The Cast & Characters of Starweave
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[/p][p]In today's super-sized devlog, we're joined by Violet & Emily to break down our characters, introduce our voice cast, and share some character art! For our full launch schedule, check out our Steam page below:[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Starweave tells a beautiful, hopeful, and often tragic story. Four destined heroes journey to save the world and grapple with the fates that the world has dealt them. It’s a gripping tale from every angle, so for to kick off this devlog, we’ll look at it from the behind-the-curtain angle of an engineer! Let’s start with our cast and move on from there, with some beautiful art and old development screenshots along the way.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][h2]🌟 Dreamer [/h2][h3]The Leader (Voiced by Heather Gonzalez)[/h3][p]Awakening in the world of her recurring dream, Dreamer is assigned the role of Leader. Her commands tell the party where to move, who to attack, and which abilities to unleash. As the player, you control Dreamer and plan out each turn of combat. But as the leader, Dreamer has certain responsibilities to maintain unity within the team and take charge at times, both of which she struggles with.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][h2]💚 Troubadour[/h2][h3]The Healer (Voiced by Brian Timothy Anderson)[/h3][p]Troubadour is a goody two-shoes golden boy with a bright smile and an even brighter attitude. His kind heart and unshakable positivity are as much of a reprieve from monsters as his magic. He is the only one with the ability to heal, though he may be all too eager to fill his role and disregard his own safety to help an ally.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][h2]🕯 Lighthouse[/h2][h3]The Mage (Voiced by Marissa Lenti)[/h3][p]Lighthouse is a well-composed, stern member of the party who can empower their allies. Cast their buffing magic on a teammate, then watch them deal major damage! She often comes across as intense, but with a keen thoughtfulness driving every action. While they often prefer to remove monsters more directly, Lighthouse makes for a devoted mage.[/p][p]
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[/p][h2]🏹 Blackguard[/h2][h3]The Rogue (Voiced by Anjali Kunapaneni)[/h3][p]Blackguard is an abrasive and hot-headed archer who is as powerful as he is reluctant. He wants no business with this world-saving quest, even more so when it means taking orders from someone else. He seems to know Lighthouse, who keeps him in check enough for him to tag along. Blackguard’s bow deals devastating damage from a distance, making him one of the most reliable means of dispatching enemies.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][h2]🕊 Bird[/h2][h3](Voiced by Emi Ray)[/h3][p]Bird acts as our heroes’ guide on their adventure. It welcomes them to the realm of Lucid, directs them along their quest on behalf of the stars, and offers guidance in both combat and magical matters. However, we know precious little about her beyond this.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
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Many of these roles will sound familiar to fans of fantasy RPGs or similar games, and for good reason. From the initial pitch, Starweave has had gameplay closely intertwined with its story. These familiar roles are archetypes that the characters are directly interacting with and being measured against. What does it mean for Lighthouse as a mage that they would rather directly attack a monster than use their supporting magic? What if Dreamer, as the leader, had Lighthouse’s assertiveness? These harmonies and discrepancies between a character and their role are one of my favorite parts of the story.[/p][p][/p][h2]How the Stars were Woven[/h2][p][/p][p]But what goes into bringing the story to life? The game contains a few different kinds of narrative scenes, including what we internally call Lobbies and Cutscenes. Lobbies are downtime areas where you can talk to your party members to grow closer to them, and as you do, you’ll learn more about them in your Party Menu. [/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p]Making that menu took a lot of work, and I had the pleasure of writing those tidbits you’ll unlock for each character, so make sure to press tab and check it out– my pride and joy! I’m especially proud of Troubadour’s. Or “Troubydouby,” as we call him sometimes.[/p][p][/p][p]As for the Cutscenes, those are the dramatic dialogue scenes you’ll see from time to time, which proved one of the more challenging parts of the game to implement. We had all manner of bugs in those. Characters hovering a meter above or below the ground while talking, menus skewering through dialogue boxes, everyone moonwalking constantly... But the most challenging Cutscene to create was a particular one with Blackguard that I won’t spoil. For that scene, we had to code brand new dialogue commands to make some special visual changes happen that we hadn’t done anywhere else in the game![/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p]While testing that scene dozens and dozens of times, I kept finding myself slowing down and letting the dialogue play out. The voice actors absolutely killed it in their performances, and time and again, despite the work I needed to finish, I kept getting drawn in. It was entrancing. I was responsible for staging the characters in most cutscenes, telling them where and how to move. But making the pantomime of that scene match those vocal performances was deeply challenging, since the performances were just too amazing! We even had to add some new animations later to give the visuals that extra oomph![/p][p]
From the wonderful characters and writing, to the stunning voice acting, to the super duper ultra cool Party Menu that must have been made by someone very talented and pretty, everything in Starweave has come together so well to tell this story! And personally, the experience of blocking scenes and making dialogue shine with unique flourishes has been indispensable in some recent and upcoming narrative-focused games I’m working on. (If you want emotional stories about a robot girl or gay witches, you know where to find me.) So I hope the story of Starweave leaves as much of an impression on you playing it as it has on me making it, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing everyone’s reactions to the story and favorite characters!
