Gaming
Games
Exploring the magic of Way To The Woods
Anthony Tan was just 16 when he started work on Way To The Woods, indie gaming's next mini-masterpiece
It's fair to say that most teenagers are relatively carefree spirits; without the pressure of a mortgage, family or general responsibility, they wisely take advantage of their formative years, living life as blithely as possible before the weight of adulthood is thrust on their tender shoulders. However, 18-year-old Anthony Tan is the exception to this rule. Not content to simply play the video game creations of others, he set out at the age of 16 to make his own: a dream-like adventure title called Way To The Woods. Since 2015, Tan has worked tirelessly on the game, even going as far as to put his academic studies on hold so he can focus entirely on his masterpiece. Now, in 2018, he's almost ready to show his creation to the world.
"I'd been making little games my whole life," Tan tells us. "When I was a kid, I used to mess around with my brother in map editors for games like Warcraft and Halo. When I was about 12, I dipped into making Flash games – sadly, they were not very good – and lots of other little fun personal projects in between. For Way To The Woods, I think it came to me sometime in Year 11, after I sketched out an idea I had in my head of a deer standing in front of this huge machine."
Influenced by legendary Japanese anime production company Studio Ghibli, Way To The Woods has caught the attention of many people thanks to its unique visual style, which calls to mind some of Ghibli's most iconic films. "When I was six, my dad bought me this case of bootleg DVDs," admits Tan with a smile. "I remember Spirited Away being one of them, and one of the only anime movies I ever saw until I was older, since I didn't have a permanent internet connection. I distinctly remember being scared as hell of that movie, yet immensely curious. That kind of feeling stuck with me for a while whenever I thought about that movie, so I guess the film kind of became a part of me." However, Tan is cautious when talking about Studio Ghibli – and its founder, Hayao Miyazaki – in reference to his own work. "I'm inspired by Ghibli, but I don't want to compare my work to theirs because I'm just so immensely humbled by the mastery that studio has."
What makes Way To The Woods all the more remarkable is that Tan is largely self-taught; he uses a wide range of applications in his work. "I use Unreal Engine 4, Photoshop and Autodesk Maya mostly," he explains. "It is definitely challenging, yet equally rewarding. I've been learning for about three or four years, and still have so much to learn. Right now I'm watching a lot of Game Developers Conference talks on design, art and tech. It's so incredible to see industry figures reveal all their secrets."
During his work on Way To The Woods, Tan has been able to secure roles in the industry which have, in turn, aided him in his own work. "I have actually had a bit of industry experience working on the art for Job Simulator and Rick and Morty VR, and it has taught me so much," he says. "I've spent time in studios and its kind of relieving to see how similarly chaotic their process is to my own self-taught style! I suppose I have entered the scene as a bit of an outsider with a different perspective, but I have immense respect for any studio that is able to ship a title; it’s a difficult, difficult process."
Despite being so disarmingly humble about this own achievements, Tan already has experience of working with a seasoned publisher. UK-based Team17 approached Tan after the initial 2015 announcement and helped steer the project towards launch. "I wasn't really sure what a publisher was, to be honest," says Tan. "Team17 has been a great help educationally. Ultimately however, it became clear that they weren't able to provide me with the resources I needed. We've since parted ways amicably."
Tan is aiming to give the final game a streamlined narrative, with around two to three hours of gameplay – not entirely dissimilar to Journey, one of his key inspirations – but with a focus on replayability that will extend the longevity much further. While the title is intended for release on PC in 2019, consoles like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 also figure in Tan's future plans – as well as a certain other gaming system which has been gobbling up the column inches of late. "I would love for the title to be on the Nintendo Switch, but it's something I'll focus on at a later time," he explains. Again, it's that cautious streak which is perhaps unbecoming of someone so young. However, it's abundantly clear that Tan has a wise head on his shoulders. He's not overpromising, he's relentlessly modest and – we think – is on the cusp of releasing something truly, truly special.
