Get to know an adorable new indie

Woodo is an upcoming indie that I'm super-excited to play as it looks downright delightful so I asked developer Julia some fun questions.

Nothing causes more disappointment than hype so at Video Chums, we avoid hyping games prior to playing them for ourselves. 🤩

I carefully set the table for our chat

A.J. ▸ Hello. What inspired you to create a game about wooden dioramas? Do you have fond memories of playing with any specific wooden toys as a youngster? v1d30chumz cyzttywqtybt

Julia ▸ My favorite toy in childhood was Kinder Surprise. I used to collect the little series of toys that came inside. There was one collection I especially loved: tiny wooden toys, made from real wood, like little ships or cars. Somehow they were quite difficult to get, so I didn't have many of them, but they are still in my heart.

A.J. ▸ The tactile aesthetics of Woodo make everything in the game feel tangible. Can you tell us how you created the detailed visuals and sound effects to be as immersive as they are?

Julia ▸ I created them in Blender, a free 3D software, and we used normal maps to add that bumpy texture effect. We also hired an amazing SFX designer who worked on ODDADA (A musical toybox game), which even won an award for its beautiful sound design. 🎵

Foxy's in for a lot of mishaps and memories

A.J. ▸ How did the story of Foxy spending time in the countryside and meeting Ben the frog come together? Did you use any personal memories or inspirations when writing it?

Julia ▸ Everything in this game is rooted in my childhood and real memories. But it's more of a compilation of different moments and feelings rather than an exact documentary story.

A.J. ▸ I love all of the animal chums we've seen so far from chirpy birds to a sleepy cat and big-shot geese to a sneaky goat and even giggling goslings! What were your favourite animals to animate?

Julia ▸ I didn't animate the characters myself, only some of the objects. We hired a talented animator for the character animations. It was very important to me that the animator understood my sense of humor, because I wanted the characters to feel silly and funny. My favorites are the goslings. 🐤

A mouse couldn't ask for a better apartment

A.J. ▸ Can you share any fun moments with the animal cast that you're excited for players to experience?

Julia ▸ I love all the animations because the animator and I thought through every single one together, so it's difficult for me to choose a favorite. A funny thing is that the animations players react to the most are usually the ones we had to redo many times. So apparently, the more the animator and I suffered, the more players like the result.

A.J. ▸ I have to ask: seeing as you previously made Clumsy Rush, can we look forward to any hippos in Woodo?

Julia ▸ Haha, that's a funny question. I didn't expect you bring them up. There won't be any hippos. I think I've made enough of them for one lifetime. 🦛

There may not be any hippos but there are super-fancy fish!

A.J. ▸ What sort of feelings are you hoping to instill into players as they play and what do you hope will stay with folks long after they complete the game?

Julia ▸ I would really love players to be left with deep and complex emotions after the game. The kind that are difficult to put into words, but very easy to understand when you actually feel them.

A.J. ▸ Finally, the silly question of the day: if you made a follow-up game with any material besides wood, what would it be and why?

Julia ▸ Definitely clay. I'm a huge fan of the first Neverhood (a 1996 point-and-click-adventure from DreamWorks Interactive). It had a very strong influence on me, and I think my love for it will become even more obvious in our future projects. 🔮

Are you ready to open a box full of memories?

You may also be interested in these: Woodo Review, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Review, Game Pass Hidden Gem: Herdling, Beast of Reincarnation Review, Denshattack! Review, Game Pass Hidden Gem: TAMASHIKA, Gurei Review, Moss: The Forgotten Relic Review, Mina the Hollower Review, and Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen Review.

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Filed under: Articles › Interviews.