Canada's rugged East Coast inspires U.K.-based developer to make video game about fishing
The rugged landscapes of Canada's East Coast and the resiliency of its residents have a long history of inspiring artists, and now, that includes the U.K.-based makers of a new video game.
Moonglow Bay is a fishing RPG, or role-playing game, that's set in a fictionalized town along the East Coast in the '80s, where you play a rookie angler who's working to turn your partner's dream into a reality after they're lost at sea.
"Your character is in a rut, trying to figure out what's going on," says Zach Soares, co-founder of game developer Bunnyhug. "Your daughter comes back from school in Quebec and says 'hey, you gotta get out of this rut, let me kind of motivate you.'"
However the story is also about the town itself, and helping to heal what's become a fractured community on the brink of bankruptcy.
"Since your partner disappeared, everyone in the fishing town is afraid to fish, so the town is not in a good state," says Bunnyhug co-founder Lu Nascimento. "You're kind of getting to know everyone in town and getting to help them and bringing the town back to life."
When it comes to the look of the game, Nascimento says the biggest inspiration for the design of the town came from the colourful nature of St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador.
"When you look at tourist pictures, it's the beautiful mountains and hills with the beautiful colourful houses," she says, "Lunenburg were a really big inspiration as well, a bit of Halifax … a bunch of tiny towns around P.E.I."
As for why they wanted to set the game on the East Coast, Soares says that one of the reasons is that he and Nascimento – who are married – dream of one day moving to this region.
"We just love the look of it, and also we like its small towns, it has a lot of vibes that we've been building for our lives right now in the northeast of the U.K.," says Soares.
The game is available on Steam, XBOX, and will be available on the Epic Games Store as of Nov. 11. More information about Moonglow Bay, is available on their website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.