As a curious and engaged observer of the indie gaming scene, I find myself deeply impressed by the creative journey of Black Tabby Studios. The dynamic duo, Tony and Abby, have managed to carve out a unique niche for themselves with their intriguing narrative-driven games.
Following the debut of “Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut“, the Black Tabby team is basking in some sparkling praise. A year after making its mark as an independent gaming sensation, “Slay the Princess” now has a strong case for being among the top narrative-rich indie games released recently.
As a passionate admirer, I recently had the opportunity to chat with Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias, the dynamic duo behind Black Tabby, about their upcoming masterpiece, The Pristine Cut. They shared insights into its creation, improvements incorporated along the way, and the essence of “Slaying the Princess.
Rereading the game a year later enabled Black Tabby developers to evaluate their performance, pinpoint areas for improvement, and implement changes. They were successful in enhancing certain aspects, extending some routes, and introducing new conclusions for Slay the Princess. Moreover, they aimed to emphasize more strongly the intended player experience within the game by making these alterations. Such modifications often make director’s cuts of titles considered the ultimate gaming experience.
Making a Pristine Cut
Q: Can you both introduce yourselves?
Sure thing!
Abby: Hi there! I’m Abby Howard, one of the two minds behind Black Tabby Games. I contribute as a co-writer, co-creator, and lead artist in our projects.
Q: What made you want to revisit Slay the Princess for a director’s cut?
Tony: Essentially, what made a difference was taking a break from the initial project and having some room to breathe. The first version of our game was developed at an intense pace, from inception right up until the initial launch, which took approximately seven months of round-the-clock work. This was fantastic for keeping the momentum going during development. However, it also meant that we didn’t have a chance to step back and look at the project as a whole, outside the context of working on it. It wasn’t until we had some time off that we realized there were areas where we could expand upon for better results.
Abby: As I worked on it, I noticed some gaps in the structure which made me feel like I wanted to complete it as soon as possible since I didn’t have time to consider alternative approaches or add additional chapters while finishing at home. However, once we had a bit of time, I revisited those gaps and pondered if we could fill them to make the structure stronger, especially since there were several Chapters Three that lacked content. It felt like we needed to balance it out, so I wondered how we could do that effectively by identifying areas where we could expand the content more. Fortunately, we managed to address some of the obvious gaps and found it quite rewarding in the end.
Tony: A common issue with collaborative creative projects is that they often result from numerous individual perspectives merging to create an entirely unique vision.
In a few chapters of the story, it seemed like Tony initially intended the conclusions to feel a certain way that didn’t resonate with me. This wasn’t immediately apparent because there were lines and instructions like, “Deal the final blow,” which I would illustrate accordingly. However, Tony would later clarify, “She wasn’t supposed to be stabbed…like, you weren’t meant to depict the actual strike.” This left me confused as I had understood him differently when he said…
Tony: I believe the origin of this lies in a few instances where I employed the phrase ‘strike true,’ unaware of its real connotation. Abby illustrated a blow being struck truly, and I responded, “However, that’s what transpired in the stories I read as a child before it hit home.” I suspect, from my recollection, it implied a division where most ending resolutions for paths were intended to be somewhat unsatisfying. This would contribute to the broader narrative by creating a pattern where, just as you approach a resolution, it is snatched away at the last moment.
Abby: It seems the problem stemmed from some people feeling there was potential for more depth to them. Consequently, the disappointing conclusion felt truly disappointing, more along the lines of “I wished there was more,” rather than merely unsatisfying, making it seem as if we had simply run out of story to tell.
As a passionate admirer: Ever since my college years, I’ve held onto this notion that it would be intriguing to create something artistically with an undercurrent of discontentment. At the heart of it all, I believe we could craft a storyline that is narratively fulfilling, but retains that sense of unease. Perhaps, it’s time to embrace this approach instead.
Abby: Isn’t it possible for dissatisfaction to simply be what it is, without further exploration? It seems rather simple to end a tale before it reaches its peak.
Q: Some of the existing chapters are getting glow-ups. What can you share about that?
Abby: These chapters – The Den, The Fury, and Apotheosis – have significantly improved. Originally from The Beast, The Tower, and Adversary, they required a great deal of effort and revealed aspects we hadn’t previously delved into. I was going to single out The Fury, but in truth, all three have undergone this transformation. Each now offers up to five different conclusions, providing ample room for exploration. Transitioning from chapter two, you can make numerous alterations, and within these chapters, there are actions that unveil even more possibilities.
