WHERE TO GO FROM HERE - PART 2

As I eluded to in the last post, I am working through the numbers trying to decide if an episodic production and release through Kickstarter is a viable option.

So, we now have a course and a destination… Which honestly is a very welcome and refreshing change.

Why use Kickstarter?

As a marketing platform it allows to reach a wider audience, not just my current customers but those new to the hobby and those who never knew DreamForge was even a 'thing'. I think we all know that the train has stalled, and its going to take a lot of effort and lots of attention to get it rolling again. Perhaps there will be a time that I can move off the Kickstarter platform, but for now… The broader exposure is required. This exposure comes at a price, Between the Kickstarter fees, the currency transaction fees and the backer support fees in the form of a post Kickstarter service to collect shipping and allow backers to add items or options, we are looking at near 10% in fees alone.

Expectations:

Not every Kickstarter campaign will succeed, that's OK. If the demand for a particular kit is not there, then its not… No harm no foul, we move on to the next product offering. I completely expect for there to be unfunded projects that never make it to plastic and possibly (if there was enough interest) may see a resin release instead. There will be changes to how DreamForge approaches on hand inventory and even they type of products offered, not all offerings need to be Iron Core specific, it provides far more flexibility in product development than making sure each product fits neatly into the project I have already started. If I get an itch to do…well anything, it gives a platform to see if all of you are also interested.

How will that work? And what does that look like from the customers side?

The plan is to have a very focused Kickstarter for a single product, its actual production costs and any profits expected will need to be folded into the funding goal. This is a strong departure from the retail model, where revenues are gained over time and the investment/debt is front loaded.

Product availability outside the initial Kickstarter will be limited, 10% to 20% beyond the total needed to fulfill the Kickstarter will be run, some of that will be soaked up by the inevitable issues, damaged kits, mispacked or missing items from a kit and kits that never make it to the backer and get lost in transit. 

There may be re-runs offered on popular kits in future Kickstarter's, but there will be minimums that need to be met, typically a 500 unit run will be needed. If I feel that the kit will sell, I may assist with purchasing some of that re-run myself, to provide stock on hand. The best way for a customer to approach this is to buy what you want and what you think you will need at the time of the offering, I cannot make a promise that there will be a second run if the overall interest is not there.

Customers will need to pay for the actual shipping costs for the products they back.

Shipping, as we all know is stuuupid expensive from the US to anywhere outside its borders. Each Kickstarter will be shipped directly from China to mitigate the expense to the customer as much as possible, this means most of the world will likely see a drastic cost reduction, but the US will see an increase. Why don't I just ship the US from the US? Well, because it's a hidden cost, one that would need to be calculated into the Kickstarter… Someone has to pay to get it to the US before it could be sent out from our warehouse, add to this the staffing costs, the shipping package costs and overhead, and it becomes a real issue that has not been factored into the per kit price… We are running as lean as possible, to provide a per kit price that is as low as possible, there will be no room for uncalculated expenses.

How are the Kickstarter's structured?

This is open for revision, but the plan is to absorb the costs and required profits into a 1000 minimum unit run. If it costs $40,000 for the molds, production, boxes and services, then the cost of each unit would be $40.00. 

What happens if a Kickstarter goes nuts and the total funding far outstrips the required funding goal? Do you get a discount? Discounts will be offered when you pick up multiple kits, not by the overall success of a product. Those are profits that get re-invested to make DreamForge healthy, to pay for game development, to pay for additional stock, to help pay for re-release of the current line of kits, as those tools will need to be re-cut at some point. I am not pulling the discount off the table, but for the foreseeable future, I have a lot of catching up to do and core development that needs to happen for DreamForge to grow and thrive.

I want to be clear, this is not going to be a song and dance Kickstarter model, there 'may' be extras offered if there is room on the sprues, ( I will try to pack them the best that I can) but anything extra in the form of products adds to the costs and I am not bulking the costs to deal with that. I am trying to keep the price per kit to you as low as I possibly can.

Longer term with the releases and stock on hand.