[/p][hr][/hr][p][c]Violet Fairy is an often-solo indie game developer, a professional game designer, and a proud implementation engineer of the Starweave team. She loves making games that delve into heartfelt emotions, leveraging unique mechanical twists and theatrical flair to tell her stories. Some of her previous works include [/c]Every Letter[c]: a cozy, introspective game where you typewrite letters on behalf of clients to help express their feelings, and [/c]Autumn Wish[c]: an award winning “pilot episode” of an rpg about being a gay witch and falling in love with your best friend. You can find Violet on most social media, especially Twitter, at @avioletfairy, or @violetfairy on Bluesky, and you can find her games on Steam and itch.io under the name “Violet Fairy”[/c][/p][hr][/hr][h2]![]()
The Voice Cast of Starweave[/h2][p][/p][p]The cast of STARWEAVE is composed of Dreamer (voiced by Heather Gonzalez), Blackguard (voiced by Anjali Kunapaneni), Lighthouse (voiced by Marissa Lenti), Troubadour (voiced by Brian Timothy Anderson), and the Bird (voiced by Emi Ray).
[/p][p]This cast was one of the earliest that I’ve had the honor of assembling, and I am incredibly proud of how well they all mesh together. Vocal harmony and distinctiveness are traits that I greatly value when putting together a cast, since each character should be easily identifiable within the overall cohesive ensemble. I looked for key elements when listening to the auditions we received for STARWEAVE, i.e. Dreamer’s introspection, Blackguard’s snark, Lighthouse’s composure, Troubadour’s brightness, and the Bird’s sweetness. And I was able to find these distinct elements and more in the vibrant performances from the actors we brought on to the project.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Troubadour was the easiest character to cast out of the five. The moment I heard Brian’s audition, I knew he had to be Troubadour. The youthful, earnest energy that Brian exuded in his performance instantly caught my ear, and I loved hearing the emotional journey that he crafted with just a handful of lines. There were so many layers to Brian’s performance that made Troubadour feel like a well-rounded and impactful character, in spite of his shorter screen time.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]In my search for a femme-leaning non-binary SWANA actor for Lighthouse, I utilized the Queer Vox Directory. Finding a performer who identified the same way Lighthouse did was very important to both Rachel Geng, the main developer, and me. I strongly believe that authenticity in casting is reflected in and enriches performance, as actors can bring their real-life experiences to the characters they play. And Marissa’s audition blew me away with their grounded performance, which is essential for a prudent and composed character like Lighthouse.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Finding a trans-masc POC actor for Blackguard was the biggest challenge, but one I greatly welcomed. I not only used the Queer Vox Directory but also reached out to friends in the LGBTQ+ community who could refer actors who fit the project's specs. It was through one of these reach-outs that Anjali heard about the project and then contacted me to audition for the role. And after I received their audition, I knew they were the perfect fit for Blackguard. Anjali’s performance was playful and snarky in moments of levity, and intensely raw and heart-wrenching when the stakes demanded it.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]As the group's leader and main protagonist, Dreamer is the character the player spends the most time with. So extra deliberation was taken to ensure that I cast an actor who could properly portray Dreamer’s arc. Heather brought a sense of wonder and determination with undertones of insecurity to her audition that perfectly encapsulated Dreamer’s core traits. By showcasing such strong acting skills, I knew Heather could be trusted to embody every emotion that Dreamer experiences in the story.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]The Bird was the last character to be cast. I looked for both innocence and omniscience when listening to auditions, since the Bird is the group’s guide throughout the game. Emi was able to capture that nuance and mystery, and it was an added bonus when Rachel and I found out that birds are actually Emi’s favorite animal!
