Hey everyone! Awaceb here…
Some of you may know this, some of you may not, but our studio was founded by two childhood friends from New Caledonia. Our culture, history, and experiences were integral to creating Tchia…
Ah wait - where is New Caledonia you ask? Well… it’s a little island in the middle of the pacific!
So… Tchia draws from all aspects of New Caledonian culture. Landscapes, music, languages, folklore, and traditions have all been used as inspiration to create the world that you play within. We drew from NC in a literal sense - such as recreating iconic landmarks from the island, and having characters who speak in NC native languages Drehu and French - and in a metaphorical sense, by making the influence of animals and the natural world a focal point of the gameplay and storyline.
The game showcases the customs, beliefs, and traditions of the indigenous Kanak people of New Caledonia, but is not intended to be a recreation of our history or culture. It is more like a love letter to the island and the people, and you do not need to know about our culture or traditions before entering the game (but we hope you enjoy learning about them)!
The element of Soul Jumping in Tchia was influenced by tales of shape-shifting in folklore, and brings to the game a crucial and incredibly fun mechanic - ICYMI, we deep-dove into that in our last Steam News Post. The ability to navigate land, sky, and sea as an animal is a reflection of the importance and respect for nature that is ingrained into our culture. The thing is, when you think of a tropical island, most people default to the sea… sandy beaches, palm trees, etc. And of course we have that in Tchia, but there is so much more. The amount of biomes in New Caledonia is quite surprising and so unique, and we wanted to make sure that it was captured. For example, in Tchia you will travel to areas inspired by Lifou (home of the language Drehu which you hear in the game). This island is lush, full of greenery and incredible cliffs, and has a very prolific endemic snake species that swims underwater. See if you can spot it in the game!
Another biome within Tchia takes inspiration from Bourail, located in the north of New Caledonia, which is covered in volcanic sand and is known for its massive Quartz monolith… that looks quite like a human head.
Though the rich landscapes of NC have incredible influence over our game, the people of New Caledonia played the biggest part in shaping Tchia into what it is. The island is full of different cultures with different ways of living, and we wanted to reflect that richness within the game. There are amazing local people who worked on the game. The game’s depictions of Kanak culture were overseen by Thoane Thomadra, one of our friends, who kept our portrayals accurate, respectful, and rich with authenticity. He also voices Tre in the game, even and sings a few beautiful songs!
Music is a focal point in the game, and Tchia’s ukulele is the backbone of everything she does - from combat, to exploration, to the most touching moments within the story. You can join in and play along on the scripted songs, and learn a couple of tunes inspired by our homeland and written by local musicians!
Our team is now situated in Canada, and those of us who hadn’t visited New Caledonia before went on a trip last year to explore the world that inspired the game… you can join us and watch this three-part series on YouTube to see what we got up to 🙂
We wanted to share a slice of our lives with you, and we can’t wait for you all to explore it on Steam in March
Oléti ~
The Awaceb Team
