When We Made... Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to)
Chris Wallace takes a look behind the scenes of Popcannibal’s BAFTA-winner, its surprisingly actually look at you. And even with that little bit of political beginnings and why it’s the perfect work, with the help of the animation and really smart game for designers the current crisiswith with over working and engineers, everybody together, you could tellsent from the beginning that 1.6 million messages tovery date
Above: Ziba Scott of Popcannibal
she was a character that people would really gravitate toward.” Quill really becomes a fully fleshed out character with theKIND help of WORDS the game’s (lo fistrong chill beats world-building. to write As to),anfrom interloper developer in Quill’s Popcannibal, world, the feels player so perfectly experiences tailored it notto through our current her eyes, existence but asthat an observer it feels like watching an impossible as she lives feather of life prophecy. in her familiar As we’re setting. all trapped It’s a strangely in our homes, intimate feeling, seperated and one fromwhich our friends gives way andtofamilies, joint apprehension looking ahead asto both an anxious the player and and uncertain Quill enter future, new,the unfamiliar game has areas. become “When you a vital go through coping mechanism Mousetown for andmany. you see Quill run through Kind Words thereisand a game you see where that the shesole has goals a hometown, are theself-reflection feeling of herand leaving kindness it, of that to others. town maybe In some being ways in it’s danger, more agives veryyou jazzy more support of a bond,” group Alderson than it is asays. ‘game’ “If in that thepart typical wassense. left out,The youplayer wouldn’t character, feel likemuch there was like many much of ustoright fightnow, for. Everything is alone inthat his room, we’ve done, sending thesupportive mood settings, messages taking to Quill players from from onearound area tothe theworld. next and letting you rest Those andstruggling take in this with environment… a particular issue It’s allcan supposed post up to aexaggerate request forand help, accentuate or those looking that mood to help that others you’re can feeling. go down It all the ties list back of requests into how you to offer are anonymous connecting with advice Quill andand consolation. her world.”It’s an entirely anonymous system that allows for frank, emotional discussions that some might SAME find difficult QUESTION to have EIGHT with friends WAYSand family, particularly Collaboration at a distance. was key during the development of Moss, not just It’s within hard to the think team ofitself, any game but with that’s the easier help ofto external playtesters. recommend People rightwere now.often Of course, broughtasin developer to feedback Ziba on Scott explains, the game was developed long before this unprecedented situation was even speculated. “I mean, it’s a game about a character stuck in their room. He’s only stuck in that room because the scope of the game wouldn’t reach beyond that, but it’s way too on the nose now. Here’s this character who’s at home, just trying to connect with people over the internet as best they can. If we released this game now everyone would assume it was about the quarantine.”
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Of course, Scott isn’t a modern-day Nostradamus, the game was inspired by a crisis of another kind – the Trump administration. “It was partly inspired by American politics, which are just a nightmare of cruelty and a lack of empathy” notes Scott. “Trump and the GOP are insane, and wildly cruel. I needed to spend my time in some way pushing against the disregard for humanity that is sweeping the world, at least on the political stage. the“I game don’t and trulyasked believequestions that is what’s abouthappening their experience in – the evenmajority if most of of people’s these questions hearts, that werethis actually is how very thesimilar. majority “External of how playtests people were want mostly to treat about each ‘Okay, other.how I do believe if we gave people chance better people that feel when they play? Doa they like to it orbenot like it?’,” than that,explains. they would.” Alderson “At the end of playtest we would ask Words certainly themways. that chance. The theKind same question eightgives different The question only motivation and reward in thebut game theask stickers is really ‘What didn’t you like?’, we are would it you receive‘What from those theyexperience? appreciate your differently: pulledyou youhelp out–ofif the What response. It’s a that encourages took you out ofgame the headset? If there’skindness one thingover you cruelty, though what it is also moderated to prevent trolling. could change would it be? If you had two weeks to finish the game, what would be the thing that you’d fix?’ COMMUNITY CHILL “Those help bring a playtester into their comfort zone, This kindness is encouraged the game’s artpeople (by Luigi because no one wants to playby something that put Guatieri) andand music Clark areand both a lot of care love(by into and Aboud), then turnwhich around say clearly by the lo-fi YouTube (check ‘This isinspired what I didn’t like about it’. Soscene it takes a littleout while ChilledCow or ChillHop Music for and examples) – as can to get the playtester comfortable, we found that also be different seen in the game’s of question course. means finding ways to askfull thetitle, same “There’s a lotget of calm aesthetics” notes Scott. “Chill or you eventually the really good stuff after the fourth characters in safe, fifth time you ask it.cosy places. It’s not saccharine and sugary where great with has the world. It’s aa “I don’t thinkeverything’s anyone in our studio ever made more inner peace type of situation. gamerealistic, like this,attainable, so I think it’s important that you trust the I’m in my You somewhat humble home. Maybe cluttered, process. trust playtesting and you makeit’s sure that you but it’syourself just stuff I love, andand it’sfreedom a quiet moment for myself. allow some time to try something “And justTry what we wanted experience and thenthat’s keepalso going. something new to and branch out, for Luigi and I, we’re lucky enough to have butourselves. also use your experience from games that you’ve some choice of how spend ouras time. Andhaving of all made real before and you’ll bewe fine. As long you’re the we haveplaying laid out, thisthroughout one felt right be fun projects too! We enjoyed Moss thetoentire working felt helpful to our mental states, while still process on. andItI think that really helps.” not sticking our head in the sand and ignoring the world around us. It was calming to make the game, in the same way we hoped it would be for others to play.” Going by the overwhelmingly positive reception to the game, Scott and Guatieri weren’t wrong about the game’s therapeutic qualities. Even without the current context of the coronavirus crisis, the game has become a destination for peaceful self-reflection and help for many. “I see Kind Words fitting in differently to the cosy, wholesome or meaningful gaming ecosystem. Unlike