[/p][p]After assembling the cast, I scheduled and facilitated all recording sessions. Our VO director, Katiana Sarkissian, masterfully worked with each actor to draw out dynamic performances that brought each scene to life. The cast did a phenomenal job of bringing their respective STARWEAVE characters to life, and I have many fond memories of the laughter and fun shared during those sessions.
[/p][p]Since then, I have had the honor of working with these amazing voice actors on other projects, and they have all continued to flourish in their careers.[/p][p][/p][p]Notable credits for each actor include:
[/p][p]Heather Gonzalez[/p]![]()
[/p][hr][/hr][p][c]Emily Sun is a Chinese-American voice actress based in LA. Some of her voice acting credits include: Clara (Honkai: Star Rail), Seo Jiwoo (Solo Leveling), Lich (Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond/Granblue Fantasy), Chloe (Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond/Granblue Fantasy), Gnome Doctor Noel (Guardian Tales), Choi Eun (The Murky Stream), Lee Hyesung (The Devil’s Plan), Jung Yeondu (Pyramid Game), Qiu Lin (Our Life: Now & Forever), and Tala (DuoQ).[/c][/p][p][c]Emily’s voiceover journey began at USC when she took her first voice acting class and that life-changing experience prompted her to pivot from pre-med to pursuing a career in voice acting. She has since lent her voice to dozens of video games, anime, animation, live action shows, commercials, trailers, and podcasts. Notable clients she’s worked with include: miHoYo/HoYoverse, Crunchyroll, Netflix, Disney+, Cygames, Netmarble, Paramount+, Sony, Kong Studios, Super Creative/Smilegate, Mili Pictures, GB Patch Games, Tinkercast, and more.[/c][/p][p][c]In addition to voice acting, Emily is a casting director, VO director, and VO producer for indie video games developed through USC Games, the #1 game design program in the country. She is a huge believer in casting authentically and bringing together incredibly talented actors to create a diverse cast that will elevate a project’s storytelling to the next level.[/c][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p]PS: If you want to find out which role you might play if you find yourself in the world of Lucid... take our character quiz below! ✨
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Many of these roles will sound familiar to fans of fantasy RPGs or similar games, and for good reason. From the initial pitch, Starweave has had gameplay closely intertwined with its story. These familiar roles are archetypes that the characters are directly interacting with and being measured against. What does it mean for Lighthouse as a mage that they would rather directly attack a monster than use their supporting magic? What if Dreamer, as the leader, had Lighthouse’s assertiveness? These harmonies and discrepancies between a character and their role are one of my favorite parts of the story.[/p][p][/p][h2]How the Stars were Woven[/h2][p][/p][p]But what goes into bringing the story to life? The game contains a few different kinds of narrative scenes, including what we internally call Lobbies and Cutscenes. Lobbies are downtime areas where you can talk to your party members to grow closer to them, and as you do, you’ll learn more about them in your Party Menu. [/p][p][/p][p]
From the wonderful characters and writing, to the stunning voice acting, to the super duper ultra cool Party Menu that must have been made by someone very talented and pretty, everything in Starweave has come together so well to tell this story! And personally, the experience of blocking scenes and making dialogue shine with unique flourishes has been indispensable in some recent and upcoming narrative-focused games I’m working on. (If you want emotional stories about a robot girl or gay witches, you know where to find me.) So I hope the story of Starweave leaves as much of an impression on you playing it as it has on me making it, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing everyone’s reactions to the story and favorite characters!