Obviously, this model does is not ideal for some aspects of brand development, limited supply concerns may not be ideal but it's not unusual when we look around the industry and other companies that made their way on Kickstarter. I am not GW, I do not have their sales volume or the resources available to behave like GW. Please understand that expecting a small manufacture in plastic to be able to behave and function as one of the top two or three in the industry, may not really be a reasonable expectation. I will strive to get there, but until the financial aspect of that shift make sense, I will be doing what is best for the growth of the company with the resources available. 

I think we can all agree, that Iron Core needs at least two to three full factions, terrain and a rules set, so as we move through these requirements, I will try to weight when it becomes viable as its own free standing IP. The goal is to grow the brand, expand the product offering, make available some of the older kits and even start to offer some options for those not interested in Iron Core. Fantasy, Cyberpunk and a myriad of other avenues are available and the wider the base of offerings, the more stable the base.

All of this is dependent on me, making what you want, delivered at a reasonable price within a reasonable time.

I am very excited about the prospect and the future. I am really looking forward to exploring your 'needful things' and if they can be created and successfully funded in an episodic, backer driven environment. I hope that you join be on this new course and help guide my had in future releases.

Soooo many itches to scratch, so little time :P

I will be reaching out in a few locations looking for honest feedback and direction from all of you.

• Through surveys sent to my mailing list… So please sign up on the DreamForge-Games website if you have not.

• Through my Facebook group DreamForge-GamesArtist Retreat  (please do not try to message me here) For whatever reason FB and I do not sync well…. I must be an old fart, not a huge fan of FB or twitter :P

• On Dakka Dakka (I could start my own forum but it's a waste of energy, at least at this stage)

• And, well...here but its not very good for two way conversations.

People Behind The Meeples - Episode 170: Brett Picotte

Welcome to People Behind the Meeples, a series of interviews with indie game designers.  Here you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know about the people who make the best games that you may or may not have heard of before.  If you'd like to be featured, head over to http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html and fill out the questionnaire! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples. Support me on Patreon!

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Name:	Brett Picotte
Email:	bubbamaker&$64;aol&$46;com
Location:	Willard, MO USA
Day Job:	President of Brettco, Inc.
Designing:	Over ten years!
Webpage:	www.pushfightgame.com
BGG:	Push Fighter
Facebook:	Push Fight or Brett Picotte
Twitter:	@BPicotte
Find my games at:	My webpage is the only place right now.

Today's Interview is with:

Brett Picotte
Interviewed on: 1/11/2019

Brett Picotte is both a game designer and an inventor. In addition to designing the game Push Fight, Brett also has a few inventions to his name, including practice golf balls and a Jiu-Jitsu training dummy. Read on to learn more about Brett and his projects!

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Over ten years!

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
I created a game for just for myself, one that I could play solo or with others. I had a need.

What game or games are you currently working on?
Push Fight for 2-4 players.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Yes, Push Fight was published briefly by Penny Arcade.

What is your day job?
President of Brettco, Inc.

Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.

Where do you prefer to play games?
Family gatherings.

Who do you normally game with?
My nephews.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
I have a couple of games I invented by can't mention yet.

And what snacks would you eat?
Nachos

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Yes - Beatles.

What's your favorite FLGS?
I don't have one.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Golf for all three questions. :-)

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Pushing is favorite. I don't have a least favorite.

What's your favorite game that you just can't ever seem to get to the table?
Monopoly - still one of my favorites for sentimental reasons.

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games

Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Board Games

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
No

You as a Designer
OK, now the bit that sets you apart from the typical gamer. Let's find out about you as a game designer.

When you design games, do you come up with a theme first and build the mechanics around that? Or do you come up with mechanics and then add a theme? Or something else?
With Push Fight, I came up with the board first. It had a theme, too - playing a game on a raft in the water. Losing meant taking a dip.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Never entered.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
No.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
I invent things that I need. I'm currently looking for a manufacturer for my golf practice ball.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I play with family and friends.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I like to work alone.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Getting it published by someone who wants to make it a huge success.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
A gambling game.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Nothing really.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Have fun with it and don't expect to become rich.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Push Fight
Games that will soon be published are: Can't say yet.
Currently looking for a publisher I have: If Penny Arcade doesn't produce anymore games, I will be looking for a new publisher.

