I recently had the chance to interview Wildfire Game about their upcoming title Eastern Exorcist. Have a look below
JB: Eastern Exorcist sees you play as a role that is not usually shown in the west all that much. I would like to ask if you could give the readers some more insight into what the exorcist was in traditional Chinese tradition.
WG: The exorcist in our game is from Cangshan faction, a specialized organization. Their main goal is to kill demons and support justice. They are pretty similar to the exorcist in the west. The most significant difference between them is the enemy they fight.
JB: Eastern Exorcist is certainly a unique looking game. What made you decide to base the visuals on traditional Chinese ink paintings? Did any particular pieces of art influence the game especially?
WG: It is a consensus in our team that ‘nation is the world.’ Chinese ink painting is also called traditional Chinese painting. It is classic Chinese art. We decided to present abstract and atmospheric scenes in a similar form of Chinese ink painting in the game. Meanwhile, we combine the perspective of western painting art and 3D visual space in it. We strive to give players an immersive experience with stylized Chinese ink painting art direction. We hope to be recognized by players.
Qicai Wu, Quanzong Zhang, Zixi Wei, these are the most famous Chinese ink painting artists. And we are studying from their ink landscape paintings.
JB: The use of Chinese Opera to tell the story is rather interesting. How did you come up with that idea?
WG: We came up with the idea based on the needs of game design. There is an item called ‘ancient mirror’, and we can use it to see the story and obsession of the dead. When I design the game, I don’t want a flat narrative. I want to leave some space for the players. In consideration of the concept of ‘nation is the world.’, Chinese Opera is also the quintessence of Chinese culture. So we choose to design the cutscene in the form of Chinese opera, which can be interpreted by players.
Chinese Opera culture is extensive and profound. What we make is just imitation; we cannot represent it.
JB: Did any particular Chinese Opera or theatre influence the way you told the story in the game?
WG: My grandparents watched Chinese opera a lot when I was young, which left a profound influence on me. What impressed me the most is ‘Farewell to My Concubine,’ ‘the Drunken Beauty,’ and Chinese Model Opera ‘Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy.’ And ancient Chinese poetry inspires me in storytelling as well.
JB: I have to say that the action in the demo was paced just right, and the enemies are something we do not usually see in this kind of game. How did you decide on a side scrolling RPG?
WG: Let’s start from when we quit our previous job to develop this game together. Our last work was also a big 3D project. And we have never done any project like Eastern Exorcist before. After leaving the company, the initial development team had only four people. So we must reconsider our positioning on various factors such as finance and time. We can only do some small projects that we can handle. After data collection and research, we found that the side-scrolling action category is broad with a bigger audience, and we like it. So it’s a Prudent decision.
As for the enemy’s design, we also try to keep its image close to Chinese culture. To show our style, we have studied many games and added our understanding when designing the combat system and the level design.
JB: How long did it take to come up with the basic scenario and gameplay idea when you were planning the game out?
WG: It takes us about six months to design the combat system. We make a demo with the core combat system and some levels for game convention and collect advice.
JB: Were there any game mechanics you wanted to add to the game but were not able to, or felt no longer fit the game during development?
WG: We have to give up some features for the limited team size, finance, and time. But we will leave them for the next project. Also, we are afraid that some mechanics will influence the game design, and we choose not to use it. For example, the core of Eastern Exorcist’s combat system is timing and distance control. So we have to limit the combo and the damage output. I think that game is the art with some regrets. There will always be regret during the developing period as well as when it finished.
JB: What games do you feel influenced Eastern Exorcist the most during development? Do you feel you can make the game stand out from its peers?
WG: A lot of games have influenced us. Here are some titles that have a significant impact on me at the beginning of my project.
‘Muramasa: The Demon Blade’ has combined Japanese ukiyo-e culture with the game.
‘Ori and the Blind Forest’ is gorgeous. The dynamic effects and stereoscopic creation of the graphic are what we want to study.
‘Dark Souls’, ‘Onimusha’, ‘Nioh,’ and ‘Devil May Cry’ have inspired us in designing the gameplay.
Whether we can make the game stand out from its peers, we will leave it to the players to judge. All we can do is do our best. Player’s recognition drives us to work hard.
JB: What do you hope to accomplish with Eastern Exorcist during development and once it is released?
WG: We wish that our game could be liked by the players worldwide, and they can remember our team, a small Chinese developer.
JB: What were some of the biggest challenges you had while developing the game?
WG: The financial condition and time can be considered as a big challenge. To move forward smoothly, I must try to keep the balance. Another big problem is that every team member loves the game. They all have their design ideas. Sometimes, they will insist on their thoughts. How to coordinate and make a better game, how to avoid the situation where 1+1 is less than 2, and how to play to their strengths, are huge challenges I have to face.
JB: Do you feel some responsibility for the presentation of Chinese culture, with the development of the game?
WG: In my view, every Chinese is willing to do it. But the responsibility is too much. What I have done is not enough. I will try my best in the right circumstances.
JB: What advice would you have for developers just starting to make games?
WGL Eastern Exorcist is our first game. Although I have not finished it, I am happy to take my hobby as my career. Working in the game industry is hard; you need to devote.
JB: Lastly, do you have anything you would like to say to the readers of Real Otaku Gamer?
WG: Thanks for the interview of Real Otaku Gamer, it gives us an opportunity that let more players know us. We hope that every audience could like Eastern Exorcist. Please add it to your wishlist. It will greatly help us, thank you!
You can wishlist the game here
Follow the official twitter account here
You can see a trailer for the game here