Reddit AMA
insertdisc5 held an Ask Me Anything ("AMA") event on the r/JRPG subreddit on May 15th, 2024, starting at 3PM UTC. They were invited by reddit user VashxShanks who also promoted the event on several other subreddits for games and gaming platforms.
The following article serves as a mirror for the event. For the sake of brevity, it does not include answers that only link back to other material, simple accolades, or comments that insertdisc5 did not personally respond to.
The contents of the AMA are formatted differently for ease of reading and due to website limitations and reflect the AMA as seen on March 16th, 2024.
Original Post
r/JRPG on March 15th 2024 by insertdisc5
I'm insertdisc5, developer of turn-based timeloop RPG "In Stars and Time"! AMA!
Hi everyone! I'm Adrienne (or insertdisc5 on the interwebs), the sole developer/writer/artist of In Stars and Time. Thank you to Vash who invited me to do this AMA!
In Stars and Time is a time-loop RPG adventure. It tells the story of Siffrin and their adventurer friends—a found family bound together by fate in order to end the tyrannical reign of an evil king. But as victory is just within the party’s grasp, a tragedy occurs, the clock resets, and they have to do it all again.
As Siffrin’s the only one who notices this loop, each new start wears away at his cheerful veneer, yet he keeps going in hopes he can end this temporal tragedy once and for all.
In Stars and Time is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Playstation 4/5!
As mentioned, I am the developer of ISAT, which I've started creating back in 2020. I first released a prototype called START AGAIN: a prologue (also available on Steam!), then released ISAT last November with some help from publisher Armor Games Studio. ISAT currently sits at a 98% Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, has gotten numerous articles from outlets such as IGN, Forbes and TechRadar Gaming, and has gotten Honorable Mentions for IGF's Nuovo Award and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Also every single day I get messages on Tumblr telling me ISAT made them cry.
And also it's 20% off during the Steam Spring Sale right now so it's the best time to get it. Wink wink nudge nudge
Very excited to answer any questions you have!!!
Useful links:
Steam ✨ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677310/In_Stars_And_Time/
Nintendo Switch ✨ https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/in-stars-and-time-switch/
Playstation ✨ https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10007419/
Twitter ✨ https://twitter.com/ISAT_game
Website ✨ https://www.instarsandtime.com/
Discord ✨ https://discord.com/invite/rJ8xvdUvYD
Tweet proof ✨ https://twitter.com/insertdisc5/status/1767543320530563429
Questions and Answers
theenderstar
Does siffrin prefer cats or dogs
insertdisc5
i go back and forth on this. right now i think he would prefer dogs.
dudedog098
Do you plan on ever making any more games outside of isat?
insertdisc5
games taking place in ISAT's world: nah. i told the stories i wanted to tell.
games in general: oh yeah 100% baby!!!! im working on one right now!!!
ACertainPole
Why is siffrin so babygirl
insertdisc5
sugar spice and everything nice
Odd_Cartographer8409
Were Isabeau and Siffrin planned from the beginning? :)
insertdisc5
ACTUALLY NO! iirc, my very very first draft actually had a love triangle between proto-mirabelle, proto-isabeau, and siffrin. there was gonna be a whole sidequest about fixing the love triangle or something. and then i decided to make mirabelle aroace so that went out the window
PokeDC
wdym by fixing the love triangle?
insertdisc5
I can't remember but it was probably an OT3 ending lmao
dogmaker
Are you planning on releasing more merch?
insertdisc5
PERHAPS. (yes please stay tuned)
Not_Ignis
What was your favorite idea that you had to sadly cut? Whether for time or it no longer fit with the rest of the game?
insertdisc5
an event about siffrin dancing. i love it so much that i will For Sure add it to the artbook in some shape or form. I had to cut it because I got the idea after the text was locked down ;_;
iodinex64
What was it like working with Armor Games? At what stage in development did you agree to work together, and how impactful would you say their help was towards getting ISAT finished?
insertdisc5
overall it was a wonderful experience! i was contacted by Dora, who ended up being my first producer, a week after I released the prologue. it was even before i announced ISAT was in development, she contacted me like "so... 'prologue', huh? anything else in the works? ;)" yes dora let's work together dora. honestly i wouldve finished the game no matter what, but i doubt it wouldve been this polished if I didn't have Armor Games' help!!!
rls1164
Love the game! Are there any fan theories / headcanons that have evolved in ways you didn't expect, now that the game is in the hands of the players?
insertdisc5
back during start again: a prologue, the theory of the King being Siffrin was very surprising to me, but in retrospect I should've seen it coming??? I almost added a little scene in ISAT related to that as a red herring, but i thought it would be too mean for the believers, and too confusing for everyone else lmao
quietsamurai98
I remember that you joined in chat for the Jello Plays Games playthrough of In Stars and Time, and it seemed like you had a lot of fun with teasing chat! Were there any other streamed playthroughs of the game you particularly enjoyed?
insertdisc5
some of my friends have streamed ISAT and it was a delight every time. i love being a little shitter. shoutout to https://www.twitch.tv/jakskellington_ and mikibymoonlight https://www.twitch.tv/mikibymoonlight mikibymoonlight !!!
LunagaleMaster
Hi! I adore your game. I only got into it relatively recently, but I can't help but be OBSESSED. Lovely work. Getting everyone I know into it.
For my question, what has been the most surprising reaction to the game so far?
insertdisc5
im not surprised by it anymore but the first time i saw someone wanting to date the king i did a triple take. i support them though
swamppeat
oh! how long did you plan for loop to end up the way they did? did you always plan for them to be prologue siffrin? how did that idea come about?
insertdisc5
the idea came maybe midway through the prologue's development- I always intended for ISAT to have some "navigator", but my very very first draft had them be some of my old OCs (Eye Thief and Eye Gal, for those who know them!), and then I was like. wouldn't it be fun if
litvac
What’s the most surprising thing you learned (about game development or yourself) while making In Stars and Time?
insertdisc5
i REALLY like to write. i didnt know that about myself!
somehomerectus
Did you ever come close to shutting down the project or did you feel confident about it all the way through?
insertdisc5
nope! confident all the way through!
