Old School Gamer Magazine chats with Ciro Camera, Co-Founder at imaginarylab discusses their new title, Whirlight – No Time To Trip.
Old School Gamer Magazine: How was this game born?
Ciro Camera: After the experience of “Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town” we felt the desire to tell a new story. During one of our team meetings, amidst some chatter, the idea was born to tell the story of Hector, an eccentric scientist who can’t get anything right. And how his encounter with Margaret, an eclectic artist, could lead them to live an extraordinary adventure at the edge of space and time. Furthermore, we wanted to pay homage to two emblematic figures of Italian science, Margherita Hack and Ettore Majorana. Both have left an indelible mark in their field, and we wanted to celebrate their contributions in a special way through our game. Thus, our new adventure was born from a combination of creative desire and scientific inspiration. We also wanted to pay homage to our homeland, Italy, so, in addition to the two scientists mentioned above, one of the main game environments, Verice Bay, also wants to be a tribute to Venice and Verona (the city we live in).
Old School Gamer Magazine: What is your role in the game?
Camera: Our team is very small, consisting of just three people, all with full-time jobs (but with the hope that, one day, we can make development a full-time activity). However, we are always ready to carve out the necessary space to nurture our passion for graphic adventures.
I am the founder of Imaginarylab, as well as the creator and developer of Whirlight. The beautiful visual style of the game is a product of his creativity.
Massimo Origano is also a creator and developer of Whirlight. He dedicates his time between the source code and countless calls with Ciro to move the project forward.
Davide Pippa is one of the creators of Whirlight and the jack-of-all-trades in the group. Many of the wackiest and most amusing ideas that enrich the game are thanks to him.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What has development been like?
Camera: The development has been an incredible journey, full of challenges and satisfactions: we spent months in lengthy calls at all hours of the day and from all over the world. Being such a small team, each of us had to take on multiple roles and tackle a variety of tasks. Finding time to work on Whirlight has been an exercise in balancing personal and professional commitments. We spent countless evenings and weekends dedicated to development, with hundreds of calls to discuss every aspect. And the journey continues, as there is still much to do before completing the game. None of this would have been possible without the help of external collaborators who assist us with aspects we are unable to handle ourselves.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What makes this game special?
Camera: This game is special for several reasons, or at least we hope it is for the audience as it is for us. We aimed to create environments that immediately capture attention, transporting players into an evocative world. The quirky characters, with their unique and eccentric personalities, add depth and fun to the gaming experience. We worked a lot on the story, enriching it with twists and a good dose of humor, striving to make the narrative engaging and exciting. In essence, we wanted to create a game that makes us relive the emotions of the point-and-click adventures of the ’90s.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What games influenced this one the most?
Camera: The games that have most influenced this project are true classics of the genre: Day of the Tentacle had a significant impact, especially for its eccentric characters and time travel. Sam & Max inspired us with its surreal scenarios and comedic situations. Additionally, the game is rich in pop culture references spanning various fields, offering players numerous easter eggs to discover. These titles also inspired the graphic department: we have always loved the perspectives and deformed look of the Lucas games, and we tried to recreate it in a more modern style. Another very important reference is undoubtedly Back to the Future (the movies).
Old School Gamer Magazine: Any fun stories or wild moments during development?
Camera: Yes, for example, when we were defining the main characters, Davide couldn’t stop sending us sketches at all hours of the day and night. Imagine receiving, at three in the morning, a drawing of a “turning hourglass,” a revolutionary invention created by our eccentric scientist Hector (or Davide), or artworks by Margaret drawn directly on pizza boxes! Every time we got a message from Davide, we were amazed but also a bit scared because we knew something crazy and brilliant was waiting for us, and we couldn’t help but implement it in the game.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What were the major lessons learned?
Camera: Given our situation as “not full time developers,” we realized how important it is to plan everything in advance and accurately to manage our time and resources better, and how crucial it is to have a network of trusted collaborators who can take care of aspects we cannot handle ourselves.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?
Camera: Absolutely. We are big fans of the classics, so we deeply appreciate the game mechanics of the ’90s. However, we also believe in the importance of integrating more modern elements to make the game more immediate and accessible. Our mission is to keep the essence of past games alive, enriching it with contemporary touches, aiming to satisfy the most ardent fans while also attracting new generations of players.
Old School Gamer Magazine: The marketplace is crowded. How do you think you stand out?
Camera: Fortunately, the community of point-and-click graphic adventure enthusiasts is made up of true fans who are deeply attached to this genre. This gives us a solid base of supporters.
At the same time, we are committed to taking care of every aspect of the game to ensure its accessibility even to players who are approaching this type of experience for the first time. We’ve worked to make the gameplay intuitive and engaging, with a narrative that will appeal to genre veterans and newcomers alike, ensuring that everyone can appreciate and enjoy our game.
Old School Gamer Magazine: How have your previous experiences in industry helped this game?
Camera: Willy Morgan’s experience helped us a lot both in the preparation and organization phase and in the development itself. The feedback we received from players on Willy Morgan was fundamental in creating and improving Whirlight. With Willy we faced significant technical challenges. However, this allowed us to be ready for Whirlight, or rather to push this aspect too to the limit. But the most important thing, as mentioned above, was the players feedback.
Old School Gamer Magazine: How do you want this game to ultimately be remembered?
Camera: We would like those who play Whirlight to remember it with the same nostalgia and affection that we feel for games from the 90s. Our dream would be for the game to leave a lasting impression, evoking pleasant and nostalgic memories even many years later.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What’s next?
Camera: Did anyone mention Willy? For now we’re joking, even though Willy Morgan’s adventure has just begun and we hope to be able to tell you about it in the future. However, at the moment, our priority is Whirlight.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Anything else you’d like to add?
Camera: We want to say that we sincerely hope that you have as much fun with Whirlight as we had creating it. Every detail of the game has been thought out with passion and dedication, and we can’t wait to share this adventure with you. Thank you for your support and for being part of this exciting experience!
