Goat Hill Mansion: A Short Gothic Delight
In this exclusive chat with Otome.com, we had the absolute thrill of interviewing Ester, the creative mind behind Goat Hill Mansion, a gothic otome visual novel that sweeps players into a story of mystery and intrigue. You step into the role of Violet, a young woman who inherits a sprawling mansion after the mysterious death of its previous owner. Once there, she encounters two captivating men, including the enigmatic Hunter, whose true nature might surprise you. With secrets lurking in every corner, Goat Hill Mansion invites you to unravel a tale of romance, hidden pasts, and unexpected revelations.
“The original spark? Playing Final Fantasy IV and having my mother translate it to me, as I barely knew how to read when I played it. Learning that Yoshitaka Amano was behind the characters of this fantastical world told me that there are actual people who make this magic happen, and that gave me a strong spark of admiration.”
“My literal starting point was the artist metalmiku telling me to write a gothic suspense mansion story with characters such as a young woman, a mysterious handsome guy, “the specific monster” and a cat.”
“I wanted to convey the atmosphere in my writing I remembered from reading gothic anthologies of various authors that usually depicted eerie mansion/ghost stories, so I reminisced those while writing. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit nervous how slowly I was progressing knowing that I was making the artist, and the programmer wait for me to craft elements together, so I did share the story, locations, and characters later as I wrote them.”
“Of course, interactions with Hunter were fun to write because the way he is, and because Violet doesn´t know with what kind of person they are dealing with, and her reactions are based on how she perceives him.”
“Finally! Someone who roots for Ian. I did write him as a “natural flowing chemistry” character to contrast Hunter. The kind of person who doesn´t immediately drop lines when they first meet you in a non-romantic context as in “What are you looking for in a relationship?” or “I am single with two kids” – yes, these are interactions from real life.”
“Personally, I love cute and organic development of relationships, be it friendship or romance, and Ian is a character that has that flow.”
“Also, I have to confess I secretly wanted Ian´s character art to look cute and cuddly, but I was also curious to see how metalmiku created the character.”
“Let me put it this way: in the past, there was a theory that suggested that people with autism are incapable of empathy because of how they performed in a test regarding the “Theory of Mind”, simply put, they didn´t seem to be able to think what the other person is thinking or feeling. This was challenged later, that people with autism performed differently in the test because of a “language barrier” due to differences in neural networks, not because of lack of empathy.”
“This is just to convey the idea that there is no straightforward answer, it´s less about programming and more about how he experiences and expresses them. Will I explore Hunter´s character more in-depth in my writing? Absolutely.”
In Goat Hill Mansion, mysteries surround every corner, especially when it comes to Violet’s connection to the mansion and its enigmatic previous owner. Here, we dive into some of the game’s most intriguing secrets with the creator, revealing connections and characters whose pasts are deeply entwined with the eerie estate.
“I think the team was so focused on delivering the game in time for the game jam, that we didn´t even know what to expect, but of course, we were excitedly waiting for feedback. The feedback has been validating and encouraging, very uplifting with good critique.”
“While this was not the first game I have worked on, this was the first game published I wrote a story and designed an accompanying game mechanic for, so it felt validating to have people enjoying the game mechanic and the story. I was especially moved by a private comment that commended my depiction of silence, because that is something I have a deep appreciation for.”
“Currently, I´m focusing on expanding the story of Goat Hill Mansion since there is more story to be told – and truthfully, I had to shift to a “pulp fiction” mentality from “gothic story” mid-writing because of the game jam deadline. I want to deliver a more complete story with potential routes.”
As a special treat for Otome.com readers, the developers at Eternal Love Studios have shared some exclusive concept art of the characters from Goat Hill Mansion! This rare sneak peek includes artwork of Violet and Hunter, showcasing the attention to detail and unique personalities that make them so memorable in the game. It’s a curious glimpse behind the scenes and a small taste of the artistry and creativity that goes into the development of visual novels.
As this interview comes to an end, Ester wanted to thank their fellow game dev Jarory de Jesus for giving them the encouragement to write stories publicly without overthinking, and also thank their team: the artist metalmiku and the programmer Ut-elias.
If you wish to experience the game for yourself, and look out for future updates, be sure to check out Goat Hill Mansion on Itch.io.
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