- GENRE: Typing / Exploration
- PLATFORM: PC (
) - STUDIO: Fishing Cactus
WHAT IS EPISTORY?
Epistory is a PC typing game where player’s avatar has interactions with the world by typing words. The game is a succession of exploration and battle phases. On Epistory, even for menus, no mouse is required. Every element in the game is controlled exclusively with the keyboard. Epistory tells the story of a writer lacking inspiration who asks her muse to help write her latest book. As the muse progresses and explores the fantasy origami world, the story literally unfolds in the writer’s mind and the mysteries of the magic power of words are revealed.
Outside the main adventure, alternative mode is available : arena with endless waves of enemies and player must reach the highest score as possible. Epistory uses some codes of RPG games. As the player discovers the world and the story, the muse gain new abilities and can improve them. Each ability allows to go further in the main exploration.
MY MISSIONS
I had the opportunity to work on Epistory during my four-month internship four in Fishing Cactus in 2015 (from July to September). The game had to be released in early access on Steam by the end of September of same year.
- Design all fights for early access: I have placed all enemies on each level and define precisely where and when they must appear according to avatar’s position. Every enemy designed corresponded to specific archetypes to challenge typing skills in different ways.
- Tweak entirely the first two dungeons: my main goal was to boost the game rhythm by intense testing and tweaking, my main goal was to boost the game rhythm and find the right balancing between exploration and battle phases.
- Participate at the elaboration of some features: I support the team on design aspect. I have iterated with the main Game Designer to find and design atypical ways to use keyboard (such as typing specific patterns or typing with specific rhythm). I’ve also participated on elaboration of some level design and mechanisms of exploration available on official release.