❓- Who are you?
Hello! I’m Anja. I am an artist and currently wrestling with my game studies master. I was destroying my parents books with scribbles since I knew how to hold a pencil and that has since become my favourite thing to do. When I’m not drawing, I enjoy playing video/board/card (you name it) games, reading and hanging out with my friends.
I always found games as a great way to connect and spend time with people I love, starting from watching my older brother act as an interior designer in *Sims 2* to having a scream fest with my friends in *Overcooked*. So, when it came to me that I can actually partake in creating that environment for other people, I took that chance. One thing let to another, and now I draw silly little characters for work ːsteamhappyː.
❓- How did you start to work at Fire Totem Games?
I found my way to Fire Totem Games as an intern on a 2D artist position. My colleague and friend (Hi Fede!) introduced me to the team. At first I was very anxious and the impostor syndrome was hitting me all the time, but working with such good people turned it into a very good and enjoyable learning experience.
By the end of my internship, I felt personally involved and that I cared for the project, especially after seeing first-hand how much passion and commitment other members had for the game. I ended up being welcomed into the team as a member, and now I am honoured to work alongside these hardworking and talented people.
❓- What is your role at Fire Totem Games?
I am a 2D artist of our team. This role is a fusion of many: concept art, environment design (sometimes a bit of level design), but mostly creating 2D assets and some branding for outside of the game. Mainly, I try to visualise concepts the team thinks of. Sometimes, I get to draw cute little spiders doing human activities and I love it.
❓- How does your job work?
My main tools are pen and paper, and then mostly Photoshop (or Krita) and Illustrator, and a graphic drawing tablet (and a lot of coffee). My role is to visualise whatever ideas my team has, that has to do with 2D. I hear out what the team needs for the game, brainstorm for a long time and collect TONS of references, make a moodboard (if needed) and then sketch and sketch and sketch until something works. Then I render it to look nice and input into the game, or for some other purpose. But yeah, lots of drawing included!
❓- What part of your job do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy the most when I get to draw Silky and friends and think of what chaotic things they could do in the house. Then I try to sketch the rooms so they are a perfect environment for Silky (you players) to go wild. I also love seeing all the cool web designs you players then make in the game, they are wild and you are all so creative!
❓- What is your favorite video game?
It’s so hard to pick just one! So I’ll pick more :P. My absolute favourite game series is Portal (especially Portal 2). I love its character writing (GLaDOS especially!) and the puzzle design and mechanics are great.
A more recent game I’ve been obsessing over is Persona 4 Golden. Writing is good (has very compelling characters) and the mix of living your daily high school life with your friends and also battling shadows in another world and a murder mystery tick all the boxes of what I enjoy in games (also the soundtrack is spot on).
I also love Stardew Valley, when I’m stressed from work or university, I go to my farm and all my worries are gone.
❓- What is your favorite thing in A Webbing Journey?
My favourite part is the freedom and creativity not only you can express as a player but also we do as designers while making it. When we think of a crazy idea and the team goes “HELL YEAH, LET’S DO THAT” is the best feeling ever. Putting imagination into (digital) reality is and it actually working is surreal.
And then seeing you guys do things in the game I never even thought of doing is insane. I’d see a contraption so intricate that I’d just sit there for a couple of minutes processing HOW you even did that.