Unearth the Magic of Kohlrabi Starship: A Journey Through Space and Farming

Discover the Magic of Kohlrabi Starship by indie dev WolKa

In the vibrant world of indie games, few projects captivate the imagination quite like Kohlrabi Starship by WolKa. This cozy farming game, with its unique twist of space travel, seamlessly blends exploration with cultivation. Prepare to dive into the enchanting creative process behind this game, uncover WolKa's inspiring development journey, and discover how you can support her ambitious project.

The Concept

Kohlrabi Starship offers players a delightful journey where the serenity of farming meets the thrill of space exploration. Players start on a barren desert planet and inherit a greenhouse spaceship from their grandparents. The mission? Travel to distant planets, collect an array of plants and animals, and rejuvenate the desert planet into a lush, thriving ecosystem.

Development Journey

WolKa transitioned from a research job in Big Tech to indie game development, driven by a passion for art and creativity. The development of Kohlrabi Starship began in February 2023. Here's a glimpse into her process:

Tools and Techniques

• Game Engine: Initially using Unity, WolKa has since switched to Godot for developing Kohlrabi Starship.

• Coding: Visual Studio is her go-to tool for writing code.

• Art Creation: She sketches art in Procreate and creates spritesheets in Photoshop.

• Source Control: Plastic SCM helps manage her source control needs.

• AI Tools: WolKa uses AI for generating reference images and drawing inspiration.

• Motivation and Inspiration: Her three cats, Loki (motivation), Milo (inspiration), and Chiki (determination), play a significant role in her creative process.

Design Insights

WolKa pays meticulous attention to detail in her design work. Her process for creating a pleasing color palette involves:

1. Deciding on the main colors.

2. Considering shapes to determine lighter and darker areas.

3. Integrating the environment into the main colors. She believes in the importance of the eyes in character design, as they convey a wide range of emotions and serve as a focal point of expression and personality.

Challenges and Solutions

Every game development journey has its challenges. WolKa has been transparent about her struggles, sharing them through her devlogs:

• Vertical Slice: She emphasizes the importance of creating a vertical slice—a small, playable version of the game with a bit of everything to test its feasibility and gain support.

• Technical Issues: Addressing rendering problems using mip maps for different screen sizes is one of the technical hurdles she has tackled.

• Community Feedback: Participating in game testing nights and showcasing her game to strangers has provided invaluable feedback.

Support and Community

WolKa's commitment to sharing her progress with the community is evident through her active engagement on platforms like YouTube and Patreon. You can watch her development journey unfold through her YouTube devlogs and support the project by wishlisting Kohlrabi Starship on Steam.

Conclusion

Kohlrabi Starship is a testament to WolKa's dedication and creativity. Her journey from Big Tech to indie game development is inspiring, and her transparent sharing of challenges and solutions provides valuable insights for aspiring developers. By supporting her on platforms like Patreon and Steam, you can try it while contributing to the growth of this enchanting game.

Shameless Plug: Dive into the world of Kohlrabi Starship today! Watch WolKa's YouTube devlogs for behind-the-scenes insights, and don't forget to wishlist the game on Steam to support its development. Let's help bring this beautiful, hand-drawn adventure to life! (Not an ad, personal opinion.)