HamHus
Any writing tips on likeable characters?
insertdisc5
give them likes and dislikes, and be very specific about them! i feel like it makes characters feel more real when you go "they only like cheese on pizza" rather than "they hate all cheese"
fluffycattens
If you could pick Siffrin up from the time loop and drop them in any other video game's universe, which one would be the most fascinating to observe him in?
insertdisc5
oh my god. siffrin in the stanley parable. loop as the narrator. my heart is beating faster just thinking about the despair
2BPenncil
As I play the game, I saw a lot of discussion about mental health woven into the story. What is your inspiration to discuss those topics? Love your game!
insertdisc5
mental health problems are real and it can happen to YOU
CrambusCrumbus
If you were to have any tips for people working on their own rpg maker game with no experience, what would you give?
insertdisc5
great news: i made a whole dang post about it over here https://insertdisc5.tumblr.com/post/645481388370444288
Dhaos2
Very good question, I hope it's okay to hijack your question to follow up and also ask on why you chose RPG Maker to create your game and whether you'd choose something else now in hindsight :)
insertdisc5
i dont know how to code and rpgmaker allowed me to make a game without knowing how to code. i wouldnt have chosen another software!
ElskaFox
Hii!! Looking back, is there anything about In Stars and Time's story or mechanics that you wish you'd done a little differently? I think the game is pretty much perfect, but I know how artists are about their works lol
insertdisc5
not really! im very happy with the game!!!!!! wait i wish i wouldve made it harder. people very rarely got a game over during fights
Sporeloch
Are there any ideas that you didn't get to explore in ISAT that you'd like to explore in a future project? (I swear this isn't asking for a sequel or spiritual successor please don't Odile Blast me)
insertdisc5
yes. (does not say anything more)
wisdomwisdom
Are there any puns in the game that you're especially amused by?
insertdisc5
Tear You Apart and Rock Bottom are my favorites. Regener-ade also makes me laugh- that one was given to me by my friend Tori! Go follow them for good art https://twitter.com/sicklyjelly
patchworkstaccato
what would mirabelle do if she was given one comedically large grapefruit
and do you have any character design tips? like what was your process when designing the main cast, why/how did you decide on certain notable traits like siffrin's hat, etc.
ohthejobthrowaway
seconding character design tips!! you pack a whole lot of personality and information into such simple + easy to draw guys ^^
insertdisc5
OK I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS TO ANSWER IT AND THEN I LOST IT
anyway for ISAT my main rule was: SIMPLE!!!! i knew details would not be visible on the pixel sprites so i simplified everyones designs a bunch. after that, i went with basic shapes for kind of... different shapes for different cities? was the main idea? But it ended up being more character specific lol. Mirabelle has circles as a base (cute! soft!), Isabeau has rectangles and stripes (strong! also stripes are cool!), Odile has diamonds (a little more austere?), and Bonnie has circles AND stripes (because they're a kid), kinda reminding you of both Mirabelle and Isabeau. Same country! And Siffrin has triangles because funnie guy
I am mostly a "draw first, figure reason later", so for example I first drew Mirabelle's brooch and tried to find a reason she would wear it. And that's how the Change symbol was born!
BennettF
Is there any part of the game (storywise, progression wise, gameplay wise, whatever) that you've found players tend to experience/interact with/respond to in a different way than you expected before release?
insertdisc5
people are WAY MORE suspicious of loop than i thought! it worked out well and it's funny so im glad hehe
adhdizzle69
what’s it like being a game dev in Ontario?
insertdisc5
i am ashamed to admit i did not start making friends with ontario game devs until VERY recently. i worked on the game on my own in my corner. for my next game i'm planning to apply for grants/help in ontario a lot more, and so far everyone has been very helpful and sweet!!! there's a bigger ontarian game dev community than i ever imagined, so im glad i went looking :>
row666
What do you think about speedruns of ISAT?
insertdisc5
im so so so happy people are doing them??? thank you???? it's very fun to see people break the game, and i like to imagine some Siffrin out there LITERALLY speedrunning the game hehe
ProfForp
I really enjoyed the story you created! Watching Siff slowly deteriorate over the course of my playthrough was the exact combination of tragic/heartbreaking I love to see haha. What scene do you think was the hardest for you to write?
insertdisc5
Odile and Mirabelle's friend quests were very important for me to get right, so they're the scenes I probably spent the most time writing and rewriting.
gkrsuper
I think ISAT might be my new favourite videogame story. How much writing experience did you have before writing the game? And what advice would you give to someone who is about to create a game story of their own but who also doesn't really have any writing experience? (...asking for a friend of course...)
insertdisc5
I had experience writing way smaller stories! I made many many comics and fancomics. the prologue and ISAT were my first try into writing longer stories, as well as more text-focused ones. SCARY! uuuh i'd recommend writing smaller stories first. or just Starting. JUST DO IT! WRITE THEM!!!! DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AngelofArt
How does the Change God and to some extent Loop know of the existence of phones? It could easily have been just a gag but I’m curious.
insertdisc5
Change God knows about phones because they know about everything. I'd like to think Loop has some very slight meta knowledge, which is where they got phones from...
bogwater02
I really really enjoyed In Stars and Time, but especially Siffrins character and their struggles with not wanting to hurt the people you care about. It was really a message I needed to hear myself at the time I played it and resonated so deeply with me, probably making it one of my favorite games of all time. If I can ask! What inspired that part of siffrins character? or influenced it? Sorry for the big question 😭✌️
insertdisc5
not being willing to ask for help and making your mental health worse because of it is real and it can happen to YOU
(im very glad!!!! thank you ;w;)
somehomoerectus
Do you have any favorite fan fictions or theories? If yes, which ones?
insertdisc5
i have literally only read three ISAT fanfics. I highly highly HIGHLY enjoyed Clinging to Dying Embers by Coffeewolf67 https://archiveofourown.org/works/52239655
drew59543
What was it like working with Studio Thumpy Puppy to create the soundtrack for ISAT? How did you convey ideas for the soundtrack back and forth?
insertdisc5
i sent them a big excel sheet like "village theme. make it sound like a pokemon starting city" and they did their magic. sometimes i sent stuff back like "MOAR BEEP BOOPS and can you make it more wooshy?" and they would add more beep boops and make it more wooshy.
row6666
What's your top 3 songs from the game?
insertdisc5
- Game Over (Don't Leave Me Alone Here)
- Do You Remember (Our Country) AND Do You Remember (We've Been Through This Before)
- It's Thanks To You
good_name_gg
Will we get more plushies (I need them)
insertdisc5
PERHAPS.
Kooz83
How does Loop know what Siffrin's doing throughout the game? Do they watch from the tree, or do they just guess? (because of the whole "Like talking to yourself" thing?)
Also: I love your work iSaT is so awesome aaaaa!
insertdisc5
magically beamed into loop's brain when they want to. it gets harder for loop to see farther than the king, though
i-imade-a-thing
What do u have against crab? ;-;
insertdisc5
i think crabs are cool! did you know i can make my characters hate things i like and vice versa. thats writing for you!
Kazehita
Once you started working on the project in earnest, what part of the development took you the longest?
insertdisc5
WRITING.................................................
T1ggles
We all know Siffrin is a theater kid, but what is their favorite genre?
insertdisc5
tragedies of course
TawnySoup
What made you decide to develop the original comics into a game/much bigger project? Or did it just kind of grow naturally on its own?
insertdisc5
i was booooooooooored during lockdooooooooooown
COlimar788
Is there an in-universe reason why party member equipment stays with them in the time loop? Apologies if this is answered somewhere in the game that I missed lol
insertdisc5
Just Because (it would be annoying to reequip your stuff every loop. see im so nice)
VashxShanks
Thank you very much for accepting the invite. I will start by asking some of the usual questions:
- Did the final version of the game come out exactly as you imagined it would look like in the planning stage, or were there some compromises that had to be made due to engine or budget or other reasons ?
- Pretty sure you have already talked about this, but what were your inspirations for the game when you were starting out ?
- Rock, Paper, Scissors. Other games use them figuratively, but you used them literally as the bases for the combat, explain yourself ?
- Will there be any future DLC or ISAT 2 ?
- I heard that you were already preparing for your next project...Any juicy teasers we can have at the moment :D ?
insertdisc5
-i actually added more things than i had in mind when i first started developing the game! to be fair my first draft was very barebones, and i made sure to keep the scope small
-tales of symphonia, end roll and the stanley parable were really big ones!
-simple, cute, and fun worldbuilding
-nah!
-uh uuuuuh it's gonna be a mystery/romance visual novel!!!!! SHIT IVE SAID TOO MUCH!!!!
somehomoerectus
What do you think would be the favorite game for each of the main characters?
insertdisc5
I mentioned this before, so here are my notes:
Siffrin: candy crush.
Odile: also candy crush.
Mirabelle: mortal kombat (not very good at it, but likes the animations) (actually past me, I think she would be top 10 in the world but doesnt know. Like that lady who broke the tetris record)
Bonnie: parappa the rapper
Isabeau: does not play video games
Criscuit
was siffrin's outfit being so similar to niko oneshot's a complete coincidence or did you take some inspiration? i think it's a funny detail and it's kinda what got me to play the game in the first place (absolutely loved it btw, now stands in my top 2 favorite games of all time!!)
insertdisc5
I didn't know of oneshot then! Sif's design was subconsciously inspired by that moomin character. the little guy. i didnt mean to he just was everywhere on tumblr back then
impatiens_capensis
What was the hardest thing to code/feature to implement in the game?
insertdisc5
THE FAST-FORWARD MECHANIC...............
Sabaku_Purarua
Do you ever plan to share small bits of what happened before dormant (other then the bits that were showed in game)? Like silly stuff the party did or where those orbs came from
insertdisc5
no because i genuinely did not think about what happened during their journey lmao
Pastelly-bean
Did you ever have anymore thoughts or ‘lore’ ideas about the sadnesses? Specific ones or just in general how they work. I think they’re interesting!!
insertdisc5
they've always existed even as just harmless blobs. obviously wars or times of great trouble makes them more frequent
KingofAcedia
Did Mirabelle always like reading Romance novels, or did she start reading them as part of her research and get hooked? Also, is The Cursing of Château Castle popular outside Vaugarde? Siffrin thinks Vaugarde customs are weird, so I could imagine a book popular in Vaugarde might be seen as strange outside it depending on how it's written.
insertdisc5
research???? god i love that. research into finding out if shes allo. nah she just likes romance novels.
i imagine TCCC (lol) being somewhat popular outside vaugarde yeah... translated into many languages... probably has theater plays based on it somewhere…
DerpsterCaro
How is Bonbon just the most perfectly written child character ever? Had kids around you or something?
Any plans on exploring The Country Forgotten? I'd love to find out what happened in like a prequel. Mm, but maybe that's in ignorance of the meta text of acceptance, hm?
I know you can't pick you favourite child, but if you were held at scissor point and had to choose...
