PAX AUS has begun! 18 New Zealand teams are showcasing their games at the CODE booth #1140. Be sure to stop by if you’re at the event and check out all the latest that our New Zealand teams have to offer!
One of the teams showcasing right now is Tiny Kiwi and their game, Design & Conjure. We spoke to Ben, co-founder of Tiny Kiwi, about the title, its inspirations, the journey of the studio thus far, and what goes into making this magical title.
Thanks for taking the time to join us today Ben, how are you feeling? It’s not too far away from PAX!
Yeah, we’ve been very lucky. We just went to Gamescom about a month ago, our first public showing, so we have our demo in a good enough state to present to the public and gauge the response. It’s interesting to see how demographics change from place to place. The team’s pumped. We’re bringing over three team members—myself and two artists—so they’re really excited to show off the game one-on-one.
How did that first presentation go? Abit nerve-wracking I’d expect!?
Very much so, but it was really good. We received a lot of positive feedback. All our business cards were gone by the end of the day, both for business meetings and for people wanting to wishlist the game. It was adorable watching a lot of girlfriends want to play our game while their boyfriends went to play the one next to it. It was a perfect pairing situation.
Can you tell us about your journey as one of the co-founders of Tiny Kiwi? How did you get to the point of forming the studio?
It’s a long journey. It started about a year and a half ago. My partner and I were working for larger studios like Cerebral Effects and PlaySide, where we couldn’t really talk about much of our work. After being in the industry for about five years, it was important for us as creatives to branch out and pursue our vision. We decided to quit our jobs and start this up. I’m a programmer, and my partner is a designer. We brought along a junior 3D artist who has really skyrocketed in skill. Along the way, we’ve had friends from the industry who like the game and want to support it, so we’ve expanded to include a tech artist and a 2D artist. Our team has grown quite a bit.
Are you the sole programmer on this project?
I’ve programmed about 90% of the project. My partner, while primarily a designer, also has programming skills. She works on key systems, but my job is to make everything really work.
Is it a lot of workload being the sole programmer for the game?
Yes, I’ve come from a leadership role in the past, being a lead programmer. Typically, in larger games, you don’t get to programme all the systems. You spend time on various tasks, like option menus and localisation, which I have to learn, implement, and apply. It’s been great to learn the entire development cycle of a game.
When exactly was Tiny Kiwi founded?
Technically, the company was formed about four or five months ago. We started ideation and creation about a year and a half ago, at the beginning of 2023. The actual game creation began midway through that year, so it’s been about a year and five months.
So you had the game idea first, and that’s where Tiny Kiwi came from?
Yes, we did a lot of ideation and prototyping. We spent time learning how to build, market, and pitch a game. I’ve always been the “code monkey,” but I realised you also need to learn how to sell and get the game to market, along with funding opportunities.
Can you tell us about Design & Conjure?
Design & Conjure tells the story of a witch named Dahlia who returns to her hometown after graduating. She discovers a mysterious corruption affecting the town and uses her knowledge as a nature witch to address the issues, including magical pests causing trouble. She meets other witches, wizards, and sentient magical creatures, helping them while also decorating and cleaning the environment. There are puzzle elements as well.
The trailer hints at a mix of room decorating with storytelling. What made you choose this direction for Dahlia’s story within Design & Conjure?
We decided that it’s not just Dahlia’s story; Design & Conjure involves other witches, wizards, and magical creatures. We couldn’t rely solely on environmental storytelling because we have complex problems to solve. We wanted to expand the narrative, connecting characters to the world through dialogue and character art.
You mentioned pests that might interrupt us and cause trouble. Can you elaborate on that?
Yes, the corruption has caused magical pests to emerge. They’re little mushroom creatures spreading ooze everywhere. The idea is to capture these creatures, clean up the mess they’ve made, and deal with the repercussions of their actions. For instance, one storyline involves a creature that has crashed into a cafe and is causing a mess. It’s about the implications of these little pests along with the direct effects they create.
