A mouse.
Creeping up behind it, the scent hits you full force and your tail swishes back and forth in anticipation of the kill. The creature steps on another twig, but just as it turns around to see if anyone had seen it you pounce, taking care of the creature in one swift bite.
This is Cattails an open world cat and wildlife simulation game, where you get to play as a young cat in a forest cat colony where you build your own story. Meet friends, gain enemies, have a mate and some kittens, then one day train them to be just as great as you are.
I had the chance to sit down and talk with Falcon Development about Cattails and their ongoing Kickstarter which, at the time of writing this article, is already well beyond its initial goal, adding new stretch goals every day. They had some interesting things to say about their game’s future mechanics and development process.
GameSkinny (Angelina Bonilla): Are there any particular cat-specific mechanics you’re planning to implement, in the vein of Dog’s Life’s scent-based Smellovision? We already have pouncing and scratching, but is there anything specific to cats you’re planning on putting in the game?
GS:When it comes to building the cats’ relationships, will there be any reward, like unique quests or cutscenes?
GS: As it stands right now, it looks like Cattails is a choose your own adventure sort of game, having you build up skills as you journey around the world. Is there going to be any sort of core narrative you can take part in, like with characters and warring factions? We’ve seen glimpses of it in the demo with the goings on in the world itself, but what role is that story going to play in the game overall?
GS: Many who are familiar with this project know of a certain developer named “Falconstar” from Warrior Cats: Untold Tales, the Warrior Cats fan game that can be viewed as the distant cousin of this game. What are you planning on bringing to the table in this game that can’t be found in Warrior Cats: Untold Tales and what would you tell the fans of that game to look forward to in Cattails?
GS: Will there be more ways to travel and explore in the finished game? At the moment we are just limited to the ground and the water, but these are cats after all, will we be able to climb trees and jump long distances in the future?
GS: Do you have any sort of endgame planned? At the moment, most of the incentives to keep playing are unlocking all the coats and leveling up, but will there be anything to motivate players to keep playing after they’ve done that?
GS: There seems to be a large variety of creatures we can meet and talk to throughout Cattails, will the player have a way of keeping track of their personalities, their likes and dislikes etc.?
GS: Are you planning on implementing a multiplayer mode? Cattails seems to have a great concept for players to build their own colonies and families together.
GS: How will the player be able to develop their cat? Is there going to something like a skill tree, or do you have another way for them to get better at hunting and fighting?
GS: Are you planning on giving the player cat dialogue options when they talk to the other cats, including a customizable portrait based on the players chosen pelt colors, in order to help immerse the player more in their own personal story as a cat?
GS: What inspired you to design an entire game around surviving in a forest as a cat, with cat colonies, relationships and things like that?
I would like to thank Falcon Development’s Rebekah and Tyler Thompson for taking the time to answer my questions. Cattails looks like a fascinating experience where you get the chance to explore the world through the eyes of a wild cat, something that hasn’t been explored that often in games.
Check out Cattails’ website for more information. If you want to show your support, there’s still time to back Cattails on Kickstarter!