And lastly I just wanted to say, every loop I would always talk to everyone and try to do everything because Maybe This Time. It was therefore such a good... frustration on purpose how act 5 turned out.
insertdisc5
-the last time i hung out with kids was when i was a kid myself. i just think kids are just adults with no filter, and somehow that writing tip worked out???
-nah <3
-odile. BUT REALLY BECAUSE IM AT SCISSOR POINT OK
-YAY IM VERY GLAD HEHEHEHEHEHEHE
OkConnection1212
How did you program reentering a room you just left by turning around on the same tile?
I think i remember that sasasa worked that you had to walk off the tile and then and on again (as is how i know how to set up the event in mv), but its improved in actual in stars and time. Please lend me your wisdom.
insertdisc5
have the event make the player transfer to the next room THEN have the player take a step forward. so they're off the tile when they come to the room <3
lunalullaby492
Any lore tidbits regarding the doppelganger wish?
insertdisc5
It happened to someone long ago. It's only a tale told to children now
emtpyworldexe
Because someone has got to ask: what are your thoughts on Siffrin/Loop? (or Siffrin/Isabeau/Loop for that matter)
insertdisc5
(BARKS BARKS BARKS BARKS BARKS BARKS GRRR BARKS BARKS!!!!!!! coughs) yeah it's alright i guess.
Enclave100
Where do you see the main characters of isat in like, 10-15 years?
insertdisc5
Will Not Answer This It's Your Turn To Figure Things Out
AlexRuzhyo
Did you worry about adding too much or too little about the Northern Continent?
I've always wondered if you imagined Siffrin speaking with accents or affects from his homeland.
Hell, a third if the first two are taboo: Is "Odile" her given name, chosen name, or travel alias?
insertdisc5
-too much yeah...
-yes!
-given name. KINDA
Astro_Anesidora
Out of all the Bonnie Snacks/Dishes which one would you recommend the most? :0
Teehee Any more Opinions or something on Soupe? Lil fella bean👉👈
insertdisc5
MALANGA FRITTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-soupe is a bird that exists.
ASquared80
How many colors will your next game have?
insertdisc5
m-more than black and white. i think. i hope
Kazehita
How did you design such an excellent climax to the game? Was that what you envisioned the whole time you were working on the project? Having such high highs and emotionally impactive lows is difficult to achieve! It's incredibly cohesive and excellently planned.
insertdisc5
thank you so much!!!!! uuuh i think i came up with the details pretty late actually. but i always wanted a somewhat nice ending! and nice endings hit better if you go through really sad and lonely times!!!
Rocktooo
What did you sell your soul too in order to make such a good game?
insertdisc5
✨ the universe ✨
Ekamy
Hello! I'm super curious about what your inspirations were for the concept of a familytale! I loved that point in the game (not sure if I should avoid spoilers here so I'll just say I loved this point in the game for a certain character!) The way its described it reminded me of like a family saga (with what I've studied in my grad work awhile back, I thought of like medieval family sagas from Iceland, or annals in general) so I was just really curious about what inspired this concept for you! :)
insertdisc5
I can't remember... I always imagined Odile being fascinated by fairytales, so I think it was me looking into that concept a bit more
agagagaggagagaga
Is Siffrin's bad memory just a natural part of their brain, or is it, I guess, "created"? As in, a lot of what he forgets is names for things and traumatic events, and I've seen some arguments that their memory itself isn't bad, they're just made to forget those in particular. After all, it'd make sense for him to forget what things are called if he's bilingual but their mother tongue is erased from existence. As for the traumatic events, there's implication that he deliberately tries to ignore them and convince themself he's fine anyway.
I've not really experienced a story where memory issues in this way was such a present and realized character trait, and felt really seen by how Siffrin was written. Thanks for making such an amazing game!
p.s. I've seen (I think on your website?) that you've directly called yourself a big fan of time loops. Thus, I am contractually obligated to ask: Have you played Outer Wilds and/or drawn any influences from it for SASASA:ap or ISAT?
insertdisc5
siffrin's memory wasn't bad before they left the Country. and they have magical memory problems (as in, forgetting about things related to the Countr) yes, but that also makes them have non-magical memory problems as a result (forgetting things unrelated to the Country). that's trauma babes
im very glad you felt seen!!!! that makes me very happy ;w;
PS: i LOVED outer wilds... i was very inspired by how they would give you hints to advance the story especially
NOVAKza
When I make things, I often have a specific scene or concept crystalized in my mind, like, "This is something I need to show", even if it's just one small part in a much bigger work. Were there any things that, scenes that came to you in the early stages that you made sure to include?
insertdisc5
So Many. The friendquests in act 5 were thought about since DAY ONE, before I even had names for the characters. Odile's and Bonnie's especially, and Siffrin tuning out during Isabeau's speech. HBJDCJHDSJHDDS OK im reading back my notes from back then and here's my note for Isabeau's just for y'all because my god. yeah. MC stands for Main Character, Dude is Isabeau (see? no names)
_____
MAYBE HE VERY EARNESTLY ASKS IF YOU'RE OKAY AND MC TUNES OUT AUTOMATICALLY AAAA
Dude: MC!!! ...they were right, something IS wrong with you!
>what are they saying
Dude: i dunno, mc!!! Youve been weird lately! Shaking and tuning out and you keep looking over your shoulder, and when you look at us it's like we're not even there!!!
[hjdjhjfdhjfdhjfg] (<- means "adrienne will figure out what goes here later lmao")
>JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!
Dude: (surprised and hurt) ...
Dude: ...
Dude: get a fucking hold of yourself, dude. (dips)
JoyTheBoi526
One of my favorite parts of this game by far was how incredibly close-knit the party was; how it felt like they all had their own unique dynamics with each other and that you could pair up any duo or trio or characters and know exactly how they'd act on their own. Did you at any point sit down and plan out how they'd all feel about each other? Or did it come naturally as you went along?
