6/24/2023 0 Comments Broken roads![]() ![]() I hope to see many other Indigenous people being offered opportunities in the gaming industry, but equally as important, a strengthening of STEAM educational platforms for our communities. A large influence for this has been examples of Indigenous people being involved in game narrative from other parts of the world, such as the game Never Alone (Kisima Inŋitchuŋa). I thought this was a great opportunity to dip my feet into the world of narrative within the gaming world. I’ve always been a huge advocate for telling our stories respectfully, and ensuring that we are involved in the process when there are Indigenous stories being told. But there are few pathways and little opportunities for our people from a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) perspective, including for those wishing to work for games companies. What prompted the choice to move into game development?Ĭienan: There’s amazing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people doing amazing stuff in the game world, whether in development or narrative. ![]() It also gives me a chance to get creative and let my own stories have some influence.Ĭienan, you’ve been in the games space for a while, but this is your first game development role. My role within the team is providing that critical eye where Indigenous Countries and characters are concerned. Instead, stereotypes, tropes and racist myths are often relied on in film. We work closely with the art department, our sound effects designer and composer, and our level designer to make sure each place, person, and prop does what we need it to do, and that we’re getting story and world ideas from as many people as possible.Ĭienan: As an Aboriginal, it is tough to watch a film or play a game where Indigenous characters, stories and representation aren’t done in the best way. Leanne: Because we are a small team, designing the narrative means touching storytelling in every aspect of development. What do the narrative roles on Broken Roads look like? Game development roles can look really different from project to project, especially in small teams. It was also that I saw the team’s desire to do things right, which gave me a good understanding of just how I could make an impact and how my voice would be heard within this space. READ: Cultural integrity and Indigenous collaboration on the Innchanted soundtrackĬienan: After fully understanding the game and the unique nature of it, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. Drop Bear Bytes had already been fortunate enough to receive the support and guidance of Anthony Hume from the Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre, but having someone engaged within the team in an ongoing capacity as Cienan is now was much needed. I wanted someone close to the space who could help out with authentic, respectful representation. This interview has been edited for clarity.Ĭraig: I first met Cienan, very briefly, after a panel discussion about Indigenous representation in games at PAX 2019. I spoke to the team about Broken Roads’ approach to telling a multifaceted Australian story. Muir describes the game as ‘a moral and ethical look at a world conquered by the apocalypse’ that will actively resist stereotypes in its characterisation of Indigenous cultures. Now, he’s working with Taylor-Giles to provide both an expert perspective on the narrative treatment of Aboriginal characters and Countries, as well as giving creative input of his own. To this end, Drop Bear Bytes hired Indiginerd founder Cienan Muir, a Yorta Yorta and Ngarrindjeri writer, events producer, cosplayer and lover of pop culture, who ran the country’s first IndigiCon in 2019. Aboriginal peoples are the world’s first creative technologists, whose expertise is spread across hundreds of Indigenous nations. Representing life in this country is more than just vegemite and prawns on the barbie – this land is home to the world’s oldest living culture. Despite their love of genre, Drop Bear Bytes are focussed on making a game that reflects the complex reality of Australia, without relying on stereotypes. It’s a rich creative goal – and one that requires real care to do right. ![]() READ: Why do the elves in Dota have Australian accents? ![]()
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