EP: What inspired the creation of Darkwood?

AWS: Gameplay-wise, it has features in common with Project Zomboid, Teleglitch, Don't Starve, and Amnesia. At the beginning, the gameplay was supposed to be close to the Amiga version of Home Alone.. With the player being very vulnerable and only had the ability to set traps.. You will still be vulnerable in the game, but will be able to defend yourself if properly equipped ;) We also take a lot of inspiration from more classic titles like Star Control 2 or Fallout. These games did not hold the player by the hand like most modern titles do, but instead put them in a hostile enviroment to fend for himself. It was of course less accessible to some people, but gave much, much more satisfaction when you discovered what the game has to offer by yourself. If it goes for the story and atmosphere, you can definately feel some strong David Lynch vibes. There are some other authors I could mention, but that would be too much of a spoiler ;)

 

EP: How long has Darkwood been in development for?

AWS: We started work around October 2012.

 

EP: In the teaser the protaganoist starts talking to his generator, is this a sign that his sanity is wavering?

AWS:I don’t know. Is it? Haha, pass!

 

EP: Will the child play a pivtiol role in the story, if so, can you elaborate more on who this kid is or how he will alter game-play?

AWS: Yes, the kid will certainly play a very important role in the story. If you want to know who he is and what's his relation toward the protagonist.. you're gonna have to play the game  ;). 

 

EP: What are the limits of the crafting system? Will you be able to modify weapons, or even build a little shelter from scratch?

AWS: We currently have the option to construct barricades, craft items like traps, weapons and utility items, and modify or upgrade them with attachments. Crafting is going to be a big part of the game and we hope to make it enjoyable to experiment and discover new things to make. However, at the time being we don’t plan to add the option of building shelter, or buildings etc. Yourself.

 

EP: You previously stated that you were considering a co-op mode, is this still a possibility?

AWS: It most definately is! At first, we ruled out any multiplayer because of its complexity in a open-world game like this, and focused solely on singleplayer. But seeing as a lot of people suggest that co-op would be pretty awesome here, we started thinking on how it could be done. It would have to be a very different experience than single-player, and porting things like permadeath or the dense atmosphere is a big challenge. It's gonna be a stretch goal during our crowdfunding campaign, so it all depends if we gather enough funds to have the time to do it properly!

 

EP: When are you planning on releasing Darkwood to the public?

AWS: Unfortunately, we can't even predict an approximate release date. There is, of course, the idea of releasing alpha builds.. We love the dialogue between the community and the developers that this approach gives, but that's not a good idea in our case - Darkwood holds a ton of secrets, and discovering them is going to be a major part of the game. This goes for the story, characters, locations, items.. and even the game mechanics themselves!

 

EP: Is there anything people can do to help? Donate?

AWS: Spread the love! If you like what you see, tell all your friends about Darkwood! We need all the exposure we can get. You can vote on Steam Greenlight if you want it to get published there. We will be launching a campaign on Kickstarter or Indiegogo in the near future where you will be able to pre-order the game and get some pretty neat stuff! 

 

AWS: So, till next time! And remember, The Acid Wizard sees all!