And, if I'm allowed to double dip, are there any common headcanons you've seen that you like? Even if it's something small and silly like "Isabeau is allergic to cats" or as big as the way people draw Nille
insertdisc5
Very early on I wrote down what everyone's feelings towards each other was! You can find my doodle in the prologue's artbook lmao...
hmmmmm i like people drawing siffrin's star scars from a missable event in act 5... very fun detail
kanvas-chan
What were some real life inspirations for your world building (tradition, clothing, countries)?
insertdisc5
france, the french caribbeans, and japan!
angeldeb82
And Guadeloupe, don't forget that.
insertdisc5
i have amazing news about what guadeloupe is part of.
fujitsubos
your attitude toward your fan community -- which is to say, open and involved enough to be supportive, but not getting bogged down in discourse or background details -- is admirable and refreshing! have you had experiences in other online communities that inform your approach?
insertdisc5
(takes a drag of chocolate cigarette) i have been in terrible fandoms. i have survived and kept on living, with only the clothes on my back and my words for protection. i have seen authors do terrible mistakes. i have seen fans get irate over a passing sentence. i have seen discourse come from nothing. i have seen the world burn down around me. friends killed by a stray word... and i promised myself... i would learn from their mistakes........
jokes aside i knock on wood everyday. thank you fandom for being so chill and welcoming and nice. PLEASE KEEP IT COOL KEEP IT COOL (KNOCKS ON WOOD KNOCKS ON WOOD KNOCKS ON WOOD)
CrambusCrumbus
Other question bc I forgot, and I wanted to ask, If someone were to make cosplays of the main cast of the game, is there anything you'd say you'd want for them to add or keep in mind while crafting them?
insertdisc5
if i see even a hint of color im reporting you to the vaugardian authorities
Enclave100
Why aren’t we allowed to eat the nuts in the barrels of that one room in the house, I’m a huge nut fan so it greatly intensified my hatred of humanity when I found out that they were left just out of our grasp
insertdisc5
IM SO SORRY I MADE PEOPLE WANT TO EAT THE NUTS. i think you should eat nuts irl when checking those barrels and it'll add to the tragedy of siffrin
Benhurso
Is the reason why Loop is able to "read" Siffrin's thoughts because they are him? As in, they also would think the same stuff, so it is like mind reading?
I also just wanted to say that I loved the game. One of my favorites of the year. One of the most memorable scenes, IMO, is when Siffrin receives a toilet paper roll and try be positive about it, before quickly realizing that he was relying all of his hopes on a freaking toilet paper roll, showcasing how he didn't have anything else to grip his sanity on. Really hit hard at the time.
insertdisc5
-yea <3
-IM SO VERY GLAD IT HIT... it was one of those moments where i was like. ok. either this is the funniest thing in the game or the saddest one and that's entirely gonna depend on whos reading it
mxhunterzzz
Hi Adrienne!
I found your game really charming, and honestly as an RPGMaker game, its an outlier how good the game is. Since you mentioned you are already working on another game, do you plan to stick with the same RPGmaker for it? Thanks!
insertdisc5
NO IM SAYING GOODBYE TO RPGMAKER AND IM LEAVING WITH THE KIDS AND ALL MY CLOTHES
FlameHricane
Yo, I first want to start off by thanking you for this incredible game; no, nearly perfect work of art. I am probably a bigger fan than most people as I consider this one of the best games ever made (narratively) from its harmony of every aspect all connecting back to the player organically.
Only question I want to ask is about the game's reception. For a game as groundbreaking and universally praised as this, it leaves me flabbergasted how it hasn't blown up. Do you think there is any particular reason why it hasn't caught on with the mainstream, or at the very least more known than it currently is? Are you satisfied with where it currently stands?
insertdisc5
Thank you so much! I for one am INCREDIBLY HAPPY with the reception, it has gone beyond my wildest hopes. Like it's so big. So many people have played it. I see your point of view though, and I think the main thing is that it hasn't been played by a Really Big Youtuber yet lmao. manly senpai please notice me uwu
But like genuinely this game has gotten so big??? It has merch??? It got to Overwhelmingly Positive in like, a month??? It got on GOTY lists??? like ofc if it gets bigger im not gonna be mad lmao, but im incredibly humbled by how many people have played it this far. thank you <3
shoogliestpeg
How shredded are Siffrin's abs by the end of the game?
insertdisc
NOT AT ALL sif's body gets reset as well sadly. they are still deathly thin
Faangzzz
the party at one point said that the king's time dilation effect ended at the edge of vaugarde, and im kinda curious if thats the same for the loops or if they affect the whole world? imagine from the outside in first the place starts getting frozen in time, then they start repeating the same day again and again...
insertdisc5
i think it would be so cool if it only affected vaugarde…
galaksyzowo
If you ever wanted to encourage new (or any, really) writers to write about any one specific trope, what would it be?
insertdisc5
the trope that makes people sad or annoyed at the story. make people feel sad or angry. show them what art really is about
BeeAfraid3721
Is it traditional turn based or does it use the ATB bars
insertdisc5
ATB bars!
CrypticGalaxy7
Hi!!! My friend got me ISAT as a belated birthday gift last month and I've been having brainrot ever since.
What inspired the way the way the change god talks? Its very silly of it to use text speech and emoticons
And how widespread is the change belief? Also, why call magic and spells "craft"? I think its a super unique name and a nice naming change to regular old magic n spells
insertdisc5
-i think a god that uses emoticons is POGGERS
-almost purely a vaugardian religion
-cool word :)
WerewolfNo8722
Is Siffrin autistic? I'm autistic and I think that Siffrin has some autistic traits: an aversion to touch,keeping to himself, not really being a feelings person as Odile puts it etc. So I was just wondering/hoping that this was intentional and not me projecting.