Tony: The three options we provided were quite fitting for the previous question’s answer. We designed them to be a bit frustrating intentionally, and this might be due to our original concept of the princess as a perceptive being who transforms according to others’ perceptions. This concept also involves exploring the idea of downward spirals of belief, where one is trapped, constantly battling an opponent that keeps improving while they weaken. I believe both the Apotheosis and the Fury represented feelings of helplessness, a sense that you’ve created someone so superior that there’s no hope left, which can be dissatisfying.
Abby: They required additional room to delve into how you arrived, understand why she behaves as she does, and introduce further player agency. Additionally, they aimed to express, despite your size and weakness compared to her, you persist, so what will be your next move?
Tony: Just as with any piece of fiction, during its creation, it transforms and evolves. Some concepts were present from the start, but the game wasn’t the same on day 10 as it was on day one, which was different from what it became by the end of development. I believe that the refinements, or “glow-ups,” serve to realign those initial foundations with what the game ultimately turned out to be in the end.
Q: You’re also adding some new chapters. Can you tell us anything about them?
As a gamer, I can confirm that new chapters for The Specter, The Damsel, and The Prisoner are coming our way. These characters didn’t get their standalone chapters in the initial release of the game, but the updated version is offering them separately and they’re fantastic!
Tony: If Markiplier had waited until now to play our game this past summer, he could have obtained new items for each route in the game.
Abby: But I was like, “Oh, you would have loved it.”
Learning to Slay the Princess
In the game “Slay the Princess,” there are numerous versions of the main royal character that were developed, but many more ideas were discarded during production. Black Tabby delved into concepts ranging from preliminary ideas about the target not being a princess to glitches involving a princess costume. However, it was decided that the game would primarily explore the complexities within ordinary human beings, as they shared.
A: Did you ever consider some thrilling paths for the princess that seemed appealing, yet were either excessively challenging or not suitable for practical reasons?
Tony: I believe the most significant aspect was the initial idea for the Stranger character. The Stranger is the princess that appears when you opt not to visit the cabin in chapter one, and in the final game version, she serves as a sneak peek into the story before everything becomes clear, offering an enigmatic mix of all possible princess archetypes.
Abby: I like to think of her as an overture to the rest of the game.
Tony: I really appreciate it. Initially, her idea seemed more like she was a collection of insects shaped like princesses trapped in the wrong body.
Abby: The title “skinsuit Princess” was given because even if you walked away, knowing a princess existed, the world still ended. You didn’t defeat her or slay her, suggesting there’s more to her than meets the eye, but we were unsure of what exactly. That’s where the idea of the “skinsuit” originated. Yet, we weren’t sure how to proceed after that, yes.
Tony: At first, she wasn’t pretending to be a princess but rather an insect-like character. We found their behavior and thought processes fascinatingly different from other species. The main challenge with her character was it required such a significant change in the storyline that it would necessitate numerous branches, almost on par with the entire game’s scope. Frankly, we didn’t believe there was much of worth to delve into with this direction.
Q: There’s a quote out there, from you Abby, about how making the game and seeing others experience it are very different things. Can you dive into that a little?
Abby: To be completely honest, I’m extremely pleased with “Slay the Princess” and observing others play it. It seems that we’ve been remarkably accurate in anticipating how people would react, which is something we haven’t achieved to this extent before. Frequently, what people say is echoed by the hero, narrator, or another character, creating a unique synergy.
Tony: It seems crucial to note that while creating these games, especially narrative ones with significant mystery elements, we possess comprehensive knowledge about the storyline’s progression, themes, and connections. We understand how certain events foreshadow others, and recognize similarities between scenarios. However, this detailed understanding is not shared by the players.
Abby: It appears some players start this game without knowing what to expect, thinking they should be doing something other than what’s presented, especially with “Slay the Princess.” They might come in expecting the game to command them to slay a princess without question. However, we designed it so that when you see that, you think, “I don’t want to kill a princess.” The title itself is intended to be something you instantly reject because it suggests murdering someone you’ve never met before, which is absurd. Some players believe they are true heroes here to save the world. The narrator is agreeable, saying, “Alright, whatever you say,” and there are indeed those who do this, only to get the good ending in a short time and say, “Excellent game! I’ll never play it again.
Tony: I do think there’s this thing too, where so many players approach games as puzzles.
Abby: They tend to treat the game like a riddle to be solved swiftly, rather than immersing themselves emotionally in the story as a player would. The game seems designed to highlight this, as players often rush to solve puzzles only to realize later that they’re not actually solving puzzles but experiencing an emotional journey with another character. Initially, when they encounter challenges because the game isn’t about solving puzzles, it can take them a while to adapt, eventually making choices based on instinct rather than strategic planning.
