Arrapha!

*dusts off the old blog* Well, it certainly has been awhile since I've gotten to do this. I've been very busy lately, but I finally have time as well as a sense of purpose enough to do a post.

Many of you are aware that a few months ago, I moved into a new apartment complex. Not too long after moving in, my love and I became acquainted with our neighbor, Amon26 (as he is known upon the internet). We learned that he was a game designer/artist, and an all around cool guy, who we became fast friends with. He's currently working on his latest game, a horror/comedy game called Arrapha. I thought it might be fun to sit him down for an interview, in order to get some answers about the game, and share the answers with my readership, as a way of helping to spread word about the game.

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Me: What is Arrapha?

Amon 26: I guess it’s my attempt to take the stuff I really liked as I grew up and mix it with the stuff that’s come along since,  the better methods of storytelling and the attitude, and see how far I could take that and make a game that I would want to play.

M: Where did the idea come from?

A: It actually started off as a discussion between Jessica and I about The Addams Family, about Gomez and Morticia and how odd it is that they’re bound together. We thought how it’d be fun to trade characters that were really different from each other. A kind of John Q Everyman, and a very cold and ruthless  villainess. And I decided just for fun, I should draw the hero. And then, just for fun, I should draw the bad guy. And then, just for fun, I should make the engine for it. And then I realized well, I’m making a game, I may as well go for it. It was too much fun to do down the road.

M: So Keith is inspired by Gomez Adams, anyone else?

A: James Dean, Indiana Jones, Ash from Army of Darkness. We wanted a guy who shoots first and asks questions later. A guy who always lands on his feet, even if he really doesn’t know where he’s landed. The whole, immovable object meets an unstoppable force kinda thing.

M: How ‘bout Runira?

A: We got the idea of her of course from Morticia, and we also got a lot of ideas from her from Malificent, along with some of the wardrobe of Marilyn Manson, along with some people Jessica and I know, who are just larger and life, but you really don’t want to be on their bad side. We wanted to make a Count Dracula, who was more… not charming, but more complex. Someone who wants to do more than just drink blood for all eternity. Her control is exact and unwavering. Anyone who thinks differently is destroyed immediately. So, Keith is kind of a fly in her ointment.

M: What’s your process for creating the artwork?

A: Even though it’s digital, I do a lot of stuff by hand. I grew up doing a lot of drawing, I don’t really use a whole lot of scanners, or anything like that. I’ll start with a rough sketch and usually take a photograph and rotoscope over that. Sometimes I’ll start digitally. It all depends on what works best for the idea.

M: Are there any artists whose work influences your own?

A: A whole bunch of them. Ralph Stedman, a guy who really has no idea how to draw, but draws in ways nobody ever thought to try. Katsuhiro Ottomo. Then, lemme see… when I try to think about my inspirations, I can’t. I grew up with the people who did a lot of the old Nintendo games. Ninja Gaiden, Castlevania and all that. I grew up saying I was going to make the next Megaman. I grew up with the Disney cartoons like Tale Spin, Darkwing Duck, and Gargoyles.

M: What is your favorite kind of pie?

A: Apple Pie. I love Apple pie.

M: There are opportunities in the game where you get to ride a giant chainsaw. Are there going to be other such opportunities to do amazingly cool things?

A: Yes, yes there are, but I haven’t done them yet. I don’t want to commit to them until they’re done. I don’t want to say “you’ll be able to blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah” and then when the game comes out say “oh yeah, sorry but I wasn’t able to do that.”

M: You’re currently trying to raise money to fund Arrapha. Have you considered dragon slaying? I hear it’s quite lucrative.

A: Um… I did but I took an arrow to the knee. If it wasn’t for the arrow related injury, I’d be all over that.

M:How did you get into making games?

A:Acci- well not accident. Um… fun. This is really what I enjoy, and I’ve really been a feverish game player since I was seven years old. It came to the point I decided I should stop talking about making a game, and not be afraid of how bad it could be or how it could fail. It ended up being a game called All of Our Friends are Dead, and I put it out and said “here it is, I’m sure you’ve played better.” And it started getting attention, I started getting emails from people saying “do you have another in you?” “where have you been?” And it just kept going. I really enjoy entertaining people, and making games is something that I just decided to try and do it. And people haven’t gotten sick of it yet.

M: Do you have any plans for once Arrapha’s done?

A: I have a whole bunch of different games I’ve been wanting to do, and a bunch of different ideas. And there’s a few unfinished projects I have floating around that I feel strongly about. But it all depends on if there’s a big enough pull, a big enough audience, and if I have the time and energy to finish it. But, right now I’m just focusing on finishing Arrapha, and whatever life presents me with, I’ll deal with it.

As was mentioned in the interview, Amon is currently trying to raise funds for Arrapha, via IndieGoGo. If you are interested in donating to have the game funded, or are interested in additional information, check it out here.

Expect more frequent updates from me in the future. Until then, may your days be ever nerdy.