Also I've been loving isat I have finished it yet but it's great! I hope you keep doing stuff like this!
insertdisc5
I did not write him with that in mind, but if you think he is, then he is!!! i love that interpretation and im happy people see themselves in sif :')
LuanOrKamek
Is there a reason why at one point in the game, no one in the gang was reacting to Siffrin poking them for attention?
insertdisc5
tragedy
c_hthonic
I haven't played this as I just haven't had the chance, but seeing this thread today I'm going to grab it now. I believe this is its first time going on sale, and I've heard an overwhelming number of good things about it.
Also, I'll throw out that Steam has a bundle with this and Slay the Princess where you save an additional amount - another great monochromatic-art style game that's highly recommended. Not sure how similar it is to ISAT, though, as it's a horror-esque visual novel.
insertdisc5
hehe thank you for checking it out! The similarities with Slay the Princess are that both are timeloop monochromatic games lmao
ShiningMinccino
I know you said on the discord that it's siffrin's flavor of being repressed that helped them be stuck in the time loop. So, here's a silly question.
Do you have any ideas on how the others would escape in their quick, non repressed ways? Shame their time loops would never uncover the mystery of wish craft or siffrin's country a little but that's siffrin's burden to bear
insertdisc5
assuming their own wishes of staying with everyone made them loop:
mirabelle loop 3: oh??? oh!!!! im looping??? um??? what??? hey everyone im looping??? yes im looping!!! ...just like in my books i read? i guess so isabeau! ...what usually is the reason in those books, bonnie? um, either something complicated and scientific, or, um... a wish... someone... made... OH! [loop ends]
isabeau loop 7: ok it wasn't confessing that did the trick so it's the OTHER one [loop ends]
bonnie loop 14: OK IM LOOPING AND IM SCARED ;_; [everyone puts their heads together and figures it out] [loop ends]
odile loop 1: aw gems i knew making that wish was a bad idea [loop ends]
drp2222
Are we coming to Xbox???
insertdisc5
no plans as of yet... sorry... unless microsoft offers us a deal HEY MICROSOFT GIMME A DEAL
ModeruMandou
Hi first of all i have to say i LOVE your game. I discovered it because my (currently) favorite streamer decided to play it. As i said, the game is absolutely fenomenal and deserves so much love.
After saying that, my question is: was there a beta desing/model that you regret not including or changing when the game was finally released?
Also: were some enemies cut from the game?
insertdisc5
thank you!!!!!
-nah
-YEAH... i wanted to add a crab enemy near the end of development but was too tired to
Shield_Defender
So how exactly does the kings time freeze in work?
We see boulders fall from the ceiling but Odile comments that it being frozen makes them harder to move.
We also pick up tonics and spices that are frozen but we can pick them up and use them. But in Siffrins last run in the house he tried to eat frozen cookies but can't.
We can also can't break down frozen doors but we can pick up frozen keys and use them on the frozen doors and we can unlock those verbal doors by speaking out THAT opens them some how.
AND- (gets shot)
insertdisc5
(my splatoon gun is smoking)
Kazehita
I absolutely loved the writing in ISAT! Because of that, I wanted to ask, outside of writing for the context of video games or comics, have you ever written standalone stories or plan to in the future?
(asking for a friend <3)
insertdisc5
not really! games and comics and that's it. i wouldnt feel confident yet writing something with text only
Imaginary_Platform64
hii I asked this on tumblr before I saw you were doing an ama (sorry) but I was wondering what are each of the party members opinions on roller coasters? also sorry if this has already been asked
insertdisc5
damn if youre asking it twice you must REALLY want this answered.
likes em: siffrin, mirabelle, isabeau, bonnie
hates em: odile
ineffiable
I have an interesting question. On the Playstation store, ISAT is available separately for PS4/PS5, while most games give you both versions if you buy it once, is there any reason for this split?
I'm very curious to see an answer since this is becoming more common.
insertdisc5
dunno! my publisher took care of the console versions, and since i haven't heard anything about "do you want us to do this or this", im willing to bet this is a mandatory playstation store thing
Catv3nom
Where do you think inspiration for the horror of wishing to forget came from?
insertdisc5
someplace, for sure
Magiwarriorx
I just finished ISAT last week, and it really inspired me to give game dev another shot :)
- For its length, ISAT's structure lets it get a phenomenal amount of value out of a (relatively) small amount of b&w art assets. Were art limitations something you had in mind when conceptualizing ISAT, or was it a bonus?
- There are several unanswered questions that you've said you have no intention of answering, namely color and the northern country. Lore answer aside, they invoke a bunch of different feelings and can be interpreted to represent a couple different things. Among those feelings/interpretations, were there any specific ones you were hoping to invoke in the player with colors/the country? What was their function in the story, to you?
insertdisc5
YELL YEAH!!! GO FORTH AND GAME DEV!!!!!!
-Bonus, but also a timeloop based game inherently asks for repetition and to see the same things over and over! so YIPPEE
-their function is to make the player's brain go vroom
Icy_Investment_1878
Loved the story and writing, but the backtracking was annoying and the combat is really boring and repetitive. Sorry to say that i had to put up a podcast to get though the combat slog
insertdisc5
it's annoying and boring and repetitive on purpose <3 thank you for playing!
Queenofdragons6
If Mirabelle had touched a Tear, would she have been frozen? If so, would she freeze slower than Siffrin did?
insertdisc5
nope! cannot get frozen by tears
decipherd
- Whose design was your favorite to create?