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker's Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Yes, several groups. Abstract Nation is a cool one.

And the oddly personal, but harmless stuff…
OK, enough of the game stuff, let's find out what really makes you tick! These are the questions that I'm sure are on everyone's minds!

Star Trek or Star Wars? Coke or Pepsi? VHS or Betamax?
Star Trek, Coke, VHS

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Martial arts and sports

What is something you learned in the last week?
How to play Presbyterian Guitar by John Hartford on my guitar.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Rock and roll, bluegrass. Currently reading The Phenomenon (a book about Rick Ankiel) and just saw Bohemian Rhapsody. Great movie.

What was the last book you read?
The Phenomenon

Do you play any musical instruments?
Guitar

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I'm old

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
Volunteered to be the first victim for the 5th ranked fighter in the nation at a karate tournament.

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Can't think of one.

Who is your idol?
Royce Gracie

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Go back to my high school and college days. Fun times.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Right in the middle.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Spiderman so I could shoot webs.

Have any pets?
Clyde the spoiled Coonhound/German Shepherd mix and Toby the cat.

When the next asteroid hits Earth, causing the Yellowstone caldera to explode, California to fall into the ocean, the sea levels to rise, and the next ice age to set in, what current games or other pastimes do you think (or hope) will survive into the next era of human civilization? What do you hope is underneath that asteroid to be wiped out of the human consciousness forever?
I hope Push Fight survives. And, it would save me a lot of time if my golf clubs got wiped out.

If you'd like to send a shout out to anyone, anyone at all, here's your chance (I can't guarantee they'll read this though):
Hello to all who love my game.

Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions! Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?

I have an accounting degree and somehow passed the CPA exam. That's probably why I like the details of game design so much. I also invented a Jiu-Jitsu training dummy we call Bubba. I built Bubbas for a long time, and they are great for practice.

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Thank you for reading this People Behind the Meeples indie game designer interview! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples and if you'd like to be featured yourself, you can fill out the questionnaire here: http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html

Did you like this interview?  Pleasse show your support: Support me on Patreon! Or click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

Hiring: Audio Lead / Sound Designer

Title: Audio Lead / Sound Designer
Focus: Creating and implementing sounds, managing audio content
Type: Full-time, permanent
Last day to apply: Monday 15th of April 2019 /CLOSED
Location: Malmö, Sweden (Doing remote work from EU/EEA countries welcome)

You remember it: a faint rustle in your periphery, dragging footsteps around the corner, a raspy breath. You still break in cold sweat when you hear that high-pitched screech that means a monster is near. All the iconic soundscapes that make Frictional games what they are.

We are now looking for an experienced audio designer to work in-house and continue this tradition of keeping a new generation of gamers on their toes with lovingly designed, eerie and memorable soundscapes.


What will you work on?

We are quite a small team, but we consider that our selling point. As a sound designer you will get to work on everything from small effects to the overall mood of the project. This means your contribution will greatly influence how the final game sounds, feels and evokes emotions.

Here are some of the things you will be working on:

• Collaborating with designers to create soundscapes, taking both artistic and gameplay aspects into account.
• Being a part of designing the overall mood of the game.
• Creating some of sounds used for our monsters, machines and other otherworldly noises using libraries, or from scratch if possible.
• Creating sound effects timed with specific events and animations.
• Refining events by working with both our map editor and scripting tools.
• Researching various technical features needed to achieve certain effects.
• Handling the music, either by creating it or working with a musician.
• All in all, helping the game world come to life.

We also encourage working outside of your area of expertise, and always learning new things. The more areas of development you are willing and able to  take part in, the better! For example you are encouraged to participate in our fortnightly testing and leave feedback on other aspects of the game.


What are we looking for?

You have to be a European (EU/EEA) resident to apply.

