Unveiling the Minds behind Cocoon: The Complex Puzzle Game from Playdead Defectors
Jeppe Carlsen, Jakob Schmid, and Erwin Kho, the brilliant minds behind Cocoon, share insights with GameSpot on their journey of leaving Playdead and crafting their most intricate puzzle game to date Discover the intriguing depths of Cocoon's enigmatic finale
In 2016, both lead gameplay designer Jeppe Carlsen and programmer/composer Jakob Schmid, who had been part of the team behind Playdead's popular puzzle platformer Inside, made a significant announcement: they were departing from the company. Inspired by their experience working on Inside, Carlsen and Schmid decided it was time to establish a new studio called Geometric Interactive. They embarked on the development of Cocoon, an ambitious puzzle game that would differ significantly in structure and essence from their previous works. Carlsen revealed in an exclusive interview with Our Website that the concept behind Cocoon was too captivating for them to pass up.
"Initially, there were just numerous thought experiments centered around exploring a hierarchy of worlds and finding creative ways to manipulate this hierarchy for constructing puzzles that offered a fresh and innovative way of thinking," Carlsen shared. "It all started with that mechanical concept... And every time I pondered over it, I became even more convinced that this game had to be created. It was simply too captivating to ignore."
In Cocoon, the central character carries an orange orb to a bridge in order to progress through the intricacies of the world. According to Carlsen, Cocoon served as the foundation upon which Geometric Interactive was built. However, the transition from working within a studio to establishing their own required a considerable amount of personal puzzle-solving.
"It was initially quite frightening," Schmid expressed to Our Website. "There was a tremendous amount to handle."
Schmid further conveyed that, being the founder, he bore most of the responsibilities, particularly those related to the audio, music, and sound of the game, until they enlisted more developers. Nonetheless, Carlsen revealed his eagerness for that responsibility, stating that it was something he had long desired.
"When I left Playdead, the company had reached a certain size. And at that point, for most tasks, there would be someone more skilled than myself," Carlsen explained. "I consider myself a capable programmer, although not the best in the world. However, I genuinely enjoy programming. Starting anew provided the type of change that I was missing."
Beyond reigniting Carlsen's passion for programming, the creation of Geometric Interactive and subsequently Cocoon also allowed him to embark on a new identity—one deeply rooted in computer science, geometry, logic, and mathematics. Because of this, Cocoon's design took an unexpected turn. Carlsen shared that the game's plot, tone, and setting were all undecided when the team initially began working on it. Instead, they focused on an emphasis on mathematical game design. Nonetheless, as any game developer will attest, the process of envisioning a game and bringing it to life are two completely distinct challenges.
"There is always a sense of unease when starting the game development process as it brings to light all the problems that need to be addressed. However, I was pleasantly surprised that most of the issues arose during the initial stages. Additionally, there were unforeseen challenges and aspects that were difficult to accurately imagine, especially for Cocoon. One of the main challenges in game design has been figuring out how to structure the game in a way that ensures a well-paced and always accessible experience."
The structural challenges presented by Cocoon are evident. In this game, players take on the role of a beetle-like insect and explore various biomes in search of orbs that contain entire worlds. These orbs can be inserted into mechanisms, which then project the worlds onto puddles on the ground. Players can seamlessly enter these projected worlds. However, carrying a specific orb grants players a unique power that is lost once the orb is set down. This creates an intricate puzzle where players need to strategically move orbs around and work within the game's logic to make progress.
The Cocoon protagonist explores an alien area that resembles cells. Recognizing the complexity of the game, Carlsen decided to introduce simplicity and structure. Thus, the team opted for a linear experience with uncomplicated mechanics: using four directional keys to move and a single button for interaction.
"From the very beginning, I knew that this game idea was incredibly complex in certain aspects. Therefore, it felt natural to me that the more complex it becomes, the more we need to simplify it in order to avoid overwhelming players," Carlsen stated.
"It allows me, as a puzzle designer, to have more control in effectively communicating to the player when they need to shoot and laying out the puzzles," Carlsen explained. "For example, when I need to introduce something new and teach the player about the purple orb, I want to ensure that the orange and green orbs don't create confusion or distract from the learning experience."
However, Carlsen acknowledged that several locations and puzzles had to be changed during the later stages of production to prevent confusion. While limiting the area players could explore helped reduce frustrating backtracking, the linear nature of Cocoon also presented its own challenges. Extensive playtesting by Geometric Interactive revealed that if players didn't fully grasp Carlsen's intended message, the game would essentially come to a stop. Thankfully, Jakob Schmid's expertise in sound design proved invaluable in addressing this issue.