- Is Siffrin a cat person? (In the sense of, would their preferred animal be a cat?). I just kinda get that vibe from how they say ‘Nya’ when hitting the counter and how they’re described as ‘panther-like’.
insertdisc5
-i kinda slapped with the king design ngl. odile was the hardest one to design clothes for though.
-JUST LOOK AT THEM
Cattulhu
Did you know going in that you were making Loop a tumblr sexyman? On a more serious note, when and where did youg et the idea for Loop as a character? Everyone else is, at least in mind, drawing on more typical like, rpg tropes? but loop is completely seperate from that and I'm oh so very curious.
insertdisc5
-well yeah duh.
-pretty early on! and they're a navigator, and as ive learned from persona, that is a typical rpg trope.
insertdisc5
ok everyone im gonna go get a haircut and then ill be back. be nice and prepare more questions while im gone. if im not overwhelmed by questions when i get back im gonna
eat a snack
insertdisc5
ALSO if theres a question i havent answered that you're super curious about, you could upvote it so ill see it? I GUESS? REDDIT RULES?
insertdisc5
im back with a terribly chocolatey hot chocolate
ShyroAkumo
Hello! I was just wondering, as a French future animation student, what school you went to? And what made you want to make a video game instead of something else?
insertdisc5
lol. i went to the US for 2d animation. french animation schools are scary
madetosuggestagame
You know, Odile's friendquest and Bonnie's dialogue about their sister running away from home made me curious: Of the rest of the party (other than siffrin, of course, For Reasons), what are their relationships with their families and parents like?
insertdisc5
mirabelle: alright, but they don't really understand her and vice versa
isabeau: too many siblings, not especially close to any of them
angeldeb82
You know, I've been thinking. It comes to my mind that Isabeau is stated by some websites as a "trans-faux himbo", and that in his Hangout in ISAT, he mentions being a nerd with glasses and "curly pigtails" (curly pigtails are kinda feminine like his name, indicating that he might have been a girl in one life before the "Change" thing). So I've been thinking: is it true that Isabeau is... a transgender man?
insertdisc5
TRANS-FAUX HIMBO?!??!?! WHO SAID THAT CSJHKHJKDHJKHJKDHJKDKHDHJK WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN
angeldeb82
I think it's stated in the website link here: https://gaymingmag.com/2023/11/in-stars-and-time-review-take-it-slow/
insertdisc5
ok he is a faux himbo its true. i was confused about the faux trans because he is definitely NOT FAUX
Sir_Guilhem
What would be the color of Siffrin cloak ?
Thank you for this game, it's one of my favorite !
insertdisc5
white!
GrowSquid
Would ISAT be best enjoyed by changing the switch's display to greyscale?
insertdisc5
lmao. sadly i have to say no
DNAviator
Hi Adrienne! Thank you for giving us ISAT - I finished my first playthrough yesterday and it's easily become one of my favorite games of all time. You are a brilliant artist and writer!
I'm especially touched by the themes around friendship, found family, and mental health. It's such a powerful thing to feel seen and validated while playing a game - I honestly think it healed something in me and I will treasure it forever.
If this hasn't been addressed yet, I'm wondering: Why doesn't Loop remember defeating the King? And where do they go after the True Epilogue of ISAT?
My original thought during the Loop scene at the end was that maybe Sif would invite Loop to continue traveling with their family, but I suppose that would be pretty complicated
I'm so happy to see the community growing around ISAT and hope that you are feeling awesome!
PokeDC
regarding the first question, i wanted to say that Adrienne has addressed it before, and i looked at the Discord and the first time that it was pointed out to Adrienne that Loop said they never defeated the King, she said "did they.... did i forget my own lore" and then "oh i was just stupid when i wrote that then lol" but also "i think if you spend 100 of tries trying and you succeed once it doesnt really become A Thing, in loop's brain at least. IT MAKES SENSE IN MY BRAIN. BELIEVE ME"
insertdisc5
IT MAKES SENSE IN MY BRAIN BELIEVE MEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jrj1016477
Were buffs and debuffs set to be of a specific Craft type during development or did you not think about it?
insertdisc5
they're buff and debuff craft type <3
EDIT: this is a joke. i did not think about it
m1dnightlycanroc
Sorry if this is too many for one comment hehe but
- Is there an in-game lore reason for why some objects seem to only be affected by rewinding time upon inspecting them?
- When the King hits the saviors with the vision of the future, did they all see the same thing?
- Is there a particular country inspiration behind Mwudu?
- Is there a general historical time period/century ISAT's world could be considered analogous to, technology wise?
insertdisc5
-Don't Think About It ;)
-mayhaps...
-not really!
-(sweating) STOP ASKING QUESTIONS
kittyclone
- is there anything you've wanted to say but haven't been asked about yet? if so, here's a chance to
- do you have any random fun facts about the characters you'd like to share? including the king and euphrasie if you'd like!
- out of the party and loop, what would the rankings be in a rock paper scissors tournament?
thank you for making these games! i've been following along since playing start again back in 2021, and isat is more than i could've asked for. it's been fun taking my turn and playing in the fun little sandbox of a world you've set up for us, and it's been looping in my mind just like siffrin is through time
insertdisc5
:') thank you so much... please continue to have fun...!
- 1. thank you so much for asking me to choose a random unused dialogue to share with everyone. here it is
- Bonnie: Rzzzz…. Mimimimimimimi…….. Rrrrrzzzzz….. Mimimimimimimimimi….
- Bonnie: Rzzzz…. Mimimimimimimi…….. Rrrrrzzzzz….. Mimimimimimimimimi….
Mirabelle: We know you're not sleeping, bonnie!!!
Bonnie: Shut up!!! I am!!!!!
