Developer Log #1: Shaping the World of Wilderness

Welcome Aboard, Detectives.

A new developer log series is here! This time, we’re diving into the narrative behind Moses & Plato - Last Train to Clawville and exploring the world that inspired it: the Wilderness Universe.

Hello, everyone.

I’m Bánk B. Varga, and I’m the writer and lead designer of Moses & Plato, and creator of the World of Wilderness. Today, I’m excited to share a bit about the creative process and the narrative direction behind our games.

Let’s jump right into it.

In-game art used for Moses & Plato

The Feral Stories from the Wilderness

The Wilderness Universe started with our 2020 game Chicken Police - Paint it RED! But even back then, we already knew we were building something bigger.

Behind the scenes, we began developing a much larger world. Its history, cultures, political tensions, and the societies that inhabit it. Over time, this universe expanded with more stories, including Zipp’s Café and Chicken Police: Into the HIVE!.

Even though these games share the same world, each one tells its own story and can be enjoyed independently. When designing the Wilderness, we wanted it to feel like a real, functioning world, not just a backdrop for individual stories.

Chicken Police - Paint it RED!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1084640/Chicken_Police__Paint_it_RED

Zipps Cafe

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1812180/Zipps_Caf/

Chicken Police - Into the HIVE!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2362090/Chicken_Police_Into_the_HIVE/

There are ongoing political tensions, historical conflicts, and social developments that exist independently of the games themselves. Some storylines begin in one game and continue in another, forming a larger narrative that stretches across the entire universe.

To support this idea, we developed a detailed history of the world spanning centuries—complete with countries, religions, political movements, and cultural changes. The result is a setting that continues to evolve even when the player isn’t directly seeing it.

Interestingly, Moses and Plato existed in the Wilderness long before this game.

The Wilderness detectives appear in the Chicken Police series.

They were mentioned in the first Chicken Police, Moses later appeared in Zipp’s Café, and both characters show up again in Into the HIVE!. Eventually, we realized their story deserved its own spotlight. That’s how Moses & Plato – Last Train to Clawville was born.

You could call it a spin-off, but we prefer to think of it as a standalone story that stands firmly on its own two feet… or paws

Moses is making an appearance in Zipp’s Cafe.

So while there are many connections between the games, each title stands on its own. But players who explore more of the Wilderness might recognize familiar faces or story threads that connect the world together.

Zipp from Zipp’s Cafe is also making an appearance in the Chicken Police series.

The Tension between Powers in the Wilderness

The story of Moses & Plato - Last Train to Clawville takes place during a tense political moment in the Wilderness.

One of the major conflicts in this world is the long-standing rivalry between the Clawville colonial empire and the United Republic of Stowonia. This conflict has lasted for decades, some might even say centuries. Its escalation threatens to trigger a devastating global war.

In the Wilderness, these massive conflicts are known as the Meat Wars.

Map of the Wilderness

At the beginning of the game, the Clawville Express departs from Stowonia, carrying a peace ambassador on an extremely important negotiation. If successful, the meeting could prevent a war that might change the fate of the entire world.

Unfortunately, things don’t go according to plan. On the very first day of the journey, the ambassador is murdered.

Now he must uncover the real culprit, clear his name, and possibly prevent a war along the way. No pressure, right?

The Two Big Powers Boarding the Clawville Express

That’s all for today’s Developer Log.

We hope you enjoyed this small glimpse into the world of the Wilderness.

Be sure to check back next week, when we’ll share more about the inspirations behind the characters of Moses & Plato - Last Train to Clawville.

Until then, stay sharp, detectives.

Be mindful of the passengers, and always stay on your paws. The Wilderness Society

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