Monash experts: Big Walk takes the Australian landscape and indie video game scene global
Monash University
Monash University experts are available to comment on the rising global popularity of the locally-made newly released indie game Big Walk, the complexities of rendering its distinctly Australian setting, and what the game’s success could mean for Australia’s independent games industry.
Lecturer Josh Olsen, Department of Human Centred Computing, Faculty of Information Technology
Contact via: +61 450 501 248 or [email protected]
- Game design and development
- Game development education
- Game programming
- Games accessibility
The following can be attributed to Mx Olsen:
“Gamers were pretty hyped and excited for studio HouseHouse’s new game Big Walk following their last release, the award-winning Untitled Goose Game. What has really helped set Big Walk apart is how uniquely Australian it is in its presentation.
“There are other Australian-produced games, like Forza Horizon 3, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger and Broken Roads, that are set in fictional versions of Australia, but the locale, plants and sounds here are very distinctive and different to what has been released before.
“I cannot remember a game that has developed a similar open-world environment so clearly grounded in a hyper-real representation of the Australian landscape. Particularly for Victorians, it feels very close to home, given its inspiration from Wilsons Promontory National Park in Gippsland.”
“The game will likely help draw attention to the amazing work coming out of the Australian indie games development scene, alongside other popular titles such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, Cult of the Lamb and Mars First Logistics. These games take players into very different fictional worlds, from Silksong’s brutally hard Metroidvania to the devilish roguelike world of Cult of the Lamb and transporting cargo across Mars in Mars First Logistics. Big Walk stands out for being so clearly grounded in the Australian environment.”
“Big Walk showcases the amazing work of developers in Australia, but more could be done to support the industry. The Federal Government’s tax offset for games has now gone into effect, but additional state support through organisations such as Creative Victoria could help further.
“This is particularly important at a time when the global games industry is facing significant layoffs at large AAA studios and tightening publisher funding. There is an opportunity for funding bodies to help game developers build smaller independent studios, contribute to the local economy and thrive.”
Associate Professor Tom Chandler, Department of Human Centred Computing, Faculty of Information Technology
Contact via: +61 450 501 248 or [email protected]
- Landscape simulation
- Landscape history and archaeology
- 3D virtual reconstruction and simulation
The following can be attributed to Associate Professor Chandler:
“When I first saw this game, I was immediately struck by Big Walk's beautiful world design. The love and attention the designers have invested in the game’s plants and trees and granite outcrops is incredible.
“As researchers we’re often grappling with the subtleties of modelling Australian landscapes in 3D, so the scale and artistry of Big Walk's environment is an inspiration to us. And as a frequent visitor to Wilsons Promontory, I can see how the designers have invested a great deal of time studying, rendering and recording the soundscapes of the National Park’s varied ecological zones, from mountains and valleys to surf beaches and meadows of native grasses.
“Games like Big Walk are sure to be an inspiration for our students too. In imagining realistic or fantastical settings for game worlds, there’s much to be said about venturing out into the world around you for ideas instead of looking online. Sometimes it's the street scapes, city and suburbs of where we live, but there's a lot more out there – especially just a couple of hours’ drive away.”
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