The person we're looking for is creative, driven and self-sufficient. With a remote team such as ours, the ability to organise your own work is a fundamental skill.

We have recently set up a central hub in Malmö, Sweden, and will help you move to our seaside city if it suits your situation.

Here are some essentials we require:

• Hardware and equipment to work with.
• We don't expect you to have a fully equipped home studio, but enough to work on most of the sounds. Additional equipment can be provided if needed, but it is important that you have the hardware needed to start working.
• At least one year of experience in audio production for games.
• Good understanding of sound and music, and how they affect the player experience.
• Ability to challenge yourself, make bold creative decisions, and try non-conventional things.
• A critical approach to your work, with the ability to take a step back and reflect.
• A strive for structure, efficiency, and clarity.
• Strong self-drive and ability to organise your own work.
• Interest in and ability to do research for interesting sound and music solutions.
• Love for working on a variety of tasks.
• Fluency in English.

And here are some more techie skills:

• Familiarity with FMod or Wwise.
• Basic knowledge in programming.
• Basic knowledge of creating maps in a level editor.

If you want to impress us:

• Love for horror, sci-fi, and narrative games.
• A major role in completing at least one game.
• Experience in level design.
• Strong game design skills.

What do we offer?

We make games, because that's what we love. But we know there are other things we love, like playing games, taking part in sports, or spending time with our families. We believe a healthy balance between work and life reflects positively on your work, which is why we don't encourage crunch.

We also offer:

• Flexible working hours.
• Opportunities to influence your workflow.
• Variety in your work tasks, and ability to influence your workload.
• Participation in our internal game Show & Tell sessions, so you'll have input into all aspects of the game.
• Social security and holidays that are up to the Swedish standards.
• An inclusive and respectful work environment.
• An office in central Malmö you can use as much as you please.
• Fun workmates, game and movie nights, and other outings!

Apply!

If all of the above piqued your interest, we would love to hear from you! Send us your application 15th of April the latest - but the sooner, the better!

Please attach your:

• Cover Letter 
• Why should we hire YOU?
• CV
• Link to your portfolio site
• Link to a video reel demonstrating sound design abilities
• A document describing a game soundscape you have worked on. Please write about the following:
• What you worked on.
• What you were going for with the design.
• What went well in the project and what you would prefer to change in retrospect.

Please note that we require all the attachments to consider you.

Send your application to apply@frictionalgames.com!




Wonder how we hire? Read our blog on How we hire at Frictional Games.
What kind of application are we looking for? Read our blog on Writing the best application for a Frictional Games job.

Want to know how sounds were made in the days of Amnesia: The Dark Descent? Check out the video starring our old sound designer Tapio Liukkonen below.

Privacy Policy

By sending us your application, you give us permission to store your personal information and attachments.

We store all applications in a secure system. The applications are stored for two years, after which they are deleted. If you want your your information removed earlier, please contact us through our Contact form. Read more in our Privacy Policy.

Game 108: Nippon Safes, Inc. (1992) - Introduction

Written by Torch

Doesn't look very safe to me

Two years after my first ever playthrough for The Adventure Gamer, I'm finally up for another. Quite the gap, but - surprise! - we're still doing games from 1992! We sure are taking our time here, or perhaps 1992 was just a particularly bountiful year. Either way, the next game up is Nippon Safes, Inc. This game was developed by Dynabyte software, an Italian game creator. I couldn't find a lot of information about this company, but running a couple of Italian wikis through Google translate helped a little.

Dynabyte. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that it's a portmanteau of dynamite and byte

Dynabyte made 6 games in all, of which 3 were adventure games. Nippon was the first in 1992, followed by Tequila & Boom Boom - a cartoonish western themed adventure named starring anthropomorphic animals - in 1994, and finally Big Red Adventure in 1995 ( 1997 on Amiga ).

Can you spot the KGB agent? ( It's a trick question. They're all KBG agents )

Big Red is a direct sequel to Nippon, but I doubt Tequila is related. Not sure how they'd make that work… In 1997 they either changed their name to Ludomedia or disbanded and then created a new company named Ludomedia, I can't tell for sure. Either way they went out of business the same year, so I guess it doesn't matter much.

