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Monument Valley 3
Shaping game design beyond current boundaries (devcom 2024) - Interview with Jennifer Estaris
We had the chance to interview the director of USTWO Games about her panel at Devcom, breaking new ground in game design, and we also stole some answers about the title just announced at ONL: Monument Valley 3.
Audio transcription
"So we are at the DEFCON, on the eve of the Gamescom, and tonight is the ONL, and we are talking to some developers.
We've been talking about, you know, narrative and user-generated content.
And now it's time to talk about game design, which is very interesting, so thank you so much for joining us, Jennifer."
"Tell us about your panel. We couldn't attend because it's later today. I hope we could attend.
So, what is it going to be about?
So, the title of the panel is Cozy Futures, Challenging Traditional Game Design.
And on the panel are me, Lea Schoenfelder, Joost Verwoerdt, and Meghna Jayant, and all renowned people in the industry and all part of the Cozy Future movement."
"The idea here is to think about what are some other ways to think about game design besides the more traditional hero's journey, endless progression, non-stop achievements.
And I believe there are different ways to approach this, and these are important.
We want to think about what does good look like for the future? What does a sustainable life look like?
And it doesn't look like one that kind of follows the trends of capitalism and excessiveness and endless exploitation."
"So, that is what we'd like to see if we can do in games.
You know, you have to show what good looks like, you have to exemplify through games, because it's the one where players can actually interact with the story, and so it becomes more embedded as a part of them."
"Will you be sharing specific examples on what you guys want to do in terms of innovative game design for this type of approach?
Yes, we have some examples, but unfortunately they're few and far between.
So, my panel will be covering topics like, or covering examples that are in games, but they're not that many. There are games that have aspects of cozy futures in them."
"On the panel, we have people who have designed games with cozy futures in them, or at least cozy.
So, Leia designed Assemble with Care, which is a game about repairing objects and saving their life.
She also designed Finding Hannah, which is a beautiful, maximalist, artistic game.
So, you really get to enjoy the art."
"We have Magna who'd worked in Sable and 80 Days and other games that's more meaningful than just trying to reach the end or to progress or reach max level.
And Jost is co-leading a game called All Will Rise, which is about taking on climate court cases in the vein of Ace Attorney."
"So, there are lots of games like that.
There are other games that we hadn't worked on, like I Was a Teenage Exo-Colonist, like Longleaf Valley, where it's about just getting to know the world a bit more, getting to know nature and getting to know what does a future look like that is sustainable, that is thrivable."
"I myself had worked on Monument Valley.
I was about to ask about that.
Monument Valley 2's chapter, The Lost Forest, which is about remembering trees and remembering the importance of them."
"And we petitioned for forest conservation in the chapter itself.
So, it's really trying to push for both internally, the change internally as a person, but also to change externally with the world.
How do you try to convey that?
I mean, that's very important for you guys in California, for us in Spain."
"And, of course, it's summertime, so it's even more important now.
So, I didn't play that.
So, how do you try to convey that message and how can players get it by playing the game?
Yeah."
"A lot of it is by taking them on this emotional journey, not just one where you get to really connect with the trees itself and engage with them and move through them, but also through the atmosphere, the atmosphere of that dark forest."
"So, the chapter, The Lost Forest, is inspired by Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Volleben.
And it is a book where he talks about trees almost as if it's a fairy tale.
So, he talks about trees in the romantic way, in a beautiful way.
So, you do get to know about them."
"But he's also a forest ranger.
So, he talks about them in a scientific way.
So, that blending of the science and the emotion is really what at least converted me to be more aware of it and to kind of spread the word to everyone."
"That's interesting.
So, it's not just the two of us here, but let's talk a little bit about us two and what you guys are working next.
I briefly mentioned O&L is tonight."
"Is there anything else you would like to share about that show?
Yes.
We have a special announcement and we will be sharing the game that I am game directing, which is the next Monument Valley, Monument Valley 3."
"Bam! Yeah, it's out.
It's been a few years.
Couldn't you see it?
I got goosebumps too, yes."
"It's been a journey.
You know, it's been a few years in development and finally happy to get it out.
Really pushing for the same themes and aspects that are important to me as well as still elevating the aspects that people love about the original Monument Valley games, that mysterious atmosphere, the illusions, the impossibility, and so forth."
"Yeah, and can we expect to find some of your messages that you have been discussing throughout this interview in terms of activism, trees, nature, something like that, or no mention about that yet?
So the game is about hope, resilience."
"Monument Valley 3 is about hope, resilience, and the aspect of togetherness.
So these are all elements that are quite true to what a cozy future looks like.
So these aspects embody a cozy future.
So that's quite important to me."
"We also are introducing a new mechanic in the game, so it is sailing.
So we will be going off the grid and going off grid both in terms of what it means in the game as well as what it means in the world.
How do we disconnect from the geo?
How do we disconnect from those straight lines, from everything that we expect from the world and start exploring, going into the ocean of newness?
That's amazing."
"Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Jennifer.
When you see this, of course, opening night life has happened already.
But it's really nice that we get these details on Monument Valley 3 from you yourself.
I just have a final question."
"On your bio, I saw that you create stories with your 10-year-old child.
I have a 9-year-old child myself, and we're putting stories together too.
So share a little bit about that experience and how you guys do it.
I think it's the perfect timing, isn't it?
Yes, and I do it in a way that people back in the olden days, or even nowadays, just sit in a circle and they tell stories to each other, right?
So we do it in that we sit in a—well, I guess it's not a full circle, but it's me and her."
"And we just start starting from a little piece of an idea, and we start unraveling it and telling stories and balancing it back and forth.
And from there, that's how we end up writing together.
And it's been a joy."
"I highly recommend you do this with your child.
I will try myself.
So I think that's enough.
Thank you so much for your time, Jennifer."
"Enjoy the show.
Enjoy tonight's reveal.
I think it's going to be exciting.
I know.
Enjoy your week."
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