BlueTwelve Studio shared how the office cats helped to create the game.
The adventure game Stray is getting closer to release, and many people are eagerly waiting to play the game, partly because of its protagonist – a cute ginger cat. BlueTwelve Studio shared how real cats inspired the team and how they helped the development.
The developers used their own cats to guide them and make the main character as realistic as possible. Murtaugh, found by producer Swann Martin-Raget, is an obvious inspiration and reference. Adopted by BlueTwelve co-founders Viv and Koola, he witnessed the beginning of the game's creation.
Murtaugh
"When they were designing the main character of the game, they used him as a reference," said Martin-Raget. "It’s not an exact copy, it’s loosely based on Murtaugh – especially in terms of schedule. Murtaugh spends a lot more time sleeping than the cat in the game."
The studio's cats played a significant role in Stray's creation, Martin-Raget even gave them "positions" saying, "Murtaugh is a CEO type of personality: Sleeping every day and whining about the food not being there on time."
While Murtaugh didn't spend too much time in the office, two other cats did. One of them is Jun, a black cat who Martin-Raget describes as more of an executive.
"He walks from desk to desk looking at what you’re doing and trying to make sure you’re working properly."
Jun
The cats were an invaluable point of reference for the developers, the team studied their behavior to better incorporate it into the game. For example, the game’s lead animator took reference videos of the second cat, a sphinx named Oscar, to help nail the animal’s movements in-game.
Of course, the cats also brought an element of chaos to work, but Martin-Raget explained that even that was useful for references.
"Having cats in the office is really a constant reminder of their personality," Martin-Raget said. "You know, when they step on the power button just when you’re about to save your work on the computer, or when they start singing when you have an important call … I think that was a constant reminder of how playful they can be and how interesting it would be to have the personality of cats in the game and have some situations that make fun of the inhabitants of the city."
Oscar & Murtaugh
And it's not just an example: Martin-Raget actually lost some text that he was translating because of a cat switching off his computer, so the developers had to put cardboard blockades over their power buttons.
Another way the cats helped was by guiding the developers with their reactions to the game:
"One nice moment we had in development is when the cats in the office started reacting to what was on our screens," Martin-Raget shared. "Having the sounds of the cats in the game making them raise their head, and trying to interact with the cats in the cinematics … I think it was a nice indication that we were on a good path."
The experience is especially valuable when you think about how Stray's protagonist interacts with machines in the cybercity.
We'll be able to see how closely BlueTwelve Studio followed the cats' behavior soon enough: Stray is coming out on July 19. Meanwhile, read the full interview on Digital Trends' website and check out the game on Steam.