Q&A (Interns edition)

Hey, hey, people,

How's it going? Today is a bittersweet day in Ropo City. Some of you might know, and some might not: For the past 2 months, Ropoductions has had the help of two extra team members. These two are students in video game development who have been interning with us and their time with us ends today. They are Soru and Azaar (whom some of you know as huelesatoaku), and together they’ve put in over 500 hours working on Final Orginity.

To give Soru and Azaar the recognition they deserve for their invaluable help, SpaceSandwich and I (Salamin) decided to prepare a Q&A about them and their experience at Ropoductions Games. So, let’s get started.

Soru designed the Peeper, one of the new characters in the next update.

Why did you decide to study video game development?

Soru: When I was a kid, I edited some GBA games and got curious about pixel art and game creation in general. When I had the chance, I went to university to study game design and art, and once I took my first classes in narrative and design, I knew this was what I wanted to do.

Azaar: I think I’ve been lucky to know what my passion was from a young age. Art has always been with me, and I’ve dedicated myself to it. Video games are another big passion of mine, so combining the two seemed like a great idea, and here I am :D

What are your favorite games?

Soru: My favorite game is definitely Minecraft because of the endless possibilities it offers. The series I’ve played the most is Pokémon; I love collecting different species in each game. Another series I’ve loved since I was a kid is Inazuma Eleven. I can’t pinpoint exactly what draws me to it, but I think it’s the combination of the story, characters, and gameplay.

Azaar: This is a tough question, but if I had to choose, it would be Little Nightmares (the entire trilogy) for its mix of suspense and amazing art. Another favorite is Undertale, mainly because of its gameplay and story. It’s a game full of secrets and different ways to play, which makes it magical. It also has one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard.

Have you played Final Orginity? What do you think about the project?

Soru: I’ve only played a little because I had to balance my work with my internship and final project, but I really like the seriousness of the plot and the fact that every decision truly affects your path.

Azaar: Yes, I’ve played Final Orginity, and despite my limited experience with adult games, it’s been quite entertaining. It has funny and ironic moments, and the story gradually hooks you. Plus, it has one of my favorite features in games: multiple routes.

How do you rate your internship at Ropoductions? What have you been working on in recent weeks?

Soru: Overall, it’s been a very positive experience. Working directly on a video game is something not all my classmates had the chance to do, so it was definitely worth it. I love pixel art, and SpaceSandwich has been a great mentor in understanding not just the artistic style but also how to make the most of every available resource in the drawing tools and RPG maker. Recently, I’ve been creating characters for future updates and converting some characters made by my colleagues into pixel art. Each character I make gets easier and more enjoyable, and I can see my progress over time.

Azaar: It’s been a fun and relaxing experience. There’s a great work environment, and the internship leaders were always there to help with any questions. I’ve learned more than I expected, and it’s been both informative and enjoyable. My work has mostly involved creating concepts, portraits, sprites, and scenes for future versions of the game. The best part has been the creative freedom we’ve had in designing the characters.

Azaar designed the Royal Guard, one of the latest addition in Final Orginity v0.3.5.

How was it working with Salamin and SpaceSandwich?

Soru: They supported and helped me a lot with every task. As I mentioned, Space was very helpful in giving a polished finish to the characters and assets I created. Salamin was very kind and understanding of our busy schedules, contributing creative and ingenious ideas and references to our work.

Azaar: It’s been a very rewarding experience. They are calm, kind people with a lot of patience in explaining things we didn’t understand. They always gave positive feedback. I started the internship without any experience in pixel art, but thanks to SpaceSandwich’s explanations, I quickly began creating portraits and converting them to pixel art with more dynamism. I learned a lot in an area I was not familiar with.

What are your future plans? Any projects?

Soru: I’d like to continue developing my skills as a game designer and produce my own ideas with the colleagues I’ve met over the years. I’d love to polish the final project we presented this year, Echoes of Eternity, and make it a complete product that showcases what my team can do. I’d also like to expand it later with more story and gameplay.

Azaar: In the future, I’d like to specialize in video game illustration and continue creating characters with all their essence. Besides continuing my education, I’d like to grow my artistic social media presence and attend various events and conventions to sell my own merch and original products. My current project is MOZO; with the demo ready, my team and I still have to decide its future. But it’s a project made with a lot of love, and we believe it has great potential.

Without giving too much away... What can we expect in the future for Final Orginity?

Soru: New characters with lots of personality and many more… detailed scenes ;)

Azaar: Lots of drama (just the way I like it), funny characters and situations, but most importantly, increasingly sexy and steamy scenes :O

What message do you have for the fans of Final Orginity?

Soru: Keep playing Final Orginity! There’s a lot of exciting content coming, and I’m sure you’ll love the new routes both visually and narratively. And thank you for all the fan art—it’s a beautiful way to support the project! I saw fan art of an NPC I made, and it almost brought a tear to my eye, thanks <3

Azaar: Hi! You might have seen me pop up on Discord occasionally hehe. I just wanted to say you’re all amazing artists (my favorite channel is the art and fanart one), and you’re awesome. Keep supporting Final Orginity; these guys are super nice and creative. Plus, the story is getting juicier and juicier ;)

Soru and Azaar, by themselves.