Interview: Fantasy Worldbuilding for Gamers

This article features an email interview with Ilsun (Art Director) and Terron J. (Contents Director) from Pixel Tribe, the developers behind the upcoming Kakao Games title, Goddess Order. The interview delves into the game's development, focusing on pixel art, world-building, and combat design.

Ilsun discusses the inspiration behind the game's pixel sprites, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the process. The team draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including personal experiences and the synergy between team members. Character design evolves through discussions and iterations, with the initial characters, Lisbeth, Violet, and Jan, forming the core visual style. The development team utilizes a collaborative approach, incorporating feedback from scenario writers and combat designers to refine character concepts and visuals.

Terron J. details the world-building process, explaining how the initial character designs directly influenced the game's narrative and gameplay. The characters' inherent personalities and backstories shaped the overall world and story. The emphasis on manual controls stemmed from the powerful personalities embodied by these characters. The development of the story felt more like a collaborative exploration than a structured task.

The interview also explores the game's combat design, which centers around a three-character, turn-based system utilizing link skills to create synergistic attacks. Terron J. describes the careful balancing act of designing unique roles and abilities for each character to ensure strategic depth and engaging gameplay. Ilsun adds that the visual representation of combat incorporates three-dimensional movement within the 2D pixel art style, creating a dynamic visual experience. The developers also prioritize technical optimization to ensure smooth gameplay across various mobile devices.

Finally, Ilsun outlines the future plans for Goddess Order, highlighting the ongoing development of chapter and origin stories, as well as the addition of post-launch activities like quests and treasure hunts. The team aims to provide a rich and engaging experience, continuously refining the game's controls and adding challenging content.