Howdy hey, howdy hi!
Tis the season of exciting game news, updates, and reveals!!! Isn’t it exciting to finally hear about a game you’ve been waiting for ages to hear about? We know how hard it can be, which is why we hope our dev-logs help at least a little!
Since it seems like we’re beginning this conversation about games, how about tell you why we make our games? Specifically the kinds of games we make for all audiences to relate to and enjoy!
The emergence of DVNC began with us slowly realizing, or rather finally opening our eyes:
Gaming has always had a gap in its diversity.
But the good news is that unlike TV and film, which have already reached their maximum potential (or almost) – games are still growing, and we have so much of growing left to do!
We’ve gone from:
Gaming on arcade machines
To
Immersing into worlds on powerful systems/consoles
To
Even diving into interactive worlds through a headset right in front of your own two eyes. (remember when we were told not to sit close to the television screen?)
But more than technologically, gaming has grown to house so many creative stories and experiences. Unfortunately, only a few have tried to bridge the diversity gap that’s been present for years in the games industry. We’ve seen it move a few inches, and now as a team of diverse developers: we want to help increase that!
Let’s talk a bit about how we’re doing this with games you should be all too familiar with by now. First to take the stage – The Monochrome RPG!
The Colorful World of Monochrome!
With The Monochrome RPG, scheduled for release later this year, we decided to contrast its gray tones with colorful characters and unique gameplay mechanics that players could relate to and see a piece of themselves in!
Our star, the punny Ottomess Blohtz, is a talented non-binary stand-up comedian that’s been the victim of ridicule and sour puns for their unique appearance and theatrics.
Players will play as Otto, experiencing their journey of slowly coming out of the curtain when sudden dangers to the few friends they’ve made spur them back on stage and in the limelight!
A World More Than Black & White
With Monochrome’s world, we’ve taken inspiration from the classic monochrome cartoons we’ve all grown up with. We’ve evolved them to fit and relate to audiences of today while still retaining the toony charm we all fell in love with.
From the art style, the animation, the storytelling, and the gameplay – we’ve focused on all aspects of The Monochrome RPG and made sure for each of them to bridge the diversity gap and representation in games.
This is also the reason we went with puns! We wanted Monochrome’s slapstick gameplay to reflect the punny tone and wackiness of the game but still find ways to incorporate empathetic gameplay in places where it seemed organic.
Otherwise – the world of Monochrome is your stage, with those only with the best joke coming out on top!
The Monochrome RPG Socials!
The Diverse Bouquet of Rosett
Rosett, our newest and upcoming IP, takes elements from the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet. We’ve elevated the tale from both a gameplay and story perspective to the level of quality players expect today.
In the game, players can expect to dive into a world that’s been influenced by science, magic, and various cultures. Rosett thrives on themes such as love, discrimination, and environmentalism to name a few; they serve as our guiding compass through the game’s development.
Following our empathetic values, we’ve introduced the “follower” system. Players will be able to choose followers based on their classes and rely solely on their abilities to have their back.
Romeo and Julien, our two blossoming lovers in the game, are both going through a metamorphosis as they struggle with their own personal conflicts.
Diverse, Interesting Characters
Julien, an Upper Royal who can barely hold their title as Prince, faces scrutiny and belittlement from his family members for not even possessing an ounce of magic. Never knowing love, it’s all he seeks, hoping to heal and become the prince his kingdom needs.
Romeo, a lowly Downer who’s grown up surrounded by a harsh environment filled with discrimination and class injustice – seeks to be a hero and change The Downers rather than plant flowers in his grandma’s shop. Not trusting most and keeping to himself, he believes a hero’s path is only true if trodden alone, never relying on anyone but himself.
As these two characters meet and face many trials that threaten the state of their world, players will witness Romeo and Julien grow and bloom as their companionship turns into a bond that inspires not only them – but others that choose to follow, and believe.
This is how we hope for games like Rosett and The Monochrome RPG to emotionally connect to players through gameplay, worldbuilding, and empathetic storytelling.
Rosett Socials!
SETVR – Classic Updates
We’ve talked a lot about how we’re trying to change what the games industry has continued to treat as the elephant in the room. But now, let’s get into how we’re bridging home fitness and self-defense techniques into virtual reality with SETVR!
Here are all the latest kicking updates:
- We’re still shooting for a late Summer / early Fall release for our upcoming Kickstarter!
- A new update’s out on the Occulus Quest App Lab for you to check out right now
- We’re currently working on metrics and audio/visual FX updates.
- We’ll soon be looking out for testers for the app, so keep on the lookout!
SETVR Socials!
DVNC – Bridging The Gap for Games
We’ve taken up the challenge of trying to show players that not all games need to play out the same and have the same, straightforward values and characteristics – because the world we live in is so much more than that.
Films, TV, and books have spent decades unearthing the rich culture and diversity humanity possesses and representing them in stories for us to enjoy, learn, and grow from to become better human beings.
If they can do it, then why not the most immersive piece of media we both love?
Why not games?
Can’t games grow to show us more than what they’ve had us experience for years?
Why can’t we immerse ourselves in a world that showcases a rich piece of culture that excites players – further drawing them into an experience only a game can bring?
We want to fix this problem and help bridge the gap to make games even greater.
We hope you enjoyed our first newsletter of the month! Join us in achieving our goal of making games for all players by supporting our upcoming and in-development titles.
That means wish-listing The Monochrome RPG, following our socials, and just spreading the good ol’ word of mouth.
Until then, we hope to see you in our next devlog!