Revolutionists!
It's time we revealed at least a part of the mystery - who we are, why we created Liberté, and what inspired us. So, before we got to this point below…
Way before SuperStatic Studio got its name; two friends worked together in a start-up - UX Designer Daniel and Marketing Specialist Kajetan. When the pandemic hit - yes, it's one of these Covid-19 stories - we got together and started discussing creating a game. The only thing we knew was the genre.
After a few rum-filled glasses (one of our favorite drinks), we started workshopping, going over ideas on the most remarkable story we could come up with. We both thought there was something very appealing in making a game set in a historical setting, but with our imaginary twist.
One of the early drafts of the story included an aquatic world that's supposedly at war with an on-the-surface civilization (that might have been the direct influence of watching Aquaman). Still, after heated debates, the concept was discarded.
The concept of a political hotpot was nonetheless what eventually stuck for the longest, and we explored this further. One angle we started exploring was the significant events in history when several groups clashed, and nothing could beat the French Revolution. As we educated ourselves on the proceedings, the idea of bringing voodoo to the mix was born. This was, in fact, the effect of our extensive research - the Haiti Revolution in particular. That's how we arrived at creating The Congregation and The Tribe.
From that point, we brainstormed on the main threat looming on the horizon - the arch-nemesis of all the groups involved in the conflict. Eventually, we got in the vibe of cosmic horror, influenced by movies such as Annihiliation (2018) or The Fly (1986) or even more obscure ones like Matango (1963). One breadcrumb led to another, and we ended up with the prototypes of the Bliss - strange cosmic gardens where you'd play against zombies.
After giving it a play, we lacked a powerful embodiment of this other horror dimension. We bounced ideas - a dragon, an alien invasion - and hence Lady Bliss was born. The goal was to make Liberté's horrors a "horrid beauty."
Each faction was described along with the symbols and artifacts, such as the masks of the Tribesmen. Here's an excerpt about their meaning from the notes about the Tribe's religion:
"A reference to Guardian Ori from Yoruba beliefs, as well as Torado in the religion of the Wilderpeople. The Wilderpeople used to carry painted skulls of their ancestors as their protectors. Since the practice was widely criticized in the modern world, the custom changed to wearing colorful masks on their faces or attached to their belts or other parts of the garment. These bones and skulls represent the connection to the souls which have been cleansed and sent back to Earth by Torado."
Rumors say there's enough lore made for Liberté that we could quickly write a book on that!
Once the concept was more or less finalized, Daniel started the development, while Kajetan got into the writing vibe. We collaborated closely on each new part of the Liberté world. Here's one of the first views of a street where we tested the AI of our enemies and the crowd that populated Paris.
SuperStatic Studio has worked with highly talented people since Liberté started to gain some shape.
Ania, our leading artist, worked with us on bringing all the characters to life.
From briefs to inspiration boards and early sketches, Ania has turned our ideas into beautiful art we see today in the game.
Like it happened with Archbishop de Maury, the mysterious spiritual leader of the Congregation.
Luca and Wojtek designed the streets and locations you see today in the game. Their work was based on accurate maps and research on the look of 18th-century Paris.
Here's a bird's eye view of one of the maps in the game's early development.
We're fortunate to have worked with such a wildly talented bunch, and they're part of our family.
Thanks to this collaborative work, we've managed to go from this:
To this:
Over the last two years, Liberté grew into a publisher-backed game that blends roguelite and roguelike mechanisms in a unique setting.
On a personal note from the devs - it's genuinely our dream coming true - getting a chance to create something that a growing community will enjoy diving into. While we tirelessly work on developing and polishing Liberté, we're always thankful for your continuous support.
That's our brief story. Let us know in the comments if there's anything else you'd like to read about.