I sat down with Eternity’s Child’s creator Luc Benard in which we discuss his latests projects and thoughts.

Cheng: As a professional artist/fairy tale creator, why have you decided to approach the gaming industry with your work?

Benard: Mainly because there is nothing like what I have to offer in the current video game industry. