carnyx-int

[carnyx-int]

very important research.

[carnyx-int]

Hey! There has been quite a bit of silence here, and we believe for good reason - we planned to release new bits of game info, sneak peeks at Forest Keeper functions and features, and our development cycle. Instead, we’re coming to you with a few exciting announcements about the future of Carnyx Interactive. First, we want to say that it’s been an amazing ride so far and that we’re so thankful for your support and excited for our project. We’re more motivated than ever to get you a game that we’re proud of and that you’ll love. For more information, check out the first post on our new blog, where we provide a full update on the status of Forest Keeper and Carnyx as a studio. We'll be updating the blog again in the next couple of weeks, and then going heads-down for a while in development. Join our Discord for more frequent updates! https://www.carnyxinteractive.com/blog/where-tf-is-carnyx

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Greetings, folks! This week we’re highlighting Mamó’s homestead - her hut between the Forest and the Bog. Our Art Director, Morgan, goes further into detail on the design.

When Henry and I were first pinning down concept art ideas and inspirations, I knew I would have to shift my style in a direction I’ve not typically explored in my work (in a good way!). I’ve been studying gouache as a medium for a little bit, and a large inspiration for Henry was the Random House Book of Fairy Tales, a collection of illustrated folk tales from his childhood. I drew a lot of inspiration from Eyvind Earle, the graphical illustration master and a huge inspiration to make art in my youth. In my research, I also studied the style of Little Golden Books from the 1960s. I had a hand-me-down set from my mom, which I read a whole lot as a kid. These all felt like a good base to evoke a feeling of a fairy tale we’ve heard in our childhood. In designing the homestead, I wanted to visually ground Mamó at a neutral point - on the west lies the dark bog and to the east is the forest leading to the realm of the fae. Ultimately, however one chooses to play the witch can make her the sinister presence the townsfolk say she is, or more benevolent than we were led to believe, and I felt it was important to visually communicate that in every environment in-game. I enjoy a story of a witch that can manipulate her scenery, creating a false sense of security to the observer. But is Mamó that type of witch or simply a self-sufficient old woman?

Follow our Discord for game and studio updates!

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Meet the Carnyx Crew('s Pets)!

JJ, the very definition of orange.

Misfit, who inspired some band's name (idk never heard of em).

Pepperjack, who made Forbes' 30 under 30 list probably.

Poe, who is possessed by an actual Victorian boy.

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Its crazy that you can see a CEO of a game publishing company make 100x the salary of the average developer, hear stories of game studio workers living in their cars, see endless layoffs, crunch, excessive monetization that breaks up games into piecemeal purchases so the price of a full game is well beyond $100 for no reason other than pleasing investors, beloved franchises morphed into live service recurrent revenue generators for that same reason, and yet a motherfucker on your timeline will hit you with the classic "wokeness is killing videogames" like how cooked does your brain have to be in online discourse butter to sidestep ALL OF THAT to reach the conclusion that its the black or gay characters added to the game thats causing people to abandon them and not the fact that shits expensive, broken, devs are too beaten into the dirt to fix things properly and nobody wants to support these companies that are abusing consumer trust with the worst monetization in decades and lackluster apologies when they step way too far.

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Tales tell of a hag, old and wise as the elder woods and bog, and temperamental as the wind. Word of her power has spread to villages far and wide, and now each family tells their own tale of a brush with Mamó. Some say she brought their loved ones back from the dead, others that she curses men for even mentioning love. All agree she has the power to grant any wish and cure any blight, but that you must be careful what you wish for and be prepared to pay dearly for her help. Many know of her reputation among fearful whispers and rumors, but is Mamó as vile as they say?

Meet Mamó! Mamó is the main protagonist and player character in Forest Keeper, available in Winter 2024/25.

Brew potions, craft totems, and create hexes for a clientele brave enough to enter your bog. Forage for berries and herbs, and even grow your own garden! Discover a faerie ring, which holds the key to the realm of Tír na nÓg and barter with a silent fae trader. Follow the story of Mamó as she finds herself through helping others.

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📢 ANNOUNCEMENT 📢

She can grant your wishes, cure your wounds, even bestow untold power, if you’re willing to pay the price. Should you be so brave - or so desperate - you can find her deep in the forest, where even most animals dare not go.

Or so the story goes.

Mamó has long since forgotten herself, and even longer since stopped caring what tales fearful parents tell their children. She remembers not where she came from, the people she knew, nor even her own name.

_

Introducing Forest Keeper, a cozy farming/crafting sim following Mamó, a bog witch who lost her identity long ago in a mysterious fae deal, as she rediscovers herself through caring for others. Forest Keeper allows the player to harvest and craft at their own pace, with an engaging story of familial love, processing grief, and mending ties.

⚗️ Brew potions and hexes for curious patrons. 🌱 Experience self-sufficiency foraging mushrooms and harvesting ingredients on your farm. 🍄 Follow the story and enter Tír na nÓg, the otherworld realm. 🦊 Undo past mistakes and mend ties with a mysterious fae and a guardian fox. 

Forest Keeper is our first chapter of stories honoring Irish Celtic lore and mythology, inspired by our favorite games and the stories we have been told.

Coming to Steam and itch.io end of 2024! Follow our development journey on itch and join our Discord!

And yes, you can pet the fox.

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The wait is over! (Finally) Introducing Carnyx Interactive, a BRAND NEW game development studio made up of queer and neurodiverse game and art industry powerhouses. Founded around the goal of amplifying voices hushed by colonialism, our games emphasize the innate worth in every being. 

As a studio, we are passionate about making the games we want to play, and driven by the lightning-in-a-bottle feeling of experiencing our favourite games for the first time. We’re very intentional about the stories we tell and choose the genres and gameplay that will best support those stories, rather than the other way around. This allows us a flexibility to creatively explore all ideas and the constant ability to grow our skills, game after game. 

The third pillar of Carnyx is mentorship - each of us is coming in with a unique set of experiences and skills, and we strive to create an environment where we both play to our strengths and leave space to mentor and be mentored in return. We grow best when we grow together. 

This ethos drives every part of our business - from the stories we choose to tell, to our approach to research, to the way we treat our coworkers - every person is worth the space and time they occupy. To this end, we strive to create and uphold an environment of compassion, where every voice and idea is considered equitably.  We’re very excited to share our journey with you! Stay tuned for our first two project announcements (one launching this year) and check us out at https://www.carnyxinteractive.com/ and https://carnyxint.itch.io/ for more information and dev blogs.

Also! Join our Discord!