She joined Warcrow's writing team in September 2020.
This week we'll extract some information on the universe-building process from her.
As a fantasy and sci-fi writer, did you ever think about working in game development? Alternatively, have you ever worked in game development?
No, I never got the opportunity to work in game development, but I have yearned for it more than once.
One could say that being part of this project for Corvus Belli is a dream come true.
How different is the creation process for a whole universe's fluff from creating literary fiction?
It depends. If we're talking about fantasy and sci-fi, the process turns out to be similar, given that you have to build a universe from scratch based on certain parameters and norms aimed at providing as much coherence as possible.
Thus, the importance of paying attention to even the smallest of details. Once you've built the world or space in which the story will be set, you can take on the story itself freely as long as you don't break the rules you've laid yourself or cheat, of course.
Regarding other genres like historical or contemporary novels, the creation process is certainly different; this is because the records impregnate everything in a much more limiting and concise way.
The world and the society you're gonna use to tell your story have already been created and you've got to stick to it. In this case, it's very different.
When and how did you enter the Warcrow team?
Well, it was in September 2020, when Silvana—Corvus' staff manager—contacted me through LinkedIn asking if I'd be interested in becoming part of a fluff-making project for a fantasy game, a position that they sought to fill with a writer experienced in the genre.
I said yes without a second thought!
After that proposal, we exchanged a couple emails with samples of my work. Then I had the interview with some of the managers and developers behind Warcrow and it was super thrilling when I learned that I had been picked along with Rodrigo, a fellow writer.
She and Rodrigo García work from outside the offices shaping the basis of the game that our developers have created.
Their texts define the nations, races and the world that appears in our dungeon crawler and that we will be able to see in the wargame.
What's the workflow like? How is the work distributed?
Intense. The workflow is quite intense.
Meetings were a weekly thing during the early stages of the project, but later it became possible to space them a bit.
However, every time we need to call for a meeting to address a certain issue, we program it with the utmost celerity, given that there are a lot of people involved and we have to align our schedules in order to make it happen.
But if there's something to this job, is that we make a team.
So even if we writers can distribute some specific issues when tackling the universe or the factions, we always do so based on a set of parameters that we had previously agreed upon during those meetings or taking concrete requests into consideration to develop the game.
As a matter of fact, joint-working with a professional such as Rodrigo is pure bliss.
Texts come and go between us in a constant flow; and when we present them to the rest of the team, we all review them and we include the contributions or nuances of the others for the final touch.
What's your favorite aspect of the Warcrow Universe?
I'm very passionate about it all. It may sound a bit exaggerated, but it's true.
The Warcrow Universe has a lot of nuances and we've been allowed to delve deep into each one of them, reaching those tiny details that I'm so fond of, both for the locations and for the characters.
Moreover, the world of Lindwurm is amazing and full of myths and legends.
It makes me feel this urge to go there and walk its roads to meet every culture; every town, city, and archeological site in it. As long as you're well armed, that is, because anything can happen at any corner or setting.
And always being aware of the Fog, of course, lest we have a bad time. ;D
When writing, what's the hardest part for you?
The number of words, no doubt about it. xD
If there's something that sets apart writing for a game like this and writing a novel, that's the limited extension to which one's subject. Regardless, being able to condensate and unite as much information as possible in the least number of words possible is a fascinating challenge and I believe we've been successful.
The best part is that when you get to read it, you'll see that we've let not a single line go to waste.
I imagine that there've been countless influences and references when you create the fluff for our new universe. Could you mention some of them?
When we creatives work, we do so with everything we've read, seen, played, and experimented with as a background; so there are quite a lot of influences.
Just to name a few, I'd say my literary influences range from Michael Moorcock and Ursula K. Le Guin to Andrzej Sapkowski and Stephen King, and let's not forget Tolkien, of course.
The truth is I'm an avid fan of 19th-century literature, so I'll keep some pretty obvious influences to myself hoping that you'll find them out by yourselves.
Without too many spoilers: What of that which we're yet to reveal would you like to show the most?
There's so much stuff that I have a hard time choosing! I will say that there's a handful of strong, seductive, and powerful characters whose stories I'm very eager to reveal. They're absolutely worth reading. There's also a certain expansion that, when released, will make me scream so high that people all over the globe will hear me. On the other hand, there are some utterly haunting places. Places where the simple sound of a cowbell will terrify even the bravest of warriors, so I'm very eager to see you there. ;)
If you were part of this universe, what nation or race would you belong to?
That question has the hardest answer because I feel there's a bit of me in all of them. My soul is torn. I could say I have a Sÿenann spirit, but my heart belongs with the Feudom priestesses. As for my mind... Mounthaven, of course, is surrounded by books and files. Although I can't forget the Varank either, because... Seriously, must I really choose just one? :D
So much for Silvia's interview. As you can see, the creators are the most eager for Warcrow to see the light.
There is nothing left for the release of the dungeon crawler Warcrow Adventures. Follow it on Kickstarter to be notified when it's ready: