Creative inspirations
When it comes to creating something as big and compelling as a video game, inspiration can come from a multitude of places. For us, the process of creating this game was no different. We drew inspiration from a wide range of games and artworks, each bringing something unique to the final product. We also drew inspiration from the storytelling techniques used in graphic novels and movies, as well as unique game mechanics found in everyday life.
In creating Spicy Journey, we sought inspiration from Studio Ghibli's films, which have always been known for their enchanting universe and magical atmosphere. To do so, they wanted to respect several key rules that characterize Ghibli's films:
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The importance of nature: Ghibli's worlds are often filled with lush nature, enchanting landscapes and fantastic animals. Nature is often personified and can be an important character in the story.
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Characters: The characters in Ghibli films are often very diverse, with complex personalities and unique motivations. They can be humans, animals or even fantastical creatures, but they all have a depth and humanity that makes them endearing.
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Magic: Ghibli films often have a magical aspect, where supernatural elements are integrated into the world in an organic and consistent way. The magic can be subtle or obvious, but it is always woven into the fabric of the world.
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The importance of interpersonal relationships: relationships between characters are often a central element of Ghibli films, whether it be friendship, love, or family. Characters often have deep and complex bonds that develop over the course of the story.
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Attention to detail: Ghibli's worlds are rich in detail, with intricate character designs, detailed landscapes and attention to the small elements that bring a world to life.
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Universal themes: Ghibli films often address universal themes such as love, loss, hope, family, and human nature. By addressing these themes in a deep and emotional way, Ghibli films can reach a wide audience.
For Spicy Journey, we tried to respect as many rules as possible, first of all nature is almost the main character because it is where the story of the game starts and ends, the character we play explores this lush world of nature.
The two characters of the game are also worked, with the motivation of Hana that makes the character endearing. The relationship between Hana and her grandmother, which has been personified in the form of a book, is an example of how important interpersonal relationships are in Spicy Journey.
Finally, the game's art direction has been designed to be as rich in detail as possible, with Hana's design and the sprites of the natural elements being highly crafted. Players can discover a colorful and relaxing world, where every detail has been thought of to bring this universe to life.
https://asherkaye.medium.com/the-immersive-realism-of-studio-ghibli-cc51d552dc4a
Ghibli's music is mainly original compositions by Joe Hisaishi, which were created to accompany Studio Ghibli's animated films, such as "Chihiro's Journey", "Princess Mononoke" or "The Moving Castle".
These musics are often characterized by soft and bewitching melodies, which evoke a feeling of nostalgia, wonder and reverie. The orchestrations are often rich and varied, with arrangements of strings, woodwinds and brass, as well as traditional Japanese instruments.
Ghibli's music is often used to enhance the emotion and atmosphere of a scene, emphasizing moments of introspection, contemplation and relaxation. They can also help to create a sense of inner peace and calm, inviting the listener to be carried away by the music and to escape into an imaginary world.
In a video game whose purpose is to relax, the use of Ghibli's music could be very beneficial in creating a soothing and relaxing atmosphere. Players could thus immerse themselves in an enchanting universe, conducive to meditation and relaxation, while being lulled by soft and reassuring melodies. Ghibli's music could also help reduce stress and anxiety, creating an atmosphere conducive to mental and physical relaxation. For these reasons, we use music with a style close to Ghibli's, we spent a lot of time to find music that is free to share and that fits with the atmosphere we want to give to the game.
In the first version of our map generator, we wondered how we could create such a realistic world. That's when we were inspired by Minecraft, a sandbox game that is known for its freedom of gameplay and its infinite, procedurally generated world. This generation is a key feature of the game that allows players to explore a world that never ends and therefore makes it a game without limits. After much research we found a video that explained it all to us:
By Henrik Kniberg (developper and game designer at Minecraft) : https://youtu.be/CSa5O6knuwI
All in all, Minecraft's infinite world generation can be a source of inspiration to create an infinite world in another video game by using unique mechanics to ultimately offer unlimited gameplay possibilities, allowing for an immersive experience.
Animal Crossing New Horizon is a video game that has been a big hit with many gamers, whether they are nostalgic for the series or discovering it for the first time. This game, with its serenity and atmosphere, has won over many people. It is indeed difficult not to be charmed by the universe proposed by this game, which offers a unique experience in its kind.
One of the main reasons why Animal Crossing New Horizon is so wonderful is its ability to leave the player free and relaxed. The surrounding nature and the high view offered by the game inspired us to allow the player to feel immersed in this natural environment, while the immersive soundscape reinforces the immersion. We worked on every detail, offering a realistic feeling to the sound, a nice visual effect with the alliance between the top-down and the isometric view; and of course a well worked gameplay.
Zelda Breath of the Wild is an excellent game, and is even considered the game of the decade for some. It inspired us in terms of the ambient sounds for the wind and the birds singing. However, one of the most remarkable features of this game is probably the cooking system that relies on the same ingredients that can be found in nature, so it was a good source of inspiration to add realism. It was not a difficult choice to be inspired by this mechanic, as most of the ingredients available in the game fit well with the atmosphere of the world.