This week Thomas from the ShelfLife Team got to interview Maven Boren, a freelance pixel artist and writer, game developer of the queer western-adventure farming RPG ‘Freyr’, and non-binary trans man. As Maven’s creative focus with Freyr has many overlaps with ShelfLife we’ve already had a bunch of discussions on game design, diversity, fan-fiction, anime and the value of making saucy art, so this interview kind of happened anachronistically. Oops!

This is the second Q & A of [Interactive Diversity] where we talk with other LGBTQIA+ and diverse people working in the world of interactive media & spin some yarn(s).

—THOMAS:
Where did your passion for video games and storytelling come from? Were there foundational games/anime/books/movies that clicked for you and set you down this path?

—MAVEN:
Unfortunately I am not one of those people who can recall a game that changed my life like it was cradling my hand during a hospital stay; but there are definitely forms of media that have influenced me a lot. 

Film of all kinds is a big inspiration. I like cinematography in all it’s kooky forms. I’d say I am a big Wes Andersan fan, but I just like how his movies look. They are all picture perfect portraits if you freeze frame them. I also really dig the vibe of The Mandalorian. The Unreal technology they are using to bring that show to life is something else. 

Anime has one thousand percent taken up residence in my brain and influenced how I tell a story. I don’t watch it as much as I did a few years back, but it persists, sometimes like a tumor. Fullmetal Alchemist is still a series I point to when I say I want to make something that makes people remember me.

—THOMAS:
When embarking on your creative process, where do you begin? What does your creative primordial soup look like?

—MAVEN:
Lovecraft was a racist, right? But I totally understand his whole deep fear of the unknown and wanting to write it out best he could. I feel the same way about all the worlds inside my head. I got to talk about them. It doesn’t matter if it's a book, a pilot or a game. I have to dump out my brain one way or another.

I just recently finished a pilot script for an animated show that I emailed to Rad Sechrist to take a look at. Creating worlds is kind of my 24/7. I think a lot of it is escapism. I suffer from some real unfortunate symptoms of depression that can make the creative process really hard sometimes but other times it's the reason I can write ten pages in a day. So I sort of count it as a silver lining to the whole thing.

—THOMAS:
Prior to this we’ve talked about leveraging fanfiction, moodboards, and incomplete projects into solid original works, like up-cycling...  How do you curate and refine your influences into a better project?

—MAVEN:
I try to find like minded people to work with. I don’t like working alone. I think echo chambers are dangerous. The best way to make something is with someone else. Even if thats just having a cool person to read your manuscripts and tell you your ideas are stupid. The worst thing someone can do creatively is to shut themselves off. I don’t really like the whole solo dev initiative. I think it does a lot of harm and sets the wrong expectations for young developers. The world is big and one should explore it. It will help make your creative works richer.

—THOMAS:
2020 has been a challenging year for artists and self-employed people. How do you balance productivity vs. time to recharge, and what's your top tier self-care activity?

—MAVEN:
I don’t. Not unless my game partner yells at me to take a break. I am really bad at self care. I have started getting a lot better at it but money is tight so that can make that whole thing sort of complicated. I really like trying new foods and playing games that appeal to me personally to unwind. Even writing short stories is a pretty relaxing activity for me. 

Just started Hollow Knight [fanart here], which for me is a relaxing game despite the fact it makes my ass clench. It is also giving me some bombass ideas for future games I could make.

“Freyr”

—THOMAS:
Let’s talk about Freyr! You are the project lead, writer and director of Freyr, or something to that effect?

—MAVEN:
I am the Head Dev, Main Writer & Head Artist. I also am the one behind all the social media for the game. I wear a lot of hats, but I wouldn’t be anywhere without my Co-Dev Skarik. He’s my best friend and we’re really in this shitstorm together.

—THOMAS:
I love that! So Freyr is an in-development pixelart roleplaying game with farming elements, diverse (cute!) characters, a fantasy-western(?) overworld. You’ve mentioned it has aspects of Zelda and Stardew Valley. Can you talk a little bit about the gameplay and the overall vibe of the Freyr project?

—MAVEN:
I am glad you picked up on it being a western. It is very much a warm Pho in terms of mechanics. There are a lot of influences that make up Freyr. Gameplay-wise I started out wanting a Stardew Valley built for me, turns out that is a lot more complicated of an endeavor than I anticipated. I am my own worst customer. That isn’t such a bad thing now that we have a clear cut GDD to follow (Game Design Document for anyone who doesn't know). So a lot of the organization and story beats are already done.

The vibe I ultimately want is an interactive exploration game that takes what makes games like Breath Of The Wild good, and condenses this into an indie mindset. I am a writer first and foremost so a lot of Freyr is also structured from the mind’s eye of an author. So lore and characters are the backbone of the game more so than the mechanics. Although thanks to my game partner the combat and more traditional game-bits will be stellar as well.

—THOMAS:
Do you mind talking a little bit about how your indie dev team came together, how you structure your workload and keep everyone on the same page?

—MAVEN:
So, this game started out as two idiots joking about making a better Stardew Valley. It wasn’t supposed to go as far as it did when we started out, but now that we’re here it’s one helluva project. The reason we seem so organized is because we are. We have a GDD. We talk to each and communicate. Game development is a lot harder when people don’t regularly talk to each other so it’s great that the person I am working with also happens to be a close friend.

“Cortez” & “Pyrite” 2 of 3 Freyr protagonist choices

—THOMAS:
What made you decide to go down the route of allowing the player to choose from three distinct (but thematically linked) protagonists, as opposed to, say, custom character creation?

