Crafting Love: The Handmade Journey of Out of Words

Unveiling Out of Words at Summer Game Fest

This year’s Summer Game Fest showcased a remarkable gem in the indie games scene: Out of Words. Unlike conventional games built on lines of code, this stop-motion adventure is uniquely composed of clay, fabric, and glue, bringing a handcrafted love story to life. The game has even garnered accolades from industry luminary Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear series. Game director Johan Oettinger expressed, “The biggest praise we could imagine.”

A Dream Realized

Oettinger’s passion for creating a stop-motion video game ignited at the tender age of 12, inspired by the classic 90s point-and-click claymation title, The Neverhood. After years of contributing to films, commercials, and installation art, he found the perfect opportunity to combine these passions with Out of Words.

A Unique Production Process

The making of Out of Words is as distinctive as the game itself. The Aarhus, Denmark-based studio, comprising 40 talented individuals, developed a specialized pipeline that integrates custom scanners and photogrammetry to convert handcrafted assets into Unreal Engine. This is complemented by stop-motion cutscenes, wherein animators meticulously manipulate puppets at a rate of 12 to 24 frames per second. Oettinger shares, “Something magical happens when real materials are formed to represent a character … [it] gives a sincerity that makes the character more real than any other form of storytelling.”

A Hands-On Approach

At the studio, the team is just as likely to find themselves immersed in glue, wood, and clay as they are in programming languages. Game developer Mariano Pugliese humorously notes, “Yes – and we’re just as likely to be singing the best Disney songs than to be in the most focused silence.” This camaraderie is palpable, with a shared enthusiasm that bridges the gap between the puppet maker who breathes life into characters and the CG artist fine-tuning the game’s environments.

The Heartfelt Narrative

The narrative of Out of Words revolves around Kurt and Karla, two youthful characters exploring the tender moments of first love. Oettinger states, “I want to tell a story that meditates on the split second where you are looking for the right words to say to the one you are falling in love with, and this is of course almost impossible, especially if you are an early teen.” This fleeting moment blossoms into a profound inner journey filled with light and shadow, as the two characters navigate their feelings in search of the right words. Ultimately, the hope is for them to emerge hand in hand by the game’s conclusion.

Cooperative Gameplay Experience

Out of Words is designed as a cooperative adventure, engaging two players either in person or online. The journey undertaken by Kurt and Karla reflects the evolving dynamics of the players’ own relationship. Design lead Jeff Sparks emphasizes, “The co-operative play element is at the very core of the game design. Players experience all the highs and lows together, guiding Kurt and Karla through a world full of unexpected challenges.”

Trust and Emotional Puzzles

Trust emerges as a central theme within the game, with the cooperative mechanics mirroring the deepening bond between the two main characters. Even the game's most eccentric puzzles are steeped in emotional resonance. For instance, one puzzle features a colossal clay face. Sparks elaborates, “When Kurt and Karla walk on to his mouth, it twists and shifts around, almost like they’re tickling his lips … at its core it’s just an elaborate door, but with all the creativity and mechanics.”

Conclusion: A New Frontier for Indie Games

The fusion of handcrafted artistry and interactive storytelling in Out of Words marks a groundbreaking step for indie games within the adventure and puzzle genres. With its emphasis on cooperative play and emotional depth, the game not only invites players to navigate the charming world of Kurt and Karla but also to reflect on their own relationships. As the team in Aarhus continues to refine this unique project, Out of Words promises to enchant audiences and redefine the boundaries of gaming culture.