Symmetry in poetic motion…
Welcome back to another Miketendo64 interview that sees us chatting with Devoke Studio’s Tyrone Anderson, regarding the upcoming QuaQua. In the third part of our mini-series comprised of QuaQua interviews, we discussed at great length how the game is an accidental spiritual that players are bound to enjoy.
Now we’re back with our fourth QuaQua focused interview and this time we’re learning about how QuaQua got its name, where the Devoke name comes from and other inspirations, but first, let’s welcome back Tyrone:
Mr. Anderson:
Miketendo64: Before we dive right into the probing questions, we always like to start things off nice and light. Therefore, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
Tyrone Anderson: Hi there, I am Tyrone Anderson, a solo indie game developer and the creator of Devoke Studio. I have always wanted to be a games developer, and I guess I stopped at nothing to achieve this dream. That dream has kept me strong and motivated for a lot of years. Now here I am finally taking the first steps to making this dream a reality, releasing my first game QuaQua.
Miketendo64: And now to follow-up, what is your role at Devoke Studio and what is the extent of your involvement with QuaQua?
Tyrone Anderson: Right now, I am Devoke Studio, I am a solo independent developer. I do everything but the music! That is by an incredible composer I am lucky to be working with, Kyle Misko.
Working alone, I made QuaQua in four months from start to finish in the hope that it would help build my company. A Snoot’s Adventure is my main focus title, but QuaQua is a ton of fun and gives people something in return who want to support me and all my future games.
Not only this, but QuaQua also gives me time to learn about marketing, how to actually sell a game and all those other business skills you cannot learn from books. Much of this is still new to me, and QuaQua is a good test for that.
The Meaning Behind the Name:
Miketendo64: With QuaQua being such an interesting name for a title, how many names did you go through before landing on QuaQua? Was it much of an intense naming session?
Tyrone Anderson: Now, this is a rather funny story, and anyone who knows me knows I am a little eccentric.
During the past few months (perhaps in the descent of madness from the number of hours I have spent developing this game), I have been walking around the house or sitting at my desk quacking to myself like a duck. So infectious has been my quacking, that even my friends and partner have been infected, and began doing the same.
I have also loved the word Aqua to mean water ever since I first learned the word playing Donkey Kong Country. And at some point, in my madness, I questioned: how would a duck say aqua? Of course, it would be QuaQua. In this moment of enlightenment, the name QuaQua was born.
Miketendo64: Would you be so kind as to educate us and elaborate on some of the items encounterable in-game and the effects they possess?
Tyrone Anderson: In addition to the building six blocks the player uses to build terrain, the player can also find:
One of my personal favorite items is the Leveller, it is a double-edged sword item that averages out the outer wall of the player’s map. This is perfect if you have lots of uneven terrains, or wish to quickly fill a hole in your wall from a bomb. But if you have less than half of your terrain built, working in averages, the leveler can also destroy terrain, flattening out your hard work to nothing.
Not only this, but the multiplayer items too such as the airstrike really mix things up. There is something satisfying about dropping 4 bombs in quick succession onto your opponents’ map.
Miketendo64: Being as though you do reside in Cumbria, near the Lake District, can UK based players hope to see the Lake District recreated as one of the game’s many levels?
Tyrone Anderson: Absolutely! As a proud Cumbrian man, with so much beauty in my home, how could its inspiration not find its way into my games? Tufted Tarn map is inspired by Coniston Water, and the beautiful landscapes of Cumbria, including a little pike swimming around below the ducks.
Even the name Devoke Studio is inspired by a lesser-known small lake named Devoke Water atop the fells. There, next to the water, is a small boathouse that as a child I always wanted to live in. This whole company is me chasing my childhood dream, so the name felt poetic.
About QuaQua:
Do you love puzzle games? Do you love ducks? Of course, you do! Then QuaQua (that’s Aqua with a Quack) is the addictive duck game for you.
The aim of the game is simple: run around as an adorable duck to grab the falling bubbles, then use the blocks and items to build terrain and stop as much water escaping from your island as possible!
Catch bombs that threaten to blow up your dams, race against ever-increasing rains to score as many points as possible and survive for as long as you can.
QuaQua releases first on Steam on February 1, 2022. Now, while this instalment marks the end of our QuaQua mini-series of interviews, don’t worry. There are plenty of other questions left to be answered and you will be able to see them all in our complete interview, coming soon to Miketendo64.
[Interview] An Accidental Spiritual Successor with QuaQua (#3)