—MAVEN:
Character creation games are great, but tend to lack a certain flavor because they are designed so that anyone can fill the role. I want to tell stories and unless you're doing a choose your own adventure book, characters have to be their own person. So with a story driven game I wanted to give people a character they can relate to—but also maybe don’t always relate to, either. People can learn from rich [in depth] characters and even more so when it’s the protagonist.

—THOMAS:
How do you feel about storytelling using limited scope and a linear narrative VS ‘open world’ modular, do-things-in-any-order storytelling?

—MAVEN:
I am not a fan of open world games. Well, correction. I am just not a fan of most open world games. They feel like an excuse to pad things out. I am very interested to actually play Breath Of The Wild instead of watch it so that I can see if it appeals to me in the moment. I think linear narratives are absolutely great if they have a good writer behind them. A lot of this comes down to writers. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game I’ve been told very enthusiastically is a great open world game and I am very on board to believe that. It has a good story. There is a game that recently came out that has a garbage story and it’s linear. It’s really just a bit of a dance.

“EpicHouse: developers of Freyr”

—THOMAS:
One of the reasons that the Indie Games scene is so successful and emergent is that we as creators are less beholden to power structures that benefit the status quo (white cisgender heteronormative narratives in particular). Do you feel that BIPOC, minority peoples and diverse folk can be empowered through working within indie communities? Is there strong value in activism through storytelling and art?

—MAVEN:
I agree there are a lot of chances to be an activist in story and art within the industry. However,  I don’t think that people who are in a group minority, myself included, can feel very empowered by a community who doesn’t seem to like them. It is incredibly difficult to make a game about yourself when a vast majority of the community seems to want you to shut the fuck up! People might say it's a small minority acting like that, but I don’t see very many doors opening for anyone.

—THOMAS:
Oof. Feeling like general audiences/consumers are disinterested or actively hostile towards us as LGBTQIA+ content creators is such an unfortunate reality. Hopefully we can cultivate our own passionate fanbases? It’s tough. With regards to improving the indie community (I know this is a huge question, but just broadly) how would you like to see Black Lives Matter change and influence the landscape of games and interactive media?

—MAVEN:
Just hire black people. Hire POC. Honestly the solution isn’t that hard. People just refuse to do what they say they will. It’s all a trend to some people. They don’t have an honest bone in their body about changing the status quo because it might mean they miss out on some jobs. It’s really frustrating. I think women, POC and black people need to be heard even if we have to force ourselves into spaces to do so. They can’t hold the gates forever.

—THOMAS:
Smash the gates! We're so chuffed to see more LGBTQIA+ people in writer/director roles for games and interactive media. How do you feel that gender diverse and minority-sexuality artists specifically can benefit from making games and interactive stories?

—MAVEN
Just make stuff. I can’t really make this sound groundbreaking. Just make whatever you want and listen to people’s feedback. What I mean is, if you’re a white gay, make sure to listen to black gays. We are all in this together but some of us get to be louder than others. Some stories are more important right now.

—THOMAS:
Like us, you have non-binary and trans characters front and center in your stories, are there specific LGBTQIA+ tropes you try to avoid? Are there certain depictions of queer characters you’d like to see more of?

—MAVEN
I mean tropes are hard to avoid just like cliches. There is also some identity in them. Also regardless a cliche might be new to someone if it’s told from the perspective of someone who isn’t a traditionally cis white male.

I would really like to see transmen of color and gay men in love. There has been some amazing leaps for lesbians and bisexuals but there isn’t much in the way of gay men being gay without it being their personality. Also please make more asexual characters for fucksake.

—THOMAS:
YES! Sounds good to me! What is your advice to creatives who might be interested in making their story-world and characters more diverse, but aren’t sure how to go about it?

—MAVEN
I wrote a whole article about it. Talk to people and if you're white, try to make worlds that are as colorful as the real world. Just make sure you talk to the people who look and act like the people you’re making. Everyone makes mistakes and there is no shame in asking questions. 

I work as a Consultant Director on a game right now, giving advice for story beats and black characters once in a while [consultation enquiries here].

That’s a wrap!

—THOMAS:
You’ve been getting interviewed a couple times lately, are there any questions you wish you’d been asked but haven’t so far?

—MAVEN:
Everyone has done a pretty good job so far of asking things. I am honestly just happy people seem to care.

—THOMAS:
You must be doing something right! It seems like 90% of the Indie Developer struggle is trying to make people care. Do you have any other sweet projects in the works?

—MAVEN:
I always have some manner of bullshit in the wings. I am waiting on a response to a pilot right now.

—THOMAS
Before we finish were there any shout-outs to underrated artists or projects you'd like to give?

—MAVEN
My head is so empty about all the cool things I see on a daily basis. I’ve got to say there are a lot of cool projects happening around me and I lose track! I do think if people look at anyone though they should check out Picogram. They are the developer of Garden Story. It looks incredibly charming.

|Links:|
+ Picogram, developer of Garden Story
Picogram.co, @GardenStoryGame, Garden Story on Steam
+ EpicHouse Games, developers of Freyr
EpicHouseStudio.com, @Freyr_Indie, NoHuA Patreon

—THOMAS:
Really appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions with your unique perspective and astute honesty. Love your work and love our chats, very excited to see Freyr and your other projects continue to blossom! Thank you so much for being the very second voice of brilliance in our [Interactive Diversity] interview series!

Thanks for reading! You can check out Maven’s portfolio at mavennohua.wixsite or follow him @NoHumanzA and @Freyr_Indie