How did Fallen Leaf come together as a studio and what are its defining goals?James Tinsdale, Studio Director:
Fallen Leaf came together out of a desire to create story experiences. Our previous history had been in mostly AAA games, and we wanted to look at creating smaller more detailed experiences that we had been consuming on TV streaming platforms.
This created a focus for our defining goals to create story experiences told within the gaming format to create compelling narratives around beautiful and immersive settings. We wanted to work within a smaller team using the industry’s leading technologies.
Where did the idea for Fort Solis come from and how did it evolve?
Tinsdale: The original idea for Solis came during the pandemic. Everyone had time at home during that moment and I spent most of mine consuming streaming platform content and games. The idea to merge the worlds closer, taking inspiration from both, allowed Fort Solis to become a reality.
There are many influences within the game, but I have always adored John Carpenter movies. The Thing is my all-time favorite movie and when creating my own work, you always retain that inspiration from those that influence you the most.
Beyond movies, it was more reflective of the real world and the current moment everyone was unified by. In a terrifying way, it opened our eyes to how vulnerable we are and how hostile the world we live in can be.
How did you come to work with Black Drakkar Games and what are they doing on the game?
Tinsdale: Once we had a road map, script, and initial plan, we reached out through a personal connection to see if Black Drakkar would be interested in helping form a team to work with us.
Once we discussed the initial plan, how we would approach development, and what the game could be, I knew BDG were an amazing partner for us.
Now that we have reached the end of the project, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.
What can you tell us about Fort Solis’ backstory and what players will be doing in the game?
Tinsdale: Throughout the game there are a lot of materials providing context on the events leading up to when Jack arrives at the base. These materials aim to provide more empathy to the events, visibility, and develop the story further beyond the moment-to-moment gameplay.
We hope, combined with the events of the night of Fort Solis, that they create a full picture of what became of the base and its crew. The backstory helps serve the narrative element of our audiences’ expectations and we took a risk leaving some of our bigger reveals to these materials in hopes of rewarding players looking for the full picture.
Source: Unreal Engine Blog