Stories of the Real People aims to create a platform to record, adapt, and distribute stories from the rich and varied oral tradition of communities from across Alaska.  

~Proof of concept~

One Fully Narrated Story

"The Poachers and the Ircenrraq" narrated by George Young.

Two disrespectful hunters run afoul of the sneaky and uncompromising Ircenrraq.  After shooting but not collecting their catch, two hunters are seprated each chasing a different split of the flock. 

This story will contain between 5 and 8 minutes of narration, and a total runtime of around 15-20 mintues. 

Exploration Gameplay

Explore a lovingly realized snippet of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Interactwith characters and minigames to bring the lively narration to even greater depth. 

4 Interaction Mini Games

Short games to enhance your immersion in the story.

• Duck Hunt
  • Quickly take shots at flying ducks 
• Willow Cutting
• Chop at the bases of dead willows to forge a new path.
  
• Sticky Mud
  • Get your boots un-stuck from the mud.
    
• Secret Finale Game
  • A secret and intense final mini-game

Art from local artists Ranger H. Fox and Milo Stickle-Frizzell

Timeline

We predict a 3-4 month development cycle for the demo/proof-of-concept which will be distributed for free on this page.

~Full Project Scope~

Eight Fully Narrated Stories

Eight stories narrated by storytellers from parts of Alaska rarely seen by the outside world. Each story lovingly adapted by our development team featuring art from talented local artists.  While the nature of oral tradition guarantees every story told will be unique from the next, each story adaptation in the full project will be approved by the original storyteller.

Hub Area

A hub region to tie each story together, as well as giving players a place to return and practice their abilities, drumming, and learn cultural context and information about the stories they've already experienced. A hub world also gives us a clean and consistent space to offer new stories in the future.

20+ Interaction Mini Games

To further immerse players in the stories being told, certain interactions will require the performance of short mini-games. These mini-games strive to portray aspects of traditional Alaskan culture in a more detailed way. 

• Ice Fishing
• Navigation
• Orienteering
• Hunting
• Berry picking
• Fish Drying
• Traditional Dance and Drumming
• Dog Sledding
• and many more!

Story Circle

A supplemental way to experience the stories contained within. Story Circle is a simplified way to experience the various tales contained within Stories of the Real People, trading out the  exploration gameplay and focusing instead squarely on a sort of narrated picture book interaction.

Timeline

We predict a 16-18 month development cycle for the full project which will be distributed via digital distribution services (Steam, Microsoft Store, Epic Games Store, GoG, itchio, etc)

~Creators~

George Young

Game developer and storyteller from Bethel, Alaska with a passion for creative storytelling and traditional stories (especially Baby Big Mouth). Worked on several  CakeNeq Games productions including Soul King, PROVIDER,  and BISC. 

Wyatt White

Game developer who grew up in Bethel, Alaska. Passionate about game design, storytelling, and the potential that Alaskan game development has not only to lift up voices within the state but also share them across the globe.  Worked on all CakeNeq Games including Soul King, PROVIDER, SiC, WayDown, and more.

~Resources~

Drum

Drums are an important element of Yupik storytelling, passing from generation to generation and storyteller to storyteller. Our drum's lineage can be traced back through many years and different storytellers.

Local Storytellers

The backbone of any traditional story is the one telling it. We will partner with storytellers from across the state and across tribal lines to build the core of our game. While it's impossible to truly and fully capture an oral tradition, we believe we can at least capture a snapshot of the tradition of these stories to preserve and share with the world.

Local artists

Partnerinig with local artists and musicians will allow us to not only create a varied visual and auditory experience, but also to get input from even more creators and artisans from across the state.

We plan to leverage local artists  and creatives to staff the game team. Milo Stickle-Frizelle and Ranger H Fox are both Alaska based artists with a long history in the state and immense talent in audio, visual, and narrative creation.

Local Developers

By leaning on the cooperation between the Alaska Developer Alliance and CakeNeq Games brings both a broad base of development knowledge as well as a consistent track record of releases. AK Dev Alliance is the premiere collection of software and development professionals in the state, and allows this project access to expertise and guidance in technical matters. CakeNeq Games is a small outfit based in Anchorage (founded in Bethel, AK) with a consistent track record of releases since 2014.