effect on the environment. As the game progresses, each item leads to a more challenging puzzle (like the pipe puzzle in Neverhood) fitting with the learning curve. For instance, a moving bag, and when you click on it, the cat jumps out and hints toward the next item. TK: At first, the player starts with very basic interactions, including some obvious ones. What do you see as the most essential mechanics in a game like yours, and as every game has a learning curve, what design elements help get gamers into the driver’s seat as quickly as possible? Both visuals and music change gradually as the player progresses through the level, leading to the perfect balance therein.ĮM: As you’re leaving out a traditional HUD and giving players a point-and-click experience, let’s speak to adventure games as a genre there’s been a recent resurgence of indie games that interact via beautiful landscapes (as opposed to first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, etc). We spent time on R&D in Unity and finally came up with a proper pipeline that is both feasible for the designer and the artist.Īs there’s no HUD, inventory, or dialogue, the player just faces visuals and music, along with some subtle hints in animations or musical notes to help the player find the interactive items to solve puzzles with. To achieve this, our main challenge was assembling all the layers and objects in a perfect way, without forgetting that many of them are animated and we have up to three versions of each at the same time: Cat mode, Crow mode and Balance mode. We always see concept art from games, which we love, and in Lona, we wanted to have the exact same aesthetics as in-game experiences. Taraneh Karimi: To make sure the dynamic and feel of the game fits our vision, we wanted the levels to be pure 2D concept art. ![]() ![]() From a game asset point of view, what kinds of challenges have come with level assembly? How much do you leave for people to ‘puzzle out’ while maintaining a system that feels visually intuitive? With a Kickstarter campaign in high gear, SpaceFox has a lot on its plate, and I chatted with artist Taraneh Karimi on the novel nature of her project (see also Alter Native).Įrik Meyer: Lona: Realm of Colors follows an artist through dual landscapes that tell the story of her struggles and attempts to cope with difficulties. As an adventure game delivered by way of two-sided paintings, Lona: Realm of Colors presents a distinct visual style and keen dualism, using a cat and a crow to guide players through the experience. ![]()
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