October 11, 2011

SQUIDS now available on the App Store, a smooth blend of action tactical RPG warped in an epic storyline and a delicious art direction at its center. You can read an in-depth review at ifanzine, and if you allow me I’m just going to ramble about how development went on this iOS game set under the seven seas. It took The Game Bakers the better part of their long nights and I can only feel proud and thankful to have been part of this labour of love as story consultant. Obviously, but only after the next four paragraphs, I will ask you to go buy it. With an offer you can’t refuse. Just wait a bit. Emeric, Jerome and Audrey felt that in the iOS landscape, games were either built around a single narrative high-concept or over an in-depth but quite dry ersatz of 8-bit japanese and classical rpgs. Something in-between, streamlined and fun could be had. They pushed for a simple storyline that had to be epic in scale but -and that was the catch- unobtrusive enough to not alienate those who just wanted to dive into the tactical system… while still being engaging enough so that one if so interested could glimpse at the wider, deeper picture behind the missions. This was difficult as story could only be told through a few character shots and dialogue boxes. I write profusely and with a weird tinge of out-there english; Sorkin-esque back and forth and Mamet cut-offs are my crutches and darlings. Audrey managed to take a hatchet and a strong firm wrist to my first six drafts; Thanks the heavens for her sharpness. We have the whole major arc planned, spanning 7 chapters. The first one -the one out there at the tip of your finger- is built on the classical Campbellian hero’s journey with a spoonful of pop culture references: an efficient and fun way to be immediately familiar without resorting to long exposition. In a way, We wink to those in the know without going all self-referential or derivative. Hopefully what you get from the first chapter is a sense of scale, depth and a fondness for the characters. The plot is just here to get to know and care for the characters, since we are asking you to hang out with them for 8 hours per chapter, after all… asking you to allow them in your hands and in your pocket. Some bits I love (Winnick, that awesome turtle…) some bits I’m sorry was cut and some lines were punched up far too much on the nose. This is the way, as it should be. But when I see the illustrations done by artiste extraordinaire Jérome, the character expressions giving the line all the ummph I could never picture, you know after all is over that you were in the right hands from the start. Squids is $0.99 (0.79 of our silly euros) on the app store. It looks gorgeous and the gameplay is both challenging and engaging, and that’s all thanks to Emeric. And it could’ve been more than enough. But he pushed the master word, and it the word was Fun. Characters had to be fun, environments had to be lush, story had to be quirky… everything under the sea had to be fun and inviting. Go grab the invitation, and if I meet you in the world, show me the app icon, and I’ll buy you a beer. ^__^ That was me asking you to get it, with the offer. All of this would not have been possible if not for the app store ecosystem, where a handful of dedicated people can come together and focus on shipping the work to the best of their ability -I’m just glad I was but a small part of that team- and it would not have been possible if the touch interface wasn’t so well implemented it comes so naturally to even 3 year old kids. We chose some of our character names after people we admire: Clint, Sammo for Sammo Hung, Winnick for the designer of Maniac Mansion and writer of Day of the Tentacle. We gave humble nods and warm thanks with the names of our hero squids. Our main hero is called Steev. Rightly so. Thank you for your time. Squids, on the App Store. Trailer HERE. Right now for iPhone, the iPad version is gorgeous, and it’s coming soon.

SQUIDS

now available on the App Store, a smooth blend of action tactical RPG warped in an epic storyline and a delicious art direction at its center.
You can read an in-depth review at ifanzine, and if you allow me I’m just going to ramble about how development went on this iOS game set under the seven seas.

It took The Game Bakers the better part of their long nights and I can only feel proud and thankful to have been part of this labour of love as story consultant.

Obviously, but only after the next four paragraphs, I will ask you to go buy it. With an offer you can’t refuse.
Just wait a bit.

Emeric, Jerome and Audrey felt that in the iOS landscape, games were either built around a single narrative high-concept or over an in-depth but quite dry ersatz of 8-bit japanese and classical rpgs. Something in-between, streamlined and fun could be had. They pushed for a simple storyline that had to be epic in scale but -and that was the catch- unobtrusive enough to not alienate those who just wanted to dive into the tactical system… while still being engaging enough so that one if so interested could glimpse at the wider, deeper picture behind the missions.

This was difficult as story could only be told through a few character shots and dialogue boxes. I write profusely and with a weird tinge of out-there english; Sorkin-esque back and forth and Mamet cut-offs are my crutches and darlings. Audrey managed to take a hatchet and a strong firm wrist to my first six drafts; Thanks the heavens for her sharpness.

We have the whole major arc planned, spanning 7 chapters. The first one -the one out there at the tip of your finger- is built on the classical Campbellian hero’s journey with a spoonful of pop culture references: an efficient and fun way to be immediately familiar without resorting to long exposition. In a way, We wink to those in the know without going all self-referential or derivative. Hopefully what you get from the first chapter is a sense of scale, depth and a fondness for the characters. The plot is just here to get to know and care for the characters, since we are asking you to hang out with them for 8 hours per chapter, after all… asking you to allow them in your hands and in your pocket.

Some bits I love (Winnick, that awesome turtle…) some bits I’m sorry was cut and some lines were punched up far too much on the nose. This is the way, as it should be. But when I see the illustrations done by artiste extraordinaire Jérome, the character expressions giving the line all the ummph I could never picture, you know after all is over that you were in the right hands from the start.

Squids is $0.99 (0.79 of our silly euros) on the app store. It looks gorgeous and the gameplay is both challenging and engaging, and that’s all thanks to Emeric. And it could’ve been more than enough. But he pushed the master word, and it the word was Fun. Characters had to be fun, environments had to be lush, story had to be quirky… everything under the sea had to be fun and inviting. Go grab the invitation, and if I meet you in the world, show me the app icon, and I’ll buy you a beer. ^__^
That was me asking you to get it, with the offer.

All of this would not have been possible if not for the app store ecosystem, where a handful of dedicated people can come together and focus on shipping the work to the best of their ability -I’m just glad I was but a small part of that team- and it would not have been possible if the touch interface wasn’t so well implemented it comes so naturally to even 3 year old kids. We chose some of our character names after people we admire: Clint, Sammo for Sammo Hung, Winnick for the designer of Maniac Mansion and writer of Day of the Tentacle. We gave humble nods and warm thanks with the names of our hero squids.

Our main hero is called Steev.
Rightly so.

Thank you for your time.

Squids, on the App Store. Trailer HERE. Right now for iPhone, the iPad version is gorgeous, and it’s coming soon.

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