Q&A: Ditching objectives to create carefree city-builder, Gourdlets
Gourdlets is a curious little thing. The pastel city-builder seeks to offer a sweet escape from the goals and metrics that keep its contemporaries ticking over, providing players with all the tools they need to create their own pixellated patch of paradise without leaning on preordained pathways.
"No objectives, no points, just building" is the foundation that Gourdlets has been built upon, with developer Preethi Vaidyanathan (a.k.a. AuntyGames) eager to let players find the fun for themselves, whether that lies in tinkering with the indie title's tools and objects to create a sprawling archipelago that showcases the full extent of their architectural prowess or simply constructing a teeny, tiny diorama that can be used to glimpse the lives of visiting gourdlets.
We recently spent a bit of time with the demo, which provides a stripped back taster ahead of the title's planned 2023 launch, and found Gourdlets' open-ended take on the genre to be a refreshing palate-cleanser that champions experimentation and creativity. Vaidyanathan says the demo contains just a fraction of the features that will be present in the final release, and is currently working on additions such as extra objects, seasons, weather effects, more interesting character interactions, and more.
Intrigued by the bite-sized portion we tried, we got in touch with Vaidyanathan to learn more about the free-form design philosophy behind Gourdlets and find out what it takes to create a compelling experience when shunning clearcut goals.
Game Developer: Could you talk a bit about your experience on the project so far? How long have you been working on Gourdlets, and what inspired you to make a city-builder with no set objectives?Preethi Vaidyanathan: I've been
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