We are seeing the rise of the “cozy” genre in recent years; would you consider Design & Conjure to fall under this category?
Absolutely! That’s exactly what we designed it for—cozy and relaxing with a strong narrative. We also wanted to incorporate a creative sandbox mode, allowing players to explore freely or follow a more structured story.
Do you have inspirations within the cozy genre that influenced your development process?
There are definitely many examples, with “Unpacking” being a major one that really popularised the genre. Then you have classics like “The Sims,” which lets you build and design spaces. However, our true inspirations blend aesthetics with magical and technological elements. We aimed to combine elements of our past with visions of the future. My partner often scrolls through Instagram and Pinterest, admiring beautiful artworks, cozy spaces, and magical creatures. We felt that this aesthetic needed to be part of our game.
The puzzle elements in Design & Conjure, how involved are they? Are they relaxed or complex?
We wanted to include a light puzzle element to enhance the story and characters without forcing players to place items in specific spots. For example, you might have a 300-year-old familiar cat wanting to sleep closer to you. Instead of strict objectives, we encourage players to be creative while considering the characters’ needs. It’s more about capturing feelings than following rigid instructions.
Some screenshots of Design & Conjure involve a tea party. Can players assist with various events in the game?
Yes! One of our goals is to help restore the town so the right magical creatures return. For instance, there’s a tea party for the gnomes, but first, you’ll need to deal with the owl lion that likes to eat them. Once you’ve handled that, you can help set up their tea party; that is one of the examples of restoring the town.
As you prepare for PAX, are you considering turning your build into a demo for Steam?
It’s tough. Our PAX build is designed to be a small, 10-minute experience. If we create a demo for Steam, we want it to be more substantial, showcasing the game’s potential. The first level focuses on Dahlia unpacking, while the next level gets more interesting with the owlbear and cafe issues. We’re aiming for a demo early next year.
When it comes to player customisation, how do you draw the line on how much players can put in one room? Was it difficult to limit placements?
It’s a challenge we constantly face. We have a talented tech artist who creates beautiful shaders for items like potions and cauldrons. Balancing the level of customisation between technical capabilities and player freedom is ongoing. We want to allow players to express themselves, and we plan to offer more options in future updates. In story mode, we do have some restrictions, but we push the more extensive creative elements into a separate mode where players can truly go wild.
Can you share more details about potion, mixing and those aspects?
Potions serve as a creative storytelling tool. We want to incorporate magical elements, allowing players to change the properties of items. For instance, with a cauldron, you might adjust the fluid colour and how full it is. We aim to make magical items interactive, like frying pans flipping patties on their own. We’re exploring how to integrate these features while keeping them user-friendly.
It seems like a perfect fit for platforms like the Switch. Is that something you’re considering for the future?
We haven’t committed to porting it ourselves to the Switch due to budget and time constraints. However, if we secure a publisher, we definitely want to bring it to the Switch. Our primary goal is to launch on Steam and then explore options for Switch as soon as possible, as we believe the audience there would love it.
What are your thoughts on the current game development industry in New Zealand? With 17 other studios at PAX, the indie scene in New Zealand is booming, particularly thanks to organisations like Code.
It’s an exciting time for indie developers in New Zealand. Over the last three years, we’ve seen a surge in new studios, and the quality has been impressive. A lot of this growth is due to opportunities provided by organisations like Code, which not only offer funding but also mentorship and networking. Many developers come from creative backgrounds rather than business or marketing, so this support is crucial.
The collaborative spirit among developers has been a game changer; we’re sharing knowledge and experiences rather than working in isolation. This openness is unique and has fostered a special community in New Zealand that you don’t often see elsewhere.
Thanks for talking to GamesNight Ben. Is there anything you’d like to add for audiences to keep up with Tiny Kiwi and Design & Conjure?
Thanks! Please wishlist our game on Steam and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. We’re planning a marketing push soon, so let’s get the word out there!
Be sure to check out our previous PAX developer interviews including Burger Bois , Doomtide and Rose and Locket. Stay tuned for more interviews over the coming weeks!
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