Jeppe's idea of enhancing the player's understanding and importance within the game led to a significant breakthrough. With the creation of these delightful tones, it became clear that whenever a player experienced a revelation, these sounds would be inserted. This direct feedback greatly improved the puzzles, even though it was a late addition to the game. Carlsen and Schmid agree that including these tracks during playtesting made a remarkable impact. Previously, players approached Cocoon and its complex puzzles with uncertainty, but these reassuring melodies instilled confidence and assured them that they were heading in the right direction. Despite being added just a month before the release, it is now difficult to imagine the final version of Cocoon without this addition.
In addition to the medleys, Schmid introduced another groundbreaking element into Cocoon. He revealed his method for creating a soundtrack that was both subtle and powerful, capable of accommodating players who spent a longer time in specific areas, without relying on repetitive loops.
"I detest looping music in games. It really annoys me," Schmid admitted. "So I wanted to avoid that. I experimented with writing software synthesizers that could play as a plugin while the game is running. They exist in their own little world, providing background music while you potentially solve a puzzle, and their tunes may change depending on your location or proximity to certain objects."
Thanks to Schmid and his team, the music in Cocoon achieves a delicate balance between richness and simplicity. It reflects Carlsen's principle of harmonizing complexity and minimalism, a philosophy that extends to the game's art design as well. Erwin Kho, previously a talented freelance illustrator, seamlessly transitioned into his role as Cocoon's art director and lead artist. His impressive portfolio attests to why he was the perfect choice for the studio.
Kho explained that his artwork is influenced by '90s computer graphics and is characterized by polygonal designs. His work showcases a strong appreciation for geometry and minimalism, which he brings to life in his artwork titled Cocoon. However, one of the challenges he faced was preventing sharpness and potential noise or emptiness that geometric shapes can sometimes create.
According to Kho, having solely angular shapes can result in a noisy or empty feeling. Therefore, he experimented with different techniques to achieve a fuller aesthetic. Kho and his team decided to paint the vertices on the meshes and develop their own shaders. This allowed them to have control over the appearance of the paint splotches, including the ability to add various textures. The outcome is a minimalistic yet visually rich look.
The Cocoon protagonist ventures into a captivating environment with a alluring teal palette. Moreover, Kho played a pivotal role in shaping the game's narrative. The artist revealed that his designs were primarily influenced by the gameplay of Cocoon, which essentially involves an unidentified entity carrying entire worlds, akin to how an ant can bear up to 50 times its own weight. Carlsen and Schmid's concepts sparked the creation of an insect-like character, triggering a cascade of further ideas.
"The concept of an insect-inspired character resonated with me," Kho expressed. "Then the question arose, 'Why is this character carrying these orbs...what is the purpose behind this civilization?' Thus, perceiving this insect as a single drone, possibly one of many, guided us towards a specific path."
The team intentionally keeps the exact location of this direction ambiguous.
Despite undergoing a transformative journey across different realms within Cocoon, the reasons behind these actions are never clarified. The heroic nature of our protagonist's actions, the purpose of the guardians, and the significance of liberating the moon ancestors in relation to the universe's state are never disclosed. Schmid appreciates this aspect of games.
I enjoy games that require independent thinking to progress through the story. It's even better if the story is somewhat ambiguous because it encourages me to use my own thoughts to unravel it. I hope many players have a similar experience.
According to Carlsen, the ending of the game also has a puzzle-like nature. It was intriguing to see how the logic of the game and puzzles could be applied to comprehend it. Personally, it made sense to me in a way.
Carlsen expressed that the ideal outcome for players after experiencing Cocoon would be a profound feeling of insignificance amidst the vastness of the universe. He explained that while the game's finale evokes a sense of grandeur, it also highlights the smallness of the individual in comparison to the immense cosmos. Carlsen further emphasized that the game encompasses multiple levels, spanning from the planetary scale down to the tiniest molecular level.
"It's a fractal," Kho chuckled.
"If you were to interrogate me, Erwin, and Jakob about the essence of this game, I doubt our responses would align," Carlsen remarked. "Nevertheless, that's completely acceptable. As long as we find it motivating to collaborate on and believe that the experience will inspire others, then we have accomplished our mission."
Cocoon was released on September 29, 2023 and is currently available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4.
Editor's P/S
As a hard fan of puzzle games, I am incredibly excited about the release of Cocoon. The minds behind the game, Jeppe Carlsen, Jakob Schmid, and Erwin Kho, are all incredibly talented and have a proven track record of creating amazing games. I am particularly interested in the game's unique structure, which involves exploring a hierarchy of worlds and manipulating them in creative ways to solve puzzles. This sounds like a very challenging and rewarding experience, and I can't wait to see how the team has implemented it.
I am also intrigued by the game's setting and tone. The game is set in a surreal and otherworldly world, and the player takes on the role of a beetle-like insect. This gives the game a very unique and unsettling atmosphere, and I am excited to see how the team has used this to create a memorable and immersive experience. Overall, I am very excited about Cocoon and can't wait to get my hands on it when it releases.
