We are full of life with the strengths and weaknesses to define who we are. The body over time goes through many changes. But when that body can go no more, what happens to it or even the soul? Do we stay around or do we move on? What if, in some form, our soul could become one of the stars in the night sky as we look up and wonder? It really is interesting when you think about it. So when I heard that developer Eliot was making a puzzling game about leading souls to the top of the tower with the power of wind, I had to know more. So I reached out and the developer of the game, Jeongseok Oh was happy to discuss their newest game, Wind Wind, and talk about Virtual Reality.
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Interview with the developer, Jeongseok Oh
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Welcome to THE VR DIMENSION. Would you please introduce yourself and what you do at ELIOT VFX & VR Studio?
“Hello, I am Jeongseok Oh, the developer of Wind Wind.”
Growing up, what was some of your biggest gaming influences and what was that one VR experience that made you really want to work with Virtual Reality?
“Unlike other games, VR games give a different kind of immersion. That’s why I make VR games. I want to let the player experience something different from the experience of PC or mobile games.”
ELIOT VFX & VR Studio has worked with VR with projects such as Running Joe, Before Sunset, and Pancake House. Your newest game, Wind Wind recently released. What can you tell us about the game?
“Wind Wind is the 3rd VR game of Eliot. In the meantime, I have been thinking a lot about what kind of game I want to make. The advantages of VR will be gone if I pursue the same style as other games. I wanted to give the players strong immersion and a new way characters’ control. Two characters are moved by wind blows from two motion controllers. The players can have fun controlling characters with wind and experiencing various puzzles and enemies in each level.”
The game has two characters that the player controls. Do these players have a name are they related in some way?
“The male character, Joe is a kind of symbol for Eliot. Joe is always the main character’s name in Eliot, haha. Koji is the name after Kojima Hideo who is a game producer the director like.”
I like the aspect that you have to control these characters to the top of the tower, but there are obstacles they have to avoid. What can you tell us about the different types of obstacles?
“There are four types of robots and they disturb Joe and Koji’s journey. They have each specialty like laser, blowing wind, surveillance, and going weightless.”
Puzzles and VR can work on so many levels. What can you tell us about the puzzles in the game and for new players into VR, are the puzzles going to be too tough or someone regardless of their puzzle-solving skills should enjoy?
“Games that are too easy are to get tired of, and on the contrary, games that are too difficult can also lose interest. Although we paid a lot of attention to control level balance, Wind Wind can be a little difficult for beginners. However, since the players use intuitive character control, even beginners can feel their skills improve enough if they practice. And they can store them where users want them to. If you use this in the right place, you can enjoy the game more easily.”
Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about the tower?
“The main stage of Wind Wind’s journey is the tower. The two main characters have reasons to climb this tower. Enemy robots appear in the tower and consist of various puzzles, which mean a rough journey for the two main characters, but there is a goal to achieve just like our lives. Also, I tried to look beautiful graphic.”
The art style looks like it has an anime look to it. Was this always how the style was going to be or did it look different from the beginning?
“This was planned from the beginning. the main character’s concept was a doll and it is matched well with the cartoon style. Its graphic concept gives a feel of neat and lyrical. The cartoon style helped frame rate, too.”
Watching the trailer, you can hear the beauty that is in the music. What can you tell us about the music in the game?
“The concept of the music was designed for each level. In some cases, lyrical or upbeat music was used to enhance or relax the mood of the game.”
Wind Wind was released for Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, and Steam. What has been the most surprising when working with the different platforms and do you see the game being released on Viveport in the future?
“What’s surprising is that the development of the engine has made it easier to launch on various platforms. Many devices seem to be becoming more alike and optimized in the same structure. Initially, there was a lot of work to be done on controllers with different shapes and buttons. Being released on Viveport is not on the plan yet. But who knows?”
What have you found to be the most challenging when creating for Virtual Reality?
“It’s always hard to make games, but I am really into the fun of making new things. However, it is difficult to make a compromise between what I want to make and what I have to make. In addition, various VR devices are being released, so it is difficult to work with several devices for giving the same experience to the players.”
Where do you see VR in 5-10 years?
“Although VR device and hardware markets have grown a lot, there are still gaps. In five years, I believe that many of these problems will be solved. If real-time game rendering technology through display and streaming that can give more immersion develops, I think VR games will really be at their peak then.”
If you walked through the door into THE VR DIMENSION, and had to be one of the characters in Wind Wind, but could pick anyone from any time to be the other one, who would it be and why?
“In fact, I want to be a robot that stands still and attacks rather than two main characters that have a hard time during an adventure, haha. If you have to be one, I think Koji would be good because she can jump freely.”
What is next for you and ELIOT VFX & VR Studio?
“It is regrettable that there is no multi-play in the Wind Wind. In the next work, we are planning a puzzle that can be solved in multi-play. Eliot had launched 3rd VR game. We are trying to make a greater game and you can look forward to a more upgrade work in the next one.”
With the content for Virtual Reality continuing to climb, what would you say to someone as to why they should experience Wind Wind?
“Currently, the VR game market is growing and various games are being released. However, cute characters and unique controlling ways can give you a different experience. It can be a little difficult for new players, but there are not many platform games such as Getting over it. So you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you clear the level. Great graphics are a bonus:)”
I want to thank Jeongseok for taking the time out of their day and for giving us a closer look into Wind Wind and for also talking about Virtual Reality.
Wind Wind is out now for the Oculus Quest/Quest 2 via Oculus App Lab on the Oculus Store, PlayStation VR, and Steam.
To learn more about Eliot, please visit their site, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Instagram.
Also, check out the Wind Wind review.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy.
