Shindig: Inspirations and Influences

Hi there, games friendos!

Before we get into our inspirations, here's a brand new screenshot of a location from Shindig!

This is the Post Sorting Room where you'll find a very friendly Octo-Postmaster. Hmm, there seems to be a big backlog of post to send out to the other side of the island, but we hear that the only route is blocked... Well, I'm sure it'll all work out in the end! :D

Game shorthand

When you say you're making a video game, the first question you're usually asked is “What kind?”.

For some folk, that's a really easy question to answer concisely, because they can say, "It's a pixel-art roguelike with platform and RPG elements" or, "It's Castlevania crossed with an FPS" or similar. That shorthand means people have a pretty round idea of your game from the get-go, in fact, publishers are often more receptive to an "X game crossed with Y game" elevator pitch than anythng else, and will happily forgo the details.

The thing about Shindig is, most of the points of reference come from outside video games, and so from the shorthand we use, a lot of games folk don't have an automatic feel for what Shindig is about, the kinds of characters you might meet, or what kind of world we're trying to create.

So, here's a (totally incomplete) list of incredible books, TV and media that we love, which have sparked our imagination for the world of Shindig. There are loads more, but these give a nice background for how we think about the little world of the game.

(A lot of this is kids' media, and while Shindig definitely isn't a game aimed at, or made for kids, providing you're cool having conversations with your kids about emotional/mature topics, there's no reason we can see right now that they couldn't play it.)

COOL STUFF YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT

Books

Dominic by William Steig

The Frog & Toad stories by Arnold Lobel

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (See also the stop-motion animation of this, it's beautiful!)

TV/Film/Radio

The works of the Jim Henson Company (Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, Fraggle Rock, Pajanimals, Sesame Street)

The works of Peter Firmin & Oliver Postgate (Bagpuss/The Clangers/Noggin the Nog)

Mr Rogers’ Neighborhood

Bojack Horseman (VERY NOT FOR KIDS!)

Phineas & Ferb

Gravity Falls

Duck Tales

Hey Duggee

Sarah & Duck

The Big Knights

Postman Pat

Roobarb & Custard

Mr Benn

Orm & Cheep

Games

Granny's Garden on the old BBC

Early LucasArts point-and-clicks like Sam & Max Hit The Road, the first couple of Monkey Island Games, and Day of the Tentacle

Night In The Woods

The Haunted Island, A Frog Detective Game

Others

Fabuland LEGO

The implied setting of the Chillhop Music YouTube videos

Disney Parks, and the wider theme park fandom – Defunctland for example

Jokes on ice lolly sticks

A bunch of soft toy friends

The art from stickers at the dentist

Given that we can make any kind of world we want to for our video game, we've chosen to make one that's colourful, safe, warm and cosy. We hope you'll look forward to playing Shindig, because we can't wait to share it with you.

Love always,

Imaginary Friends Games