Introduce yourself, and what do you do in the team!
I'm Yannis, the Game Director for Moonlight Peaks. In 2001, I co-founded Little Chicken with three other people. Throughout the years, my roles within the company have been diverse. Apart from directing, I contribute to various aspects of the project, such as concepting, character and creature design, writing, game design, world building, and managing our social channels. However, these responsibilities tend to be more limited, as we have an outstanding team of talented people who excel in these areas.
How did you get into the games industry?
When I was studying, there weren’t any game courses in the Netherlands. The closest thing you could do was Interaction Design at the Utrecht School of Arts, where you could specialize in gaming. I found some like-minded people in the final year. We decided to start our own game company, Little Chicken Game Company. The name came after a long night of brainstorming and coming up with a long list of boring names. None of them really stood out to us. We ended the night by saying we would just call it Little Chicken or Little Birdie or something. I sketched a little chicken on a coaster, and the next morning Little Chicken was the name that stuck.
Creature design-Personal Artwork.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from everything around me—an urge to create and reveal how I see the world, highlighting the beauty in things that may not seem that way. I strive to fuel my imagination with various forms of media: books, movies, games, comics, art, and architecture. Anything can be a source of inspiration. It's about viewing the world with a particular sense of wonder and curiosity. These experiences may eventually translate into ideas. Besides the usual media, I believe my biggest inspiration is the people around me. They are, in many ways, an endless source of inspiration. I enjoy transforming people and their characteristics into something new.
Initial Character Design for Fiona
What are some of your favorite games, and why?
There are a few that come and go in terms of my current favorite game, but there are some that have stood the test of time. These are games that I can play at any time and still get mesmerized or engrossed by. My all time favorites are Shadow of the Colossus and Journey. Both have an amazing atmosphere and really pull you into the gameworld. Both have a simplicity and focus that I really appreciate in games. And they present a consistent world that is full of mystery, that makes you wonder what went before. I love when games do that.
What is your favorite thing to work on for Moonlight Peaks?
It’s hard to pick one specific aspect of Moonlight Peaks that I like working on. In general I feel most satisfied when the game comes together on many different fronts. I guess my favorite thing to work on is the actual directing of the game, which fits quite well with my role. Directing is mostly about guarding the vision of what the game should be. That involves a lot of talking, explaining, adjusting, having opinions on everything, being open to ideas, realigning and putting all of those things into action.
Besides directing, I enjoy thinking about character and creature designs, I love sketching those at any given point. I’m always carrying a sketchbook or ipad around, just in case I have an idea that I need to record. But equally I enjoy thinking of the storyline, the mechanics, so yeah, hard to stick to one area specifically.
Some sketches made on my phone, some of which made it into the game.
What are you most excited to work on for Moonlight Peaks?
I love seeing the world of Moonlight Peaks come together. It’s a slow process since we’re building it piece by piece and have to go over every square centimeter to make this world come alive. It’s great to see a thing that was once a simple sketch evolve into a living, breathing world that will be the canvas for all adventures players will experience in the game.
Is there a specific piece of artwork or game element that you're particularly proud of?
Not necessarily, but looking at the project as a whole, I’m most proud of the team and how they can get together and create this wonderful world for others to enjoy.
Design for Albertus, the message board owl.
Briefly, what does a typical day look like for you as on this project?
It varies wildly. In general we would start with a daily, where we discuss with the team what we do for the day. After that it would usually be going over some mails, and getting the pressing matters out of the way. The rest of the day is usually spent taking a look at the different things that are in the works, and reviewing and giving feedback on those. That will make up most of the day. During that time, I might need to do some sketches or work on some documentation for the game.
The first ever Moonlight Peaks character sketch (left) versus the final design(right)
What advice would you give to new artists in the industry?
In general, I think there are a few things that would benefit any artist trying to get into the industry. And they apply to artists in most fields. The first one would be to work on your fundamentals, they should be ingrained in every fiber of your body. Know your anatomy, learn proper perspective, get to know color theory and practice your skills tirelessly!
The next tip is a bit harder to just do, but it should come naturally. Find your own style, your own voice. It’s usually there already, but sometimes muted by trying to mimic certain types of work, or thinking you should align with what is expected. Use all those expectations and make them your own. That’s what the world really wants from artists, to see the world through their eyes. In most cases, it will also be the kind of work you would enjoy making the most.
Once you have this covered, make sure you show your work to the world, be it on socials or any other way. Don’t be shy. And also keep practicing those fundamentals!