Devlog 1 - Masque: A Trickster Tale,
A Primer

By Nick, 06/26/2026

Welcome to the first of many bi-weekly devlogs by Nick,
the Director and Lead Designer on Masque: A Trickster Tale!The goals of these developer logs are to:

1. Track our progress on the game.
2. Offer an insight into our thought process.
3. Provide a sneak peek behind the development curtain.

To get the ball rolling, today's devlog is all about setting up expectations for the game and answering broad questions. We'll explore what a trickster is, what the game is about, what you do in the game, and touch on the vital respect we're keeping in mind when working with so many iconic and important cultural figures.

So, What Is a Trickster?
A Trickster is a fundamental character archetype, like a Hero or Villain, found in cultures throughout the world!

Tricksters, as their name implies, are all about trickiness. Rather than using brute strength or virtue, they use their wit and cunning to get what they want. Sometimes their methods are beyond human morality, to the point they become amoral, or wholly unconcerned about morality. They're almost always selfish, but they're not always evil; tricksters can act both heroically and villainously!

Many classic tricksters are only worried about their own carnal needs, such as food, comfort, and pleasure. Often tricksters will act as an agent of change, challenging the status quo or humbling their arrogant peers. Some tricksters you may have heard of include:

A trickster tale is a specific type of story centered around the exploits of a trickster. Historically, trickster tales have been used to teach audiences, especially children, lessons about virtue and thinking outside the box.

What Is Masque: A Trickster Tale?
At its core, Masque: A Trickster Tale is a pixel-art adventure RPG that captures the whimsical magic of early-2000s console classics. It blends a comedic narrative with snappy, reflex-driven turn-based combat. The game focuses on a foundling, named Kid, who becomes lost in the realm of tricksters from around the world. Early on Kid meets Masque, a magical floating mask who agrees to help Kid find his way back home. We plan to feature over 100 characters from all over the globe in the game!

What Do You Do in the Game?
The game is split into two parts:

Armed only with Masque, a slingshot, and as much courage as Kid can muster, you'll search through the realm of tricksters for a way home. Tricksters you meet on your journey may choose to help, hinder, or attempt to trick you, so make sure to keep your guard up! As you adventure deeper into the realm you'll uncover pieces of magical artifacts; show them to Masque and he might have an idea about how to use them...

As you encounter the mischievous denizens of the Trickster Realm, you'll act in Shows! Shows are turn-based encounters where Kid and Masque take to the stage to bruise the egos of their opponents. Lie, cheat, steal--do whatever you can to get back home! We'll go into further details about shows a few logs from now.

Research and Cultural Sensitivity
For an indie studio like ours, and with a game concept as both ambitious and culturally sensitive as ours, we think it's important to share where our minds are at. In future logs, we'll talk about our research process and how we're working with cultural experts and representatives to respect the living cultures and folklore many of the important figures featured in our game come from!

Devlog 1 - Masque: A Trickster Tale,
A Primer

By Nick, 06/26/2026

Welcome to the first of many bi-weekly devlogs by Nick,
the Director and Lead Designer on Masque: A Trickster Tale!The goals of these developer logs are to:

1. Track our progress on the game.
2. Offer an insight into our thought process.
3. Provide a sneak peek behind the development curtain.

To get the ball rolling, today's devlog is all about setting up expectations for the game and answering broad questions. We'll explore what a trickster is, what the game is about, what you do in the game, and touch on the vital respect we're keeping in mind when working with so many iconic and important cultural figures.

So, What Is a Trickster?
A Trickster is a fundamental character archetype, like a Hero or Villain, found in cultures throughout the world!

Tricksters, as their name implies, are all about trickiness. Rather than using brute strength or virtue, they use their wit and cunning to get what they want. Sometimes their methods are beyond human morality, to the point they become amoral, or wholly unconcerned about morality. They're almost always selfish, but they're not always evil; tricksters can act both heroically and villainously!

Many classic tricksters are only worried about their own carnal needs, such as food, comfort, and pleasure. Often tricksters will act as an agent of change, challenging the status quo or humbling their arrogant peers. Some tricksters you may have heard of include:

A trickster tale is a specific type of story centered around the exploits of a trickster. Historically, trickster tales have been used to teach audiences, especially children, lessons about virtue and thinking outside the box.

What Is Masque: A Trickster Tale?
At its core, Masque: A Trickster Tale is a pixel-art adventure RPG that captures the whimsical magic of early-2000s console classics. It blends a comedic narrative with snappy, reflex-driven turn-based combat. The game focuses on a foundling, named Kid, who becomes lost in the realm of tricksters from around the world. Early on Kid meets Masque, a magical floating mask who agrees to help Kid find his way back home. We plan to feature over 100 characters from all over the globe in the game!

What Do You Do in the Game?
The game is split into two parts:

Armed only with Masque, a slingshot, and as much courage as Kid can muster, you'll search through the realm of tricksters for a way home. Tricksters you meet on your journey may choose to help, hinder, or attempt to trick you, so make sure to keep your guard up! As you adventure deeper into the realm you'll uncover pieces of magical artifacts; show them to Masque and he might have an idea about how to use them...

As you encounter the mischievous denizens of the Trickster Realm, you'll act in Shows! Shows are turn-based encounters where Kid and Masque take to the stage to bruise the egos of their opponents. Lie, cheat, steal--do whatever you can to get back home! We'll go into further details about shows a few logs from now.

Research and Cultural Sensitivity
For an indie studio like ours, and with a game concept as both ambitious and culturally sensitive as ours, we think it's important to share where our minds are at. In future logs, we'll talk about our research process and how we're working with cultural experts and representatives to respect the living cultures and folklore many of the important figures featured in our game come from!