We recently discovered an intriguing new visual novel entitled; Kosmos Connections. It’s a slice of life story that includes a science fiction narrative by offering players 2 games in 1.
We were so enthralled by the look and ambitiousness of the game that we decided to find out more about it, by talking to its creator, Jared Barr.
Here’s what this enterprising indie developer had to say.
Tell us about yourself and your company Thetau Games.
Hello, I’m Jared Barr, the creator of Thetau Games.
Prior to game development, I was a content creator on YouTube, going by the name of KHAce. My video reviews were heavily focused on writing essays and long-form analysis on various video games.
My company, Thetau Games, is composed of many freelance artists, composers, and voice actors who have come together to share stories that many of us have invested in. Right now, we are comprised of 12 active team members.
Tell us about your visual novel, Kosmos Connections and the inspiration behind it.
Kosmos Connections is something that is very special to me, as it is a love letter to the visual novels that I’ve played since really getting into the genre.
Zero Escape and Doki Doki Literature Club stand as the biggest inspirations for this title, as mystery games and metacommentary are both ideas you can really have fun with.
During development, other games have inspired me as well, such as Steins;Gate and Danganronpa.
Despite its inspirations, KC is a story that’s completely original. It’s a story about empathy and understanding why others think and act the way they do.
KC is also a story that is primarily character driven. Pretty much all actions that take place during the story are the cause of character-specific actions.
What is Uplink Alethia?
Uplink Alethia is {character} Tau Theta’s very own visual novel that she created over the course of two years.
It focuses on the success of three scientists creating a device that can link souls together in a virtual space. The reason they have done this is because the world has become so disconnected from one another, both physically and emotionally.
Now, as to why Tau created this visual novel and what exactly its story is, I will leave to the player to find out. But, I can guarantee that it will become a point of speculation and theorizing in the community.
Who is Jennavieve Caeda?
Jennavieve is the only character that Adelfos (the protagonist), is not familiar with at the start of the game.
Jen’s role as a whole is a bit different from the other girls. While at first glance, she may fit into the role as a tsundere archetype, I can assure you, that isn’t the case.
Due to her upbringing, she doesn’t know how to interact with others or what’s socially acceptable outside of her high-class attitude, however, she’s always curious to learn more about the world and other people.
Making a visual novel is tough enough, but to make 2 in 1 must be extremely difficult. What are some of the challenges you’ve run into with the development of a game within a game and how have you overcome them?
The hardest aspect of development has come from certain team members leaving the project.
When you have to manage what is {basically} two games at one time, you end up having a lot of vital team members such as artists and composers on board for the different aspects.
Unfortunately, I’ve made some mistakes in who I hired. Some of the people I hired early on were not ready to do freelance work, even though their enthusiasm was there at the start.
It’s been a learning experience, but I’ve definitely been able to pick up on the kind of team members needed for a visual novel project.
My advice to fellow developers is, if you’re making a big project, hire people who are freelance.
Hobbyists fall into that “iffy” circle because not all of them have the same level of dedication or time. Even if it costs more, it will benefit your project to hire people who are paid for freelance work.
At least, that’s what I’ve learned from my experience.
You’re currently developing KC to release simultaneously for PC and mobile. Is it hard to develop the game for both platforms at the same time? What are some of the ways the two vary in terms of development?
Surprisingly, developing KC on PC and mobile is not as challenging as you would think.
I would say the hardest part comes from making sure the UI looks right on phones, as you need to make things clear on a 4-5 inch screen.
You also have to worry about text, as something that looks fine on PC can go offscreen on mobile.
Everything else though, such as character sprite placements and movement are handled by Ren’Py.
The games should be mostly the same in terms of art, music and voice acting, but the GUI will be slightly altered on phones to be more user friendly.
Can you tell us about the process you went through to create the script for Kosmos Connections?
My process has been very unconventional so far.
I first started off with Uplink Alethia, as I wanted to get the shorter story finished with first. I wrote that within a month.