[/p][hr][/hr][p][c]Violet Fairy is an often-solo indie game developer, a professional game designer, and a proud implementation engineer of the Starweave team. She loves making games that delve into heartfelt emotions, leveraging unique mechanical twists and theatrical flair to tell her stories. Some of her previous works include [/c]Every Letter[c]: a cozy, introspective game where you typewrite letters on behalf of clients to help express their feelings, and [/c]Autumn Wish[c]: an award winning “pilot episode” of an rpg about being a gay witch and falling in love with your best friend. You can find Violet on most social media, especially Twitter, at @avioletfairy, or @violetfairy on Bluesky, and you can find her games on Steam and itch.io under the name “Violet Fairy”[/c][/p][hr][/hr][h2]
[/p][p]This cast was one of the earliest that I’ve had the honor of assembling, and I am incredibly proud of how well they all mesh together. Vocal harmony and distinctiveness are traits that I greatly value when putting together a cast, since each character should be easily identifiable within the overall cohesive ensemble. I looked for key elements when listening to the auditions we received for STARWEAVE, i.e. Dreamer’s introspection, Blackguard’s snark, Lighthouse’s composure, Troubadour’s brightness, and the Bird’s sweetness. And I was able to find these distinct elements and more in the vibrant performances from the actors we brought on to the project.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Troubadour was the easiest character to cast out of the five. The moment I heard Brian’s audition, I knew he had to be Troubadour. The youthful, earnest energy that Brian exuded in his performance instantly caught my ear, and I loved hearing the emotional journey that he crafted with just a handful of lines. There were so many layers to Brian’s performance that made Troubadour feel like a well-rounded and impactful character, in spite of his shorter screen time.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]In my search for a femme-leaning non-binary SWANA actor for Lighthouse, I utilized the Queer Vox Directory. Finding a performer who identified the same way Lighthouse did was very important to both Rachel Geng, the main developer, and me. I strongly believe that authenticity in casting is reflected in and enriches performance, as actors can bring their real-life experiences to the characters they play. And Marissa’s audition blew me away with their grounded performance, which is essential for a prudent and composed character like Lighthouse.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Finding a trans-masc POC actor for Blackguard was the biggest challenge, but one I greatly welcomed. I not only used the Queer Vox Directory but also reached out to friends in the LGBTQ+ community who could refer actors who fit the project's specs. It was through one of these reach-outs that Anjali heard about the project and then contacted me to audition for the role. And after I received their audition, I knew they were the perfect fit for Blackguard. Anjali’s performance was playful and snarky in moments of levity, and intensely raw and heart-wrenching when the stakes demanded it.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]As the group's leader and main protagonist, Dreamer is the character the player spends the most time with. So extra deliberation was taken to ensure that I cast an actor who could properly portray Dreamer’s arc. Heather brought a sense of wonder and determination with undertones of insecurity to her audition that perfectly encapsulated Dreamer’s core traits. By showcasing such strong acting skills, I knew Heather could be trusted to embody every emotion that Dreamer experiences in the story.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]The Bird was the last character to be cast. I looked for both innocence and omniscience when listening to auditions, since the Bird is the group’s guide throughout the game. Emi was able to capture that nuance and mystery, and it was an added bonus when Rachel and I found out that birds are actually Emi’s favorite animal!
[/p][p]After assembling the cast, I scheduled and facilitated all recording sessions. Our VO director, Katiana Sarkissian, masterfully worked with each actor to draw out dynamic performances that brought each scene to life. The cast did a phenomenal job of bringing their respective STARWEAVE characters to life, and I have many fond memories of the laughter and fun shared during those sessions.
[/p][p]Since then, I have had the honor of working with these amazing voice actors on other projects, and they have all continued to flourish in their careers.[/p][p][/p][p]Notable credits for each actor include:
[/p][p]Heather Gonzalez[/p]
- [p]Yukari Takeba (Persona 3 Reload)[/p]
- [p]Cocolia Rand (Honkai: Star Rail)[/p]
- [p]Mineru (The Legend of Zelda)
[/p]
- [p]Roy (Pokémon Horizons)[/p]
- [p]Dori (Genshin Impact)[/p]
- [p]Sushang (Honkai: Star Rail)
[/p]
- [p]Gangle (The Amazing Digital Circus)[/p]
- [p]Pulchra Fellini (Zenless Zone Zero)[/p]
- [p]Ilse Langnar (Attack on Titan)
[/p]
- [p]Rosado (Fire Emblem)[/p]
- [p]Aizetsu (Demon Slayer)[/p]
- [p]Darach (Pokémon Masters EX)
[/p]
- [p]Moxie (Bit Wars)[/p]
- [p]Nina Tageki (Far Away)[/p]
- [p]Linh Pham (Shell of a Day)
[/p]
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