Hey there! Peanut here with another TMYSlog for you 🐶🥜 It’s been two weeks since Puzzle Creation Challenges, where the devs talked about all the brainstorming around Tell Me Your Story’s riddles 🧠 Today I’ve got an important one for you, as Devlog #6 is all about Inspirational Influences. So here’s everything that helped the developers create the game that Tell Me Your Story is today ✨
Tell Me Your Story’s atmosphere was inspired by different sources, many of which are considered “cozy”. The overall story and the vibe related to making connections were inspired by games like Venba and Florence. Both are very different from TMYS, but the gameplay and sometimes even artwork and style were a source of inspiration for the devs. A Little to the Left is another title that had an impact on gameplay and puzzles. You can see it in some of Tell Me Your Story’s levels - especially the ones focused on organization 🧹📝
Meanwhile, choosing the right artstyle was a process in itself! It was inspired by Studio Ghibli’s movies and artwork plus the illustrations from Winnie the Pooh (traditional artwork from the book). The “vibe” that the developers experimented with was cottagecore - which can be seen in many rooms of Grandma Rose’s cottage 🏡✨
Below are comments from TMYS’ Artists, which shine a brighter light on the game’s key styles and inspirations 💭
– Our focus while creating graphics for Tell Me Your Story was to make bright, colorful illustrations, with delicate contrasts, with items being drawn either with light contours or without any outlines at all. We wanted to capture the cottagecore energy of Grandma Rose's household and show her personality through environment full of colors. – says Kamila Osińska, Tell Me Your Story’s 2D Artist.
– With art direction we were initially drawn by the Studio Ghibli animations, wanting to capture the same atmosphere. Over time our artstyle became more simplified, we were inspired by games like Venba and A Little to the Left. – says Karolina Wójt, Tell Me Your Story’s 2D Artist.
Colors are also very important for TMYS and not only when setting the vibe! Color schemes are supposed to help the player realize where they are in the story. Each set of levels is color-coded, and both Amelia and Rose have a different way of seeing things 👀🎨
– The beginning and the end have one color scheme because the story taking place in Grandma’s house is seen through Amelia’s eyes, while Rose’s memories have a lead color. The Amazon Jungle story is all warm greens, Yunnan has colder green shades and blues, and the Orient Express story is roses, violets, and blues. – says Inez Górska-Brzezińska, Tell Me Your Story’s Game Designer and Producer.
When it comes to the story, TMYS had more real-life inspirations. The times spent with the elderly members of the studio's families, knick-knacks found in their homes or given for keeps are all previous memories. For those of you, dear friends, who were (or are) close to your grandparents or other family members - this might be your own road down memory lane. Experiencing it firsthand through Amelia’s eyes might also be a brand-new experience! Hope you’ll enjoy spending time with Grandma Rose either way 👵🗺 That’s all for Inspirational Influences, folks! See you in the next Devlog all about Audio 🐶🥜 Get your earphones ready to rumble! Peanut out~
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1415570/Tell_Me_Your_Story/