Cadaver Carnival’s first game Ace in Space is a kind robot dating story
The Queer Games Bundle is a collection of nearly 600 items by LGBTQ+ creators and teams, nearly 400 of which are independent video games, all sold for just $60. I’m talking with creators from the bundle about their games and their making habits. Visit the bundle and consider buying it.
Writer-programmer Jon and artist Ann worked together as Cadaver Carnival for Ace in Space, a visual novel where an asexual, nonbinary person with serious cancer is taken to another world in hopes of trying a new treatment. They meet the supportive and magnanimous Guardians as well as other humans who are part of the exploratory mission.
How long have you been making games?
Jon: Before Ace in Space, I had only dabbled in game development using things like RPG Maker. I would say close to 5 years, mainly as a hobby.
Ann: Ace in Space was actually my first attempt at making a video game.
What tools do you like to use?
Jon: For writing and programming, I used Ren’Py and Google Docs. Aside from that, I had lots of playlists made to get me in the headspace for each character and Google for when I got stuck with my programming.
Ann: I use Clip Paint Studio for all of my art, plus good ol’ pencil and paper for concept sketches.
What themes and genres do you like to explore?
Jon: I like to explore sci-fi and fantasy, but do dip my toes in horror while working with Ann. Topics like health, gender, sexuality, and relationships are among my favourites to write about.
Ann: Horror is my favourite genre, but I do like sci-fi and fantasy as well. I want to include queer representation in my work regardless of the genre since representation is very important!
What are your favourite and least favourite aspects of making games?
Jon: I love bringing my stories to life in an interactive format that changes for every player. Watching streams and seeing how people make decisions and react is an incredible experience. I think for me, my least favourite part of making games has to be how long it can take. I have so many ideas and want to make them all, but there are only so many hours in a day.
Ann: What he said.
Is there a game that has impacted you recently?
Jon: I’ll be honest, I don’t play many games and those I do are multiplayer survival games. I would not say the games themselves have necessarily impacted me, but the community of players I have met have been amazing.
Ann: I have recently played a small group of RPG Maker games. They were simple mechanically, but showed me that you do not need a lot to make an impactful game.
Ace in Space is a visual novel with dating sim elements. What inspired you to make it?
Jon: Ace in Space began as a short story I wrote while being the caretaker for a loved one who had been diagnosed with cancer. I used it as a way to write out my frustrations with the health care system and to give myself something more hopeful than reality. We added a lot to the story when we decided to make it into a game, but I’m sure you can tell which endings were from the short story.
I’m sorry that the alien robots in the game aren’t real, because they seem great. How did you conceive of them?
Jon: The Guardians were born from my love of Autobots and other kind robots/AI. I wanted them and their society to be different than the killer alien robot trope I’d become used to seeing in sci-fi. I chose robots over fleshy aliens after doing a bit of writing at an amusement park and seeing all of the machinery. In fact, Zipper is named after one of the rides.
The art in this game is beautiful and lush. What was it like designing all the characters and locations?
Jon: I sent Ann collages of images that I saw when picturing each character and location. We had to change the designs of the Guardians to make things easier for her to draw, but I am very impressed with the finished looks of them all!
Ann: I had to learn to draw robots and backgrounds. I previously had little to no experience with either, so I was learning as I went. Fern took 500 years to do, but they were a lot of fun to work with. They reminded me of so many things and it made the creation process very exciting.
[Editor’s note: Fern is in the image at the top. They’re my favorite!]
Main character Enby’s health plays a huge part in the game’s concept and story. How did you decide they would be sick?
Jon: As I mentioned before, I had been taking care of a terminally ill loved one when I wrote the story. Enby being sick was a direct result of that.
There’s a lot of love even in the sad endings. What do you hope players take from the game?
Jon: While each route has its own theme, the main takeaway is that life is short and to enjoy it while it lasts.
Ann: It’s nice to see yourself in something and growing up consuming media I never really saw myself being represented. It’s been wonderful to see both the asexual and non-binary communities react so positively. I hope that it will inspire others to add more representation to their own projects!
