"What's the game about?"

Chiaroscuro is a 2D adventure platformer with metroidvania elements. It's about exploring an unknown world while growing your abilities and battling dangerous creatures.

"What is this game inspired by?"

Chiaroscuro was inspired by a host of games that include Cave Story, Hollow Knight, Limbo, and Undertale.

"Is this your first game?"

It is! The project began its life as way for me to grow my programming skills before taking on a life of its own and becoming what you see today.

"Wait, so you're doing this on your own?"

Yes, while I am the solo developer behind the game I have brought on some external assistance to help me with the promotional art and sound design of Chiaroscuro.

"How far are you into development?"

As of January 2022, I will be two years into development. Since the Kickstarter’s success in October 2020, I have finalized a majority of the game’s primary functions including menus, UI, dialogue, and, combat mechanics, along with having finished a majority of the game’s early bosses and level design. I plan to release a new alpha of the game for testers in the summer of 2022, and shortly thereafter I plan to release an updated demo containing story content and a plethora of bug fixes.

"Why did you pursue a Kickstarter campaign?"

At the moment, I am the only one funding the game. As a college student without a full-time job (besides this, I guess), it's difficult to make the game as expansive as I want it to be while sticking to a small budget. I am confident that with your guys' support, the game will become as expansive and engaging as I envision it.

"Why the name Chiaroscuro?"

While the name doesn't quite roll off the tongue, I have a genuine reason for picking it. The word Chiaroscuro (keyaro-scewro or [/kyärəˈsk(y)o͝orō/]) is a 17th century Italian term that vaguely means, "light and dark", or more specifically, "the treatment of lights and darks." Considering the game is primarily black and white with a general focus on finding the 'lights,' it seemed like an appropriate name.

"What will you be spending the money on?"

The game, obviously! I recognize that my ambitions for Chiaroscuro are bigger than just a solo hobby project; I want to dedicate the time that vision demands and hire others to help make it a reality. This Kickstarter campaign will provide the funds to make both of those possible. I will be investing the majority of funds into the art, sound design, and animation of Chiaroscuro. The remaining resources will enable me to support myself while I hunker down and focus on developing the game.

"What systems/consoles will the game be ported to?"

The game will initially launch for PC and Mac but I would love to bring the game to consoles such as the Nintendo Switch. The issue is that as a solo developer, consoles are a big undertaking and I want my primary focus on delivering a great game first and foremost.

"What engine/programs are you using?"

I am using Aseprite to design the art and animations for the game, while using GameMaker Studio 2 to piece together and develop the magnificent world of Chiaroscuro!

"Will there be a physical release of the game?"

Nothing planned, but I'm not against it happening after the initial release.