- 2. The King is either in his 30s or in his 70s there is no inbetween. I would like to also confirm Euphrasie and Mirabelle's roommate Claude are ✨gal pals✨
- 3. RPS is random you dummy!!! Anyway for story purposes Bonnie is the new challenger. Bonnie goes from fighting the worst to the best. Mirabelle is the tutorial. then fight Isabeau. then Odile. then Loop?!?! Clearly fighting against a deity-looking-person is the final boss. Bonnie wins! Huh...? BUT WHAT'S THIS?!?! Someone is stepping from the shadows... Could it be..?!?! It's Siffrin, who has never lost a RPS match before!!!!!!! Can Bonnie win this tournament?!?!?!?
silkspinner09
Are you planning making and fully fledged RPGs in the future because I really enjoyed the combat of ISAT and it has been a real help in filling a hole I really needed filling.
insertdisc5
no... im sorry... making battle systems is hell actually
A_Shaded_Spot
Where did your inspiration for Sif’s personality come from? Did he come first, or did it start more with the idea for a story that you wanted to tell, and then making a character that would explore that story best? As someone who relates maybe a Bit too much to him lol, I’m curious to hear a bit more about where he sprung up from in your head!
insertdisc5
i wrote them depressed for the prologue and then i had to figure out their non-depressed self for ISAT. it was hell
a-sea-of-ink
What visual novels or interactive fiction games would you say had the strongest impact on how you approach game design? (Or, otherwise, what are your favorite VNs?)
insertdisc5
DDLC and umineko are real good yall. also i am begging everyone to play Umurangi Generation for a masterclass on environmental storytelling
Bezzalu
Are you planning to translate ISAT into languages other than japanese? How would you feel if someone made a fan translation?
insertdisc5
if the game makes enough money (and most importantly, if the japanese translation pays itself), then we will consider it! translations are very expensive... in all honesty i need to think up a statement for fan translations eventually. probably "as long as you don't give out the game outright and instead just give a file for people to add to their game then it's allowed."
also stop sending me emails about translations. please. stop my family is dying
ThatLifebloodVessel
Are you fine with people creating fangames and other big fan projects for ISAT?
Also, how could you hurt Sif so much, y-YOU MONSTER!!!!!!
insertdisc5
yes!!!! please do!!!! my current ask is that if you do create fangames though, please dont use my assets for the portraits/illustrations (pixels and battle animations/bgs and enemies etc are fine), because 1. i dont want you to!!!! my baby!!!! 2. make something cooler than i did
towbean
Did you design the music/character themes? If so, what was your process for developing them?
insertdisc5
I did not! I do not have a musical bone in my body. Studio Thumpy Puppy composed the soundtrack for the game! https://thumpypuppy.bandcamp.com/
Lumpy_initiative89
Is it possible to do a rerun of the Siffrin plush if there was enough interest in it?
insertdisc5
Mayhaps…
PokeDC
at what point in development did you actual know the reason for why Siffrin is looping?
also, i'm oddly curious about that second Sif with the tired face and no eyepatch in the comics, and the significance of this second Siffrin saying "I just hope that one day... you'll learn to forgive me."i thought maybe it was supposed to be Loop since i know you said the idea for them existed for a while in one interview, but then i saw you say here that they existed half-way through Start Again's development, so...
insertdisc5
-Very early on, even if I didn't have the details figured out!
-comic!siffrin is a whole different siffrin than game!siffrins sadly. rip to them. still stuck in time
SayoriBestGirl7
How does loop speak without a mouth?
What kind of voices would you give the characters? (Deep, high pitch?)
I want to give siffrin the biggest hug I understand what it feels like to live the same day over and over. Mental health is important and I'm glad you made this wonderful and beautiful game ❤ can't wait to see the next upcoming projects and merch!
insertdisc5
it's the voice of their soul <3
-i have two great posts for you https://insertdisc5.tumblr.com/post/705968750604730368/isat-voiceclaims-or-what-each-the-characters and https://insertdisc5.tumblr.com/post/730985804029165568/how-do-you-picture-the-main-squad-loop-and-the
blahguy87
What was the writing process like for the game? I'm always curious how a huge project with so much writing is approached. Did you do all the writing first then get to the development part or did you find yourself doing some quick plot shuffles when you found something wasn't working as well as you hoped?
insertdisc5
I had the big beats of the story figured out early on, and near the start of dev for ISAT i sat down and tried to write everything from beginning to end (Siffrin finds this hint, then goes here, then does this...). If I didn't have an idea I would just make something up and go along. Took me a whole day! After that it was filling in the blanks and writing those actual conversations lol. I did shuffle a few things around to give more foreshadowing, especially with everything that had to do with wishcraft
karin_malmero
Hello from Japan, I played until I collected all the achievements while thanking you for supporting Japanese!
(However, there are huge differences and many discoveries!)
There are so many things I'm curious about...I'm sorry if you've already answered them.
- Is it correct that the prototype's "START AGAIN: a prplogue" is connected to the ISAT's "prologue"?
(I thought so from the hidden boss's conversation and Siffrin's conversation in START AGAIN)
- The story and characters are all great, but I also like the BGM that decorates the production.
Almost every song has the phrase "In Stars and Time (Title Theme)" in it?
(I've only heard the title a few times, but it left a strong impression on me)
- Are there birthdays for the characters in ISAT?
(Even if there is, will it be art book information?)
I'll be rooting for your future works, then. :)
insertdisc5
Hello!!! Thank you for playing!!!
-Yes, ISAT is connected to the prologue!
-Most of the songs in the soundtrack share the same leitmotif, Studio Thumpy Puppy did an amazing job ;w;
-Siffrin was born on Sept 1st, Mirabelle on July 27th, Isabeau March 9th, Odile May 16th, and Bonnie April 3rd!
BlueBloodstains
How bright would you say loop’s head glows
insertdisc5
Nice lamp that doesn't hurt your eyes. They do glow real bright when upset though