Carnyx Interactive

Photo of a page in the book Celtic Myths and Legends. The illustration is two witches attacking a man; one with strangling him and another running toward them with a spoon. Above the illustration is text that reads: Enchanted Wales: A Magical Land

very important research.

Where in the World is Carnyx Interactive? — Carnyx Interactive The world is changing.

Hey!

It's been a while, so we wanted to update you on how things are going at Carnyx. We've started a dev blog, which has more info on Forest Keeper and our studio overall, and which we'll be updating the blog again in the next couple of weeks before going heads-down on development.

📢 ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
She can grant your wishes, cure your wounds, even bestow untold power, if you’re willing to pay the price. Should you be so brave - or so desperate - you can find her deep in the forest, where even most animals dare not go.

Or so the story goes.

(1/3)

Character profile concept art of an older woman in a green hat and scarf. her dress is a hodgepodge of various cloths and she is supported by a cane made of oak and burl with a leaf sprout.

Tales tell of a hag, old and wise as the elder woods and bog, and temperamental as the wind. Word of her power has spread to villages far and wide, and now each family tells their own tale of a brush with Mamó...

🧵 #gamedev

Illustration of a home with a thatched roof and large yew tree growing from the back. west of the home is a swampy bog, and to the east is a cooler toned forest. there are several beaten pathways at the homestead, one leading to the home, one leading to the farm, and one leading into the forest.

Greetings, folks! This week we’re highlighting Mamó’s homestead - her hut between the Forest and the Bog. Our Art Director, Morgan, goes further into detail on the design.

🧵

But is Mamó that type of witch or simply a self-sufficient old woman?"

Follow game updates and more on our community Discord server! discord.gg/PyqNwWgthN

or more benevolent than we were led to believe, and I felt it was important to visually communicate that in every environment in-game. I enjoy a story of a witch that can manipulate her scenery, creating a false sense of security to the observer. [cont]

In designing the homestead, I wanted to visually ground Mamó at a neutral point - on the west lies the dark bog and to the east is the forest leading to the realm of the fae. Ultimately, however one chooses to play the witch can make her the sinister presence the townsfolk say she is, [cont]

In my research, I also studied the style of Little Golden Books from the 1960s. I had a hand-me-down set from my mom, which I read a whole lot as a kid. These all felt like a good base to evoke a feeling of a fairy tale we’ve heard in our childhood. [cont]

for Henry was the Random House Book of Fairy Tales, a collection of illustrated folk tales from his childhood. I drew a lot of inspiration from Eyvind Earle, the graphical illustration master and a huge inspiration to make art in my youth. [cont.]

"When Henry and I were first pinning down concept art ideas and inspirations, I knew I would have to shift my style in a direction I’ve not typically explored in my work (in a good way!). I’ve been studying gouache as a medium for a little bit, and a large inspiration...

Illustration of a home with a thatched roof and large yew tree growing from the back. west of the home is a swampy bog, and to the east is a cooler toned forest. there are several beaten pathways at the homestead, one leading to the home, one leading to the farm, and one leading into the forest.

Greetings, folks! This week we’re highlighting Mamó’s homestead - her hut between the Forest and the Bog. Our Art Director, Morgan, goes further into detail on the design.

🧵

JJ, a long haired orange cat sitting in a waterbasin

misfit, a black cat laying on the floor

Pepperjack, an orange and white long haired cat lounging on a couch

Poe, a little corgi laying in a tall room

Meet the Carnyx Crew...'s pets!

JJ, the very definition of orange.
Misfit, who inspired some band's name (idk never heard of em).
Pepperjack, who made Forbes' 30 under 30 list probably.
Poe, who is possessed by an actual Victorian boy.

Easy, we don't support that decision. Still against AI and we're never going to utilize it in our games.

"this game's style should be fairy tale book, Eyvind Earle, Little Golden Books circa 1961"

i don't usually share work that strays from my typical style but i'm really proud of myself. this is a very tiny part of the homestead illu i'm making for Forest Keeper at @carnyx.bsky.social

fox resting on a stump with a bed of forget me not flowers underneath. the title of the game "forest keeper" to the left of the illustration.

Follow the story of Mamó as she finds herself through helping others.

Join our Discord for more updates on Forest Keeper and studio news!
discord.gg/aa9JfkaG7A

Brew potions, craft totems, and create hexes for a clientele brave enough to enter your bog! Forage for berries and herbs, and even grow your own garden! Discover a faerie ring, which holds the key to the realm of Tír na nÓg and barter with a silent fae trader.

Forest Keeper — Carnyx Interactive

Many know of her reputation among fearful whispers and rumors, but is Mamó as vile as they say?

Meet Mamó! Mamó is the main protagonist and player character in Forest Keeper, available in Winter 2024/25.

Some say she brought their loved ones back from the dead, others that she curses men for even mentioning love. All agree she has the power to grant any wish and cure any blight, but that you must be careful what you wish for and be prepared to pay dearly for her help.

Character profile concept art of an older woman in a green hat and scarf. her dress is a hodgepodge of various cloths and she is supported by a cane made of oak and burl with a leaf sprout.

Tales tell of a hag, old and wise as the elder woods and bog, and temperamental as the wind. Word of her power has spread to villages far and wide, and now each family tells their own tale of a brush with Mamó...

🧵 #gamedev

Carnyx wants to make it known that our studio is 100% AGAINST AI. We pride ourselves on the art and humanity of our games, and believe that can only come from humans. We stand in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike and all those affected by recent layoffs. As a studio founded in the wake of these layoffs, we know we are stronger together. We are and always will be anti-AI and pro-union.

✊

And yes, you can pet the fox.

Mamó has long since forgotten herself, and even longer since stopped caring what tales fearful parents tell their children. She remembers not where she came from, the people she knew, nor even her own name.

Introducing Forest Keeper, coming to PC end of 2024. Full blog post at carnyxint.itch.io!

📢 ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
She can grant your wishes, cure your wounds, even bestow untold power, if you’re willing to pay the price. Should you be so brave - or so desperate - you can find her deep in the forest, where even most animals dare not go.

Or so the story goes.

(1/3)

#gamedev #indiedev #indiegames New studio here! 👋

Carnyx Interactive

💸 Funding: The Carnyx Team is 100% volunteer run, and will be seeking grants, crowdfunding, and marketing opportunities. We are researching different crowdfunding platforms to help fund Forest Keeper as well as future games. For now, all we can ask from everyone is to share our page+follow socials!

Forest Keeper capsule art. On the left is a sleeping fox on a tree stump, on the forest floor is a bed of forget-me-not blossoms. Above the blossoms is the title of the game. Scattered throughout are little fae sparkles.

🌷 Forest Keeper Progress: Development updates, art, music and more!

What should you expect soon?

🍄 Q+A with the team: we're organizing a date/time for a community Q+A on Discord. We will post the event details here on Bsky, other socials, and Discord. All are welcome to attend! Give us your questions!

Thank you everyone for the warm reception of our studio and upcoming projects! We're excited to share what we are making with you!

So what's next? Read the thread, and if you haven't done so already, join our Discord: discord.gg/aa9JfkaG7A

🧵