Pure Nintendo interviews Forbidden Sanctity Creative Director Eli Brewer of TreeFall Studios

PN: Thanks for joining us Eli.  To start, for those who’ve yet to look at the Kickstarter, could you please give a brief overview of Forbidden Sanctity …

Forbidden Sanctity is an RPG adventure game mixed with certain elements of a 3D platformer! In the game there are many different tribes or races of creatures but the three most civilized and prominent are the Skarcos, Hemites, and the Groutus! Each have distinct physical and mental characteristics that will affect how you approach gameplay situations! For instance there will be certain areas that are at first only accessible from a character from a single race, then as you switch to that character, solve the puzzle, and make the area accessible by any character! Each will have different combat abilities as well! In essence the game is an adventure game containing RPG and 3D platform elements! The game is played in the 3rd person perspective and many puzzles and traveling require player precision as in a platformer, while your character can level up and equip different weapons and abilities as in RPG games. There is a deep narrative but I won’t get into that now!

PN: You’ve mentioned how the Wii U version will have exclusive content and features – could you elaborate?

Of course! The Wii U version is ultimately the definitive version! I will explain, but also with that being said, we are going to be putting in just as much effort for the PC version and it will have its own perks as well! On the Wii U, we have the advantage of the ultimate controller! The Wii U Gamepad is an amazing contraption! We will be taking advantage of as many aspects of the Gamepad as possible! We will be using both screens to provide a more clear and better functioning experience! The bottom screen will display things like the map and item list, while also allowing you to touch and perform tasks like switch characters, or items with just a touch on the go! We will also take advantage of the microphone for smaller purposes! Say you are in a field for instance, you might have the opportunity to pick up a dandelion, then blow on the Gamepad mic and your character blow the dandelion into the field! Little details like that are always a great addition! The Wii U also has MiiVerse in which we will create a community based around the game so players can post screenshots and questions for other player input! There are many different parts of the game that will greatly benefit from Nintendo’s unique console!

PN: While Forbidden Sanctity’s funding goal isn’t low, it does seem fairly modest when measured against its ambitions – how confident are you that you can deliver on your vision for the asking amount?

I am 100%  percent confident! I have had other people question the validity of our campaign, meaning they are unsure we can deliver this experience for the amount we have asked! It will be close yes, as this goal is the bare minimum we will need to bring this experience to life! There a few reasons in personal finance and other situations in our team, which need not be discussed in a public area, why we believe that the money provided will be sufficient for our team during the time of development! Obviously, if we exceed the goal and possibly meet a few stretch goals, there would be absolutely no worries! We hope that is the case and we exceed our goal to bring the best experience possible!

PN: One of TreeFall Studios prior Kickstarters, Elodia, was cancelled.  Being that it was also a fantasy RPG, have you been able to reuse any of its assets?

We have not reused any of its assets. This is not because we can’t but because I like to separate all of our projects! Just because the project has been cancelled does not mean it is dead, also I like to have each project to be original and not seem rehashed. Although that game never made it to a public market and people would not know that some things have been reused, I still wish to avoid it.

PN: What updates can backers (and potential ones) look forward to in the coming weeks?

We are going to try to bring as many updates as possible to our campaign in the next couple of weeks. We are most certainly going to try to have a gameplay trailer ready and if not that, a new tech demo showing the already improving environments and new ones! We will be posting new concept art as well as new musical scores. Hopefully within a few updates we can absolute sell the idea of the game! We will be working hard each day to bring new progress to the table!

PN: Could you share with us some of the learning experiences that have come from your prior Kickstarters – both the successes and failure?

Over the course of the last year or so, I have ran quite a few Kickstarter campaigns! At first things did not go so smoothly! Of course the game content displayed was not the greatest either! As time passed, I learned more in field and gained experience. I believe with each project the quality of the games my team and I are creating are greatly improving! We cannot wait to learn even more! For certain I have learned from failures that you can’t launch a project too early, people have no reason to trust that you will deliver on your word and bring a good game to life without seeing a lot of the actual game. This can also be a sad fact however as many ideas we have cannot be brought very far into reality without funding! We have had success as well and I have learned many things about creating and delivering rewards, which hopefully for this project, if funded, will greatly be improved! We will be spending more time and care with each reward to offer higher quality products for our backers!

PN: What is the status of your last Kickstarter success, Night Detective?

Night Detective is on the verge of release! We are just adding in a few finishing touches while we wait for the final few backer’s surveys to come in! Every backer receives their names in the credits of the game and we just sent out the final survey about a week ago! So within a few days they should all be done and all backers will have the opportunity to play Night Detective next week hopefully!

PN: Could you share a bit on the process to become a licensed Nintendo Developer?  Was it easy?  

As long as you have the right qualifications, it is extremely easy! I filled out an online application first, as if I was applying for a new job. A few weeks later, well it was closer to a month I believe, a representative from Nintendo called me and we went through a phone interview. After that I was all done and became a licensed Nintendo Developer!

 

 

PN: Has Nintendo been supportive?

Nintendo has been very supportive so far and even with this campaign actually! If I need help with anything, for anything, I can always just ask and they will get right back to me with an answer!

PN: What is it like using the Unity engine for Wii U development?

The Unity Engine is a marvelous tool in our opinions! It has mastered a system of multi-platform release compiling! It is very easy to pick up and use and the Wii U version differs with specific Wii U features. I do not know what all I am allowed to say on that at this point, so I will leave it at that!

PN: Are you still planning on bringing an enhanced version of The Gem Collector to the Wii U?  Are more DLC levels being worked on?

In time I would love to see an enhanced version of The Gem Collector come to Wii U! It was one of my personal projects that I created solely by myself so I keep it close to my heart! Currently there are not a batch in development, but more have been planned and will release on a later date!

PN: The Wii U seems to be drawing a lot of indie developers – why do you think that’s so?

I believe the Wii U is drawing in indie developers simply because Nintendo is inviting them in! It is a super simple and easy process to become a developer for the Wii U! Also as the system has had an uncertain start in the public view, I think some of the indie teams out there believe they can take advantage of uncertain market and shake things up with each unique title they launch!

PN: Finally to sum up, why is Forbidden Sanctity worth considering supporting?

Forbidden Sanctity is worth supporting because it is a game like no other. We are blending two very unlike genres together and have written an original story in this new world that we hope will stand out as unique and masterful! We are obviously still a new studio with team members just starting our careers, but we work extremely hard everyday to create experiences that others can enjoy and connect with. We hope you will support Forbidden Sanctity and help us bring this game to life. Thank you.

Check out the game at Kickstarter