Indieventure EXTRA: Spilling the tea with Wanderstop's Davey Wreden & Karla Zimonja
Mar 13, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Davey Wreden, renowned for The Stanley Parable, and Karla Zimonja, co-creator of Gone Home, dive into their latest project, Wanderstop. They candidly explore the paradox of developing a game focused on burnout while feeling the weight of their own creative exhaustion. The duo shares insights on the evolution of their friendship and creative collaboration, highlighting how their contrasting styles enhance storytelling. Also, they reveal the heartwarming origins of Boro, a character embodying emotional warmth, while reflecting on the balance between narrative and player autonomy.
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Long Development Journey
- Development of Wanderstop started about nine years ago with Davey drawing scenes of forests and tea shops daily.
- It evolved through twine prototypes, Annapurna joining, and moving to Unreal engine before Karla joined to help define the game's direction.
Audience Focus Drives Perfection
- Making a game for an audience requires detaching from personal attachment to the work.
- This mindset fuels self-criticism and motivates continuous refinement to ensure audience connection.
Boro's Character Approach
- Boro, the warm-hearted character, was originally a vibe that had to be fleshed out for 15 hours of dialogue.
- He is on the player's wavelength with limited knowledge, which makes him relatable and supportive.
