The release of “Us in a Different Winter” is coming soon! One question and one answer with game creator Tokoronyori!
Interview with KODANSHA Game Creators’ Lab 1st stage award-winning work, “Us in a Different Winter”, to commemorate its release!
On February 14, 2023 (Tuesday), KODANSHA Game Creators’ Labo 1st stage award-winning game creator, Tokoronyori, known for his original games such as “Alone Planet”, will release his newest work, “Us in a Different Winter”.The game will be on sale soon.
We had a direct interview with the creator, Tokoronilyori, just before the release of his latest work!
Q. Please give us a brief self-introduction.
I make something that looks like a game.
My name is Tokoronyori.
Q. The game will finally be released, how do you frankly feel now?
To be honest, I am 30% happy and 70% scared.
There is certainly a sense of freedom from the development process and the joy of being able to think about what’s next, but I can’t stop thinking about the possibility that once the game is released and many people touch it, they will find bugs that make it impossible to progress, or that I might be the only one who thinks it’s fun, to begin with. I spend my days thinking about fluffy dogs and non-fluffy dogs to distract myself.
Q. What was the most difficult part of the production process?
“Us in a Different Winter” was a new challenge for me, so much so that the experience I had gained in-game production up to this point was of little use to me.
There were many things I struggled with, but if I had to single out one, it would be the implementation of network synchronization. I had to take into account the lag between devices in advance and how much care had to be taken to ensure that the images did not look unnatural on each other’s screens. And every time we implemented a new function, we had to deal with this problem, which drove us crazy.
Q. What did you enjoy most about the production process?
I hated network synchronization, but now I think that the hardest part was the new challenges we had to face.
Q. What was the best thing about being selected as a Game Creators Lab member?
That development is no longer solitary.
Game development is a battle to see how deeply and for how long you can have blind faith in your own game, but I think the reason I was able to have faith in “Us in a Different Winter” for less than two years was that I had two editors in charge of the game.
Q. Are there any games you would like to make in the future?
There are so many.
For example, I would like to collaborate with other creators to make games that incorporate the imagination of people other than myself, games for smartphones that incorporate functions unique to smartphones, games that can only be experienced on the new devices that will replace smartphones, games that offer a solid world view and story, movies and games that offer a solid experience, and games that are genuinely fun to play. I also want to make games that are like movies and novels, where the view of the world and the story can be experienced.
There are so many things I want to do and create, so for now, I would like to take care of my health and eat lots of tomatoes and broccoli.
Q. Finally, what would you like to say to people who are going to play “Us in a Different Winter”?
I think it’s probably going to be the most interesting and unprecedented experience you’ll ever have, so I don’t know what it is, but please just have a go at playing!
<Creator’s profile>
Tokoronyori<https://twitter.com/tokoronyori>
Indie game developer. With a unique worldview and art sense, he has created a series of original and mysterious works. His representative work, “Alone Planet,” created a huge buzz on SNS in 2016. As a member of the first phase of Kodansha Game Creator’s Lab, he is releasing “Us in a Different Winter,” a puzzle adventure game exclusively for two players. He specializes in creating “experiences that can only be felt within games” by incorporating “special settings” into game systems.
Product information
- Title: “Us in a Different Winter”
- Platform: Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1801110/BOKURA/ - Languages supported: Japanese, English, Chinese (simplified and traditional)
- Release date: February 14, 2023 (Tuesday)
- Genre: Puzzle-adventure
- Suggested retail price: Undecided
- Players: 2 players
- Publisher: KODANSHA, Ltd.
©tokoronyori/Kodansha Ltd.