Logos from '95-97 Can't put my finger on it, but it's like they didn't fully commit to the new company name

That's pretty much all I could dig up about Dynabyte, so if any Italian readers see this and know more, please feel free to chip in.

So let's get back to the game at hand. I read about Nippon Safes Inc. in an Amiga magazine many years ago, and the cartoony graphics kind of caught my eye, but that's the extent of my familiarity with this game, so I'll start off by checking out the manual, to see what I can expect.

The story begins like this: "In the most disreputable parts of the Japanese metropolis of Tyoko,a shady character wanders around looking suspicious. What can this mysterious person be up to?"

Talk about suspense building.. To help me learn more about this mysterious character, I will be able to control the dynamic trio of….

"DOUG NUTS. He is an electronics genius who uses his knowledge for not exactly a lawful purpose (with meagre results). His career as an electronics engineer at Oxford ended abruptly when he was caught fiddling the results of the exams stored in the faculty computer. After moving to Japan, the homeland of electronics, he has problems with the law each time one of his breaking in gadgets doesn't work quite like it was meant to."

"DINO FAGIOLI. A former boxer of Italian origin, basically a good and honest soul,often falls into the traps set by people taking advantage of the fact that he tends not to think very hard. After a series of defeats in the boxing world, he boarded a ship bound for Japan as a deckhand. After getting into the umpteenth scrape he was thrown off the ship in Tyoko, where he is trying to make ends meet."

"DONNA FATALE. A variety actress, she abandoned a promising career as a ballet dancer to follow the path of the glittering world of show business. She arrived in Tyoko dazzled by the promises of a self-styled impressario who, after having squandered all her possessions, left her to a life on the border of legality."

Ok, so brains, brawn and… show tunes? How's that for diversity? According to the manual, these guys are linked together, and I'll be able to play them either one at a time, or I can alternate between them. This is referred to as something called the "Parallaction system". Yes, "parallaction". As in... "parallel action". These Dynabyte guys seem to have a thing for wordplay. You may also have noticed that the name of the city where the action takes place is "Tyoko". That's not a typo ( or a tyopo - sorry, couldn't resist ). The manual states that the city of Tyoko is located "somewhere not better identified half way between Tokyo and Kyoto as the crow flies."

Easily one of the safest mountains to climb

In general, the manual has a certain… let's call it "Lost in translation" vibe to it. In addition to character introductions, it also contains a test quiz, to help me decide which of the characters I should play. Hmm.. I thought I'm supposed to play them all eventually? Anyway, here's an example question:

1)YOU ARE ON STAGE.YOU MUST CHEER UP THE EVENING.WHAT DO YOU DO?

I bring out all my artistic gifts. NA
Nothing.I would feel out of place. NE
Ever heard the one about the airship? WA

It doesn't say how this helps me decide on a character though. Each answer corresponds to a 2-letter combination, and there are 6 questions so I can end up with a "word" like NARAKIWANAHO. I have no idea how this will help me with such an all-important decision, but hopefully we'll find out when I actually start playing the game.

Lastly, the manual contains some information (fun facts) about Japan that may or may not be related to copy protection, including but not limited to Japanese written language, the geisha, fish, public baths, hotels and railways. This is actually a fairly interesting and a fun read, both for its content and for the sometimes strange English. Take this section about the subway trains:

To understand just how crowded they are, you should know that most stations have "oshiya", or throwers-in. These are people charged with pushing the passengers inside the carriages. Each passenger is determined to get in, in order to reach his place of work on time, but the doors of the carriages will not work until until everyone has either got in or out. Since the other passengers are far to well-bred to interfere, these "oshiya" with their impecabble white gloves, help the poor devil make up his mind.

Having read through the manual, I feel ready to take on the game itself. The game is listed as working in ScummVM with a "Good" support level, but in for authenticity, I'll be playing in Dosbox.

Tough call, but I'll probably go for japanese engr… soll...sorry! English!

