Developer responses

About two weeks ago, we published a public post where you asked us questions about our project, the game, and the lore of the universe. It's time for answers!

Q: What inspired you to create the game? For example, why did you choose this particular format (platform game)?

A: There are many visual novel games in the furry fandom. We wanted to create a game where you could interact directly with the world — explore it. The idea to create a platformer came about by chance. And also by chance, Dar (the author of the book) met Vair (the programmer), who suggested implementing the idea. The world of Yoki was already partially described in the book, now we need to continue adapting the artistic images for the game mechanics. The world itself is a mixture of several cultures of our world: in particular, Scandinavian, Asian, and Slavic.

Q: How many characters are planned to interact with Yoki?

A: There are so many characters, both hostile and peaceful, that it is difficult to give a specific number. New characters will appear in new locations.

Q: What are the plans for future gameplay and level design?

A: After completing phase 1 of development, we will begin adding the next levels (levels 2-5 are planned for phase 2), where you will encounter new mobs, new world mechanics, and new visual elements.

Q: Will checkpoints or some kind of meta progression be a thing?

A: Before the start of phase 3 of development, the game will look like a set of levels, but at some point, the starting location, Frostpaw, will appear in the game. It will become a control point from which Yoki will start his races. The progress system will be based on exploring the world and developing the character.

Q: Favorite kinks in the game, now and planned for future?

A: Many features of the game are yet to be implemented. There are tons of ideas, but we need to finish laying the foundation first. Among the favorite features that will be added in the near future, we can highlight the bestiary book (morphicon) and teleportation mechanics (totems). Right now, the visual component is our favorite feature ^^

Q: What inspired you when creating Yoki? Maybe some characters from other universes or games? Why a fox?

A: Yoki was created and refined by several authors at once. The most advantageous palette was chosen — only two colors: monochrome + magenta. We didn't focus on characters from other universes — our goal was to create a unique character. Foxes are, first of all, the most popular race among anthropomorphs, and secondly, the image of tails fits well with the mythology of kitsune.

Q: How old was Yoki when she went to Tail Valley?

A: The book says that Yoki and Chloe left the palace seven years ago (according to the lore, Yoki was about 11 years old in the palace), which means that Yoki first arrived in Tail Valley at the age of 18. Yoki spent two years in Frostpaw, which means she is already 20 years old in the game. But it is worth remembering that age is more complicated for anthropomorphs than for humans.

Q: When and how did the idea that “today we are starting a project” come about? Was it a plan that was written out from start to finish, had the idea been maturing for a long time, or did you just start doing “something, anything; let's try it and see what happens,” and it grew to its current scale?

A: The YJ Project began in 2019 as a small Telegram channel with an archive of art. After four years, when the channel began to gain popularity and acquired its own corporate identity and purpose, participants appeared who were inspired by the idea and philosophy of the project. Subsequently, the project began to go beyond the boundaries of a single platform and release its first products. We're not saying we have a clear plan — we have a detailed but flexible plan and a goal we're working towards. The idea of creating our own universe had been brewing for a long time, but it wasn't clear how to make it happen. Thanks to our belief in the idea and the support of our audience, YJ Project continues to grow and develop.

Q: Will there be any other projects besides the game? Are you already planning something?

A: Besides the game, we have already released a book and our first stuff (merchandise). We are currently planning to expand the merchandise concept and write another book. Looking ahead, we have a strong desire to create comics and anime.

Q: Will there be friendly NPCs/companions for romance? Someone to become her lover?

A: Yes, friendly NPCs will appear in the game over time. There will be many more of them when we start developing Frostpaw (Phase 3).

Q: Will there be some corruption mechanics, or will she always be a good girl?

A: No, the appearance of such mechanics is unlikely, since Yoki has been in Tail Valley for a long time. According to the plot of the book, Yoki has made a huge contribution to the protection of these lands.

Q: Pregnancy mechanics?

A: No, there will be no such mechanics in the game.

Q: Will there be more playable characters?

A: We don't plan to add any playable characters other than Yoki at this time.

Q: As the levels and Yoki progress (assuming there's a Metroidvania style progression system), will Yoki gain addition tails, like some other Kitsunes in fiction? It would be neat if she gained a new form upon getting her ninth tail and lower end enemies started being scared of her and fleeing.

A: Yoki has had nine tails since birth, which can be seen in the death animation. The mechanics of tails in this world are described in the book, but we will also explain this in the game over time. When we talk about nine tails, we mean ghost tails, and there is only one visible tail. As you progress through the levels, Yoki will unlock (or remember) new abilities ^^

Thank you very much for your questions! We appreciate your interest and always strive to improve our products so that you can enjoy a pleasant experience interacting with the YJ universe!