I then wrote the first draft for Kosmos Connections over seven months.
Right now, I’m scripting the final draft of Kosmos Connections, which will be seen in the full game.
The reason it’s taken until now (25 months) to see KC nearly finished is {due to the fact} that I held Uplink Alethia in such high regard. However, the initial draft wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. I knew I could write something better.
This has pretty much caused me to rewrite most of the game from scratch. It was a hard lesson for me to realize that nothing you write is sacred. Everything is open to be changed until finished.
Choices are usually a very important part of a visual novel. What are some of the choices we’ll be making in the game and how much will they affect the story/ending?
Kosmos Connections is not a game where choices are centralized, but they are necessary.
You’ll mainly be making choices pertaining to who you want to spend the week with in Kosmos Connections. But, unlike other visual novels, you’ll also be able to choose on which day an event happens.
For instance, in the demo, you can hang out with any of the girls at the park. In the full game, you can hang out at the beach instead or go to the park on the very last day.
Some events will change in terms of how the girls treat you or what you talk about afterward.
All of these details are to give players “hints” on how to reach the true ending.
You’re currently running a Kickstarter campaign for Kosmos Connections. What are some of your big goals for the campaign?
My main goals for the campaign are to finish the game and, if we can reach extra funding, go beyond that into content that would further up KC’s production value.
An opening movie is one of the lower stretch goals. It would feature original artwork and an original song, something present in AAA visual novels.
Another goal I’d be really excited to reach would be the ending comic. This comic would tie parts of the mystery together, recapping what happened in the game. It would also give players some “Aha!” moments, as they’ll have to piece together answers to certain mysteries themselves.
A mobile and PC release of KC is planned for Q1 of 2021. You’re also planning a version for all major consoles, with the help of Ratalaika Games. Will the console versions also come out next year? Will there be a physical console release or digital only?
I cannot give a definitive 2021 release for consoles, but we will certainly work hard to {try and} make it happen.
Depending on the success of the game, I would at least look into pursuing a physical release on PC. It’s also my hope to release the game physically on consoles as well.
How many chapters will be in the game? Will they all be released at once?
Kosmos Connections will be six chapters long if you include the prologue, and will be released all at once.
If the game were perhaps longer or split up into a second act, I would have released the chapters or acts separately in order to raise funds for the next part of the game.
However, considering that the game is always building up to the final chapter, it makes sense to release {all of} KC, once fully completed.
What’s your best piece of advice to fellow indie developers creating their 1st visual novel?
My best piece of advice to fellow indie devs would be to understand the kind of game you want to make.
Do you have a roadmap and ideas all planned out? Do you know the kind of characters you want to work with? What’s the world? What’s the internal logic of the story?
Consistency is key when making a visual novel, as small inconsistencies can add up and draw a player out of the experience.
If you’re making a character-driven narrative, then perhaps let the characters lead the plot along.
That may sound contradictory, since you’re ultimately writing the characters. But, well written characters can make you go “Would they do that?” and keep the consistency.
What’s next for Thetau Games?
Thetau Games is currently dedicating all its resources to Kosmos Connections, but I have been planning out our next game in the background for about 6 months now.
You won’t hear any word on it until after KC is finished, but I think that’s for the best.
The only detail I’ll share is that it is a sister game to Kosmos Connections. I’m sure the more insightful fans will be able to pick up on what it might be, by the end.
Thanks so much for your time. We wish you all the best with the funding of Kosmos Connections and look forward to its release next year!
End Interview
Be sure to check out the Kosmos Connections Kickstarter campaign running until February 25th. There are some really cool rewards in exchange for donations such as an exclusive poster, a custom commission of your favorite character, a digital art book, and, for higher level contributors ($500 +), an extra scenario which you can help write!
Don’t want to wait until next year to play the game? Try out a 2-hour demo available now on itch.io.
Keep up with the latest news from Thetau Games via the company’s Twitter account.
