Have you ever wondered how a game idea evolves from a simple concept to a beloved adventure? The journey of creating a game is often a dance of ideas, a rhythmic tap dance of design and iteration. The story of Cat Quest, a charming 2D open world RPG, is a testament to this creative process, showcasing how initial steps in one direction can lead to an unexpected, but ultimately delightful, destination. Originally conceived as something entirely different, Cat Quest’s path to becoming the game we know and love is a fascinating tale of adaptation and the courage to embrace change. It all began with a dancing game concept, a far cry from the action-RPG adventure it is today.
Believe it or not, the foundation of Cat Quest was laid with a dancing game prototype. The initial spark was “Copycat,” a game designed around mirroring dance moves. The idea was simple: one player would perform a sequence of dance steps, and another player would have to replicate them. The team even developed UI elements and a 3D character model to bring this vision to life.
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The team found the concept of “Copycat” and its feline protagonist incredibly endearing. Early development saw the integration of user interface elements and the creation of a 3D model, reflecting a genuine enthusiasm for the dancing game idea. However, playtesting revealed a critical flaw: the game, in its prototype stage, proved to be challenging to play and, more importantly, lacked the fun factor essential for engaging gameplay. Despite this setback, the development team had grown attached to their 3D cat model and were reluctant to abandon it entirely. Driven by a desire to salvage their creation, they decided to pivot, reimagining the game entirely while keeping the beloved feline character at its heart. This marked the beginning of a series of transformations, each step a new dance move in the game’s development journey.
This pivot led to the birth of “Cat Travels,” a fantasy exploration game centered around cats. This new concept shifted the focus to travel and discovery, with players guiding their feline avatars between locations, gathering items, engaging in background battles, and uncovering new areas.
“Cat Travels” was fueled by the team’s excitement for exploration-based gameplay. The 3D cat, despite potentially being a better fit for a different style, was integrated into this new concept. Another prototype was developed, but doubts began to surface within the team. Questions arose about the game’s simplicity and long-term player engagement. The passive nature of battles, occurring in the background, also became a point of concern. These uncertainties cast a shadow over the project, diminishing the team’s enthusiasm. Yet, the attachment to the 3D cat persisted, a testament to the emotional investment in their creation. The question remained: how to evolve the concept further while retaining the cherished feline element?
Amidst these creative explorations, the rising popularity of idle clicker games sparked a new direction. Games like AdVenture Capitalist and Tap Titans captured the team’s attention, revealing the addictive nature of simple, tap-based gameplay. This trend presented an apparent solution: repurpose the 3D cat within a clicker game framework.
The idea of an idle clicker game seemed like a straightforward way to utilize the existing 3D cat model. It offered a seemingly easy path forward, allowing the team to leverage their existing asset. The art team made significant progress, creating backgrounds and even more 3D cat variations. However, this direction coincided with a shift in the gaming landscape. The clicker/idle game genre was losing momentum. Player fatigue with the genre was becoming evident, and the market was moving away from tap-centric experiences. The team realized they were potentially arriving late to the party, facing a changing tide in player preferences.
Faced with this realization, the team recognized the need for another significant change. The clicker game concept, despite its progress, was becoming less viable. The decision was made to pivot once again, requiring them to leave behind much of their recent work. Background art and game design documents were deemed unusable. However, the one constant, the collection of 3D cat models, remained.
With a collection of 3D cats and a renewed commitment to change, the team embarked on a brainstorming session. This phase can be visualized as a montage of ideas rapidly explored and discarded, set to the dramatic rhythm of the Rocky theme song.
After this intense period of ideation, a clear direction emerged. The team’s desire to create an exploration game, now combined with their 3D cats, resurfaced. They observed a gap in the market: open world games were scarce on mobile platforms, and 2D open world games were uncommon on Steam. This realization presented an opportunity to create a unique gaming experience. This was the genesis of Cat Quest, an endeavor to fill this void with a distinctive 2D open world RPG.
With the core concept of Cat Quest taking shape, the development journey seemed to be nearing its conclusion. However, one final hurdle remained. The 3D cats, the very element that had been preserved through each iteration, were put to the test with external feedback from Twitter and the wider internet community.
The response was not what the team had hoped for. The 3D cat designs, despite the team’s affection for them, did not resonate with players. This feedback was a significant blow, especially considering how central the 3D cat had been to their design process. It was a critical juncture, a moment of truth. The team faced a difficult decision: continue with the 3D cats and risk player disinterest, or make a drastic change.
The choice was clear. To ensure the success of Cat Quest, the beloved 3D cats had to be abandoned. The art team embarked on a redesign, embracing a 2D aesthetic. Initial experiments even involved placing the 3D cats in 2D environments, but the visual mismatch was evident. A complete overhaul was necessary. Starting from scratch, artists began sketching new cat designs, striving for a style that was both cute and appealing in 2D. After numerous iterations, a new 2D cat design emerged.
This new 2D cat design evolved further, becoming the iconic character now recognized in Cat Quest.
The reception to the 2D cat was overwhelmingly positive. Social media engagement skyrocketed, with Twitter posts receiving ten times more likes and retweets than before. The 2D cat was a resounding success, validating the difficult decision to abandon the 3D models. This marked the final major transformation in Cat Quest’s development, solidifying its visual identity and paving the way for its launch.
The story of Cat Quest is a journey from a dancing game concept to a 2D open world RPG, a testament to the iterative nature of game development. The key takeaway is the importance of embracing change. Game creation is a process of refinement, of listening to feedback, and of being willing to let go of ideas that don’t resonate. It’s a rhythmic “Rpg Tap Dance,” where each step, even missteps, contributes to the final performance. Cat Quest’s evolution demonstrates that sometimes, the most rewarding destinations are reached by taking unexpected turns and adapting to the rhythm of development.
If you found this story engaging, explore the fruits of this journey and discover Cat Quest on Steam Greenlight. Follow the developers on Twitter and Facebook for more behind-the-scenes stories and updates.