So join me next time as I make my way through the thriving metropolis of Tyo… wait, what?

So it WAS a tyopo after all

Anyway, prepare for a barrage of "safe"-related puns ( or maybe it's better to Nipp(on) the whole thing in the bud ) as we explore the cartoony world of bank robberies and who knows what other crimes in an imaginary Japanese city.

Note Regarding Spoilers and Companion Assist Points: There's a set of rules regarding spoilers and companion assist points. Please read it here before making any comments that could be considered a spoiler in any way. The short of it is that no CAPs will be given for hints or spoilers given in advance of me requiring one. As this is an introduction post, it's an opportunity for readers to bet 10 CAPs (only if they already have them) that I won't be able to solve a puzzle without putting in an official Request for Assistance: remember to use ROT13 for betting. If you get it right, you will be rewarded with 50 CAPs in return. It's also your chance to predict what the final rating will be for the game. Voters can predict whatever score they want, regardless of whether someone else has already chosen it.

The Inspirations Of Oceanhorn 2: Knights Of The Lost Realm - Part 2

In the second part of our Inspirations series, we sat down with Claudio, Cornfox Producer, and Level Designer. "My tasks range from managing partners relationships to designing the dungeons in the game. Cornfox is a small company, we all multitask."

Claudio grew up in Brazil, a country where high import duties never stopped the gaming scene in the 80s and 90s from resembling its US counterpart. Arcades, PC games, and consoles were popular, and kids spent their afternoons switching between NES, SNES, Megadrive, and MSX.

"Soon SEGA, Nintendo and other manufacturer started to build their consoles directly in Brazil. That way, duties weren't really an issue." Claudio spent the last 20 years developing games, moving from Brazil to Germany to Portugal. Six years ago he finally landed in Finland. "I met the Cornfox guys at various local game events. After a while, we realized we were aligned in tastes and philosophy, and that's how this adventure started."

When asked about the games that are influencing Oceanhorn 2's level design, Claudio goes back to the titles he grew up with. "The first Oceanhorn was a top-down game and shared the core gameplay with many Action RPGs of the 90s. We are now working on a third-person game: the camera can be controlled, there are 360 degrees of freedom, and there's verticality in the level design. That means, for example, that we can add floors to buildings and dungeons, or hidden areas that would be impossible to create using other kinds of perspectives."

Pacing is another area where Claudio focuses his efforts. "I want to have a balance between exploration and action, and make sure the learning curve is approachable, adding gameplay elements bit by bit." But what makes a game feel fresh even after several hours? When a new mechanic is added, balance feels right if the player is allowed to experiment with it. As soon as the new mechanic is learned, the game gets slightly harder or mixes it with elements that have already been introduced. This design philosophy can be applied to everything: combat, puzzle, exploration. "I love the Diablo games, but the mechanics there are mostly built around combat: in Oceanhorn 2 we need to make sure there's enough of everything, and that it comes in the right order, while also revealing the story bit by bit."

Good examples of what Claudio means can be found in two of the most popular game IPs: Zelda and Metroid. "In those games, skills and mechanics keep stacking. The level structure usually follows a plot-exploration-boss template, which works really well. We've been inspired by the best."

Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm is, in a sense, a "natural sequel" to the first Oceanhorn, as Ocarina of Time is a "natural sequel" to Link to the Past. "They are different games, of course, and Ocarina of Time deserves a special mention also because it changed how players interact with a 3D environment", says Claudio, "but in a way, both titles feel part of the same saga, and the pacing is what ties them together."

Claudio is also quick to add that there are other notable contributions to the Action RPGs space beside what Nintendo has been doing: less known titles such as Xak, Alundra, the Ys series, the Oasis series, Crusader of Centy, Terranigma, and others all have contributed to what Oceanhorn 2 is today. "When it comes to how the game looks", he concludes, "there's been a plethora of titles from the PS2 era that have informed Oceanhorn 2's style, but I think we owe something to Dawn of Mana, one of the sequels to Secret of Mana. That game looks still good today."

There's still one episode left in this Inspiration series – stay tuned for more!

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