Dear ,

Eleanor here to bring you a special MazM Letter.

As I was contemplating what interesting stories to share with our supporters, I decided to plan a segment called 'People Behind the Game' for this special MazM Letter. 😊

"People Behind the Game" will feature developers who directly participated in the development of previously released MazM games. We'll interview them and introduce various aspects they experienced to our supporters.

Now, who did I meet as the first guest in this segment? 👓

Let's find out right away. 👀

Q. Hello! Thank you for graciously participating in the "People Behind the Game". Could you please start by giving us a brief introduction about yourself?

A. Hello, I'm Jessy, and at MazM, I handle various roles as a game planner, scenario writer, music producer, and more. I believe this may be the first time many of the players get to know me.

In "Jekyll and Hyde", I worked alongside other planners on aspects such as content and system planning, music production, and writing some of the dialogues.

Q. Jessy, it's wonderful to meet you! Given your many responsibilities, it's a bit challenging to decide where to start with questions, but I think this one might be the best way to begin. How did the main idea for the game "Jekyll and Hyde" come about?

A. The MazM team, while planning "Jekyll and Hyde", we thought that the original work had some intriguing twists and a bit of a mysterious element in the title itself, despite the title being somewhat of a spoiler. Of course, the original title is a bit longer and different. So, we wondered how to present a well-known story in a more engaging storytelling format. That's when the idea of showcasing the story from different time perspectives emerged.

In the game, this is implemented through Dr. Jekyll's "Experimental Journal" that appears before the start of each chapter. When the idea first came up, we approached it cautiously, wondering if it would work, but in hindsight, I think it was a rather good attempt.

Q. It's fascinating to learn how the game was planned in such a way. Personally, I found the ending of "Jekyll and Hyde" to leave a profound impact.
What considerations and efforts went into the game's ending and story conclusion?

A. The game's ending was already decided to follow the direction of "adhering to the original ending". However, from the early stages of the project, there was a decision to add emotions like "emptiness" and "sadness" to it.

The story progression, such as the ending where "all truths are buried, leaving only ashes," which intertwines emptiness and Dr. Jekyll's joy, and the illustrations of Utterson, who lost his friend and discovered a great truth, used various means to achieve this.

Q. Talking about it again, I'm reminded of that sense of emptiness I felt in the ending. Along with the ending, the music of "Jekyll and Hyde" is an integral part of the storytelling.

What considerations were made for the background music and sound design?

A. "Jekyll and Hyde" is undoubtedly a "classic mystery" work, so I wanted to incorporate many elements that people consider "classic". For example, sounds used in horror movies from the 1940s and 1950s, or sounds utilizing instruments like the piano and gong.

I believed that such sound production would seamlessly blend with the overall color and atmosphere. In the case of background music, we used classical instruments and musical progressions to capture the era's essence, but we also made bold attempts to incorporate modern elements like electric guitars when needed.

The main theme song, "Only Void Remains", and several other tracks prominently featured the piano and strings as the main instruments. This was because I thought it could capture the essence of classical nostalgia, modern elegance, and a sentimental feel all at once. Through this kind of sound production, we aimed to transport players on a time-travel journey to 19th-century London, where they could follow sinister rumors or unravel mysteries.

Q. I also loved the main theme song, "Only Void Remains". So, during the development of "Jekyll and Hyde", what was the most significant challenge you faced?

A. The most challenging aspects were reconciling differing opinions within the team and ensuring the creation and release of game elements according to the schedule.

Q. From a creative standpoint, it doesn't seem like an easy task at all. Shall we naturally move on to the next question?

Do you have any words of wisdom for people who aspire to develop games like "Jekyll and Hyde"?

A. Game development is a process that showcases a seamless combination of expertise from various fields, not just a simple fusion of knowledge, narrative, technology, and numbers. It's essential to be able to see the bigger picture and not get too immersed in just one field, whether you're a planner, artist, or programmer.

To achieve this, you should diligently explore your field of expertise and also gain knowledge about other aspects of game development. Playing various games and building your unique knowledge base is crucial. Beyond game-related studies, having knowledge in a variety of fields such as mathematics, science, humanities, and social sciences can make your skills shine within a game.

For those whose native language is not English, I would strongly recommend working hard on your English. No matter how skilled you are in other areas, not being able to communicate effectively in English can result in significant setbacks when searching for resources or solving issues. Furthermore, game creation and game playing are entirely different, so if you enjoy playing games and are considering becoming a game developer, PLEASE carefully evaluate the decision in the best condition possible.

This concludes Part 1 of the interview with Jessy!

As I chatted with Jessy, the emotions I felt when playing "Jekyll and Hyde" after a long time naturally resurfaced, allowing me to focus on the interview.

Are you curious about what stories Jessy and I discussed in Part 2? 🤔

Please look forward to Part 2, which will be released soon!

+ We're curious about what supporters think of the Special MazM Letter!

Were you satisfied? Is there anything else you'd like to hear about?
Is there anything you'd like us to improve?
Even a small feeling is fine!

If you have any stories you'd like to  share with us, please leave them in the Discord channel!💬

Have a great day!

Eleanor says, 💜⌚💜