Tony: Another point to mention about why I enjoy “Slay the Princess” particularly in this discussion, relates back to the concept of perfect versus imperfect information. In essence, our understanding of the game encompasses every possible combination of routes at once. This comprehension represents the complete narrative. On the other hand, when observing others play it, they’re experiencing a highly individualized slice of a small portion of what that total is.
Abby: It’s intriguing to observe varied opinions about the princess, and some people truly appreciate her as a character. However, others express surprise by stating, “She continuously harms me and kills me repeatedly; she is my foe,” which I found unexpected. But given the different paths you can take, it makes sense that she’s always portrayed as an adversary.
Tony: A significant aspect of The Pristine Cut concept involves the final routes in the five-part collection. These should be the most unconventional, delving deep into metaphysical themes, where all elements are brought together. I aim for The Pristine Cut to be organized so that players always encounter at least one of these unique routes during a playthrough, and ideally, they experience it at the end. Frequently, players who grasp the game’s rules and mechanisms by the conclusion may miss a crucial piece of information due to the numerous possible combinations and ways to interact with it. This can lead them to the climax without fully realizing that there is a underlying logic and system governing how everything fits together and functions.
“Could you elaborate on that? What key ideas or messages would you like players to grasp after playing ‘Slay the Princess’?
Abby: I want them to understand that each individual can be a completely unique person to someone else, and one person’s perception of a princess may differ drastically while still being true to the essence of the character. This idea is central to Slay the Princess for me, going beyond the philosophical aspects of mortality. I often discuss this because a single encounter with several key factors can transform a person entirely, even though they remain essentially the same human being. For example, choosing to brandish a knife instead of not doing so can significantly alter someone’s behavior and demeanor. In the first chapter, the princess behaves quite differently due to your decision to wield a knife, which is a threat. She wouldn’t be as sweet or friendly if you didn’t brandish the knife because then she might perceive you as an ally.
Tony: Expanding on your point, people are complex entities. Not only do others embody multiple facets, but they also undergo changes rather than remaining constant. This is true for you as well. In discussing the concept of Slay the Princess, I often bring up the idea that if you haven’t interacted with your high school peers in a while, and then reconnect, you might find yourself slipping back into some aspects of who you were then. This is the identity that was assigned to you. However, it’s essential to remember that you have the choice – you can choose to remain in this mold, or you can reshape yourself if you wish, given the determination to do so.
Q: Where did the idea of the princess being a mirror for the player’s actions come from?
Abby: I think that was the first thing you really came up with.
Tony: The idea for this new project originated from a logistical challenge. We’re currently developing another game called Scarlet Hollow, a visual novel that is even more complex in structure and length compared to Slay the Princess. To continue working on Scarlet Hollow and finance its development, we decided to create a smaller game as an interlude. This would allow me to take on more of the writing responsibilities and reduce the art demands on Abby. We began brainstorming, thinking about a compelling scenario that is confined to one location and features only one character besides the player.
Abby: Initially, the concept of the princess was a being intended for elimination, whose background remained unknown deliberately, as understanding can alter their essence. Essentially, it’s a character designed to instill fear due to its perceived power. It’s crucial not to approach with preconceived notions about what they might do or try to hinder you, because they will if you do, as their actions are rooted in your perception of them.
Tony: That’s like the first interesting idea we had that fit that criteria.
Abby: That was before she was the princess.
Q: You mentioned another game, Scarlet Hollow . Can you talk about that a little?
Abby mentioned that Scarlet Hollow is our initial project and it continues as it’s an episodic game, meaning we released Slay the Princess within its storyline. This was our first venture into this type of content creation.
Tony: It’s kind of like a Telltale-style episodic adventure.
Abby: It’s got even more choices than Slay the Princess by a lot.
You: You receive an invitation from a distant cousin you’ve never met to attend the funeral of their grandmother in a secluded Appalachian coal town. However, events take an unexpected turn, leaving you stranded in this mysterious place where strange occurrences keep taking place.
Abby mentioned that the project consists of seven episodes, and they are now focusing on Episode Five. Things are progressing smoothly, and she’s quite satisfied with its current state. Additionally, they plan to roll out an update for it towards the end of this year.
Q: Is there anything else coming up for Black Tabby Studios?
Tony:Scarlet Hollow is the main thing.
Abby: Game three is cooking slowly, waiting for its turn on the stove. Indeed, we have prepared all the necessary components, and they are now chilling in the refrigerator. Essentially, that’s where we stand with it.
Sure thing!
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Abby: Please slay the princess.
[END]
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2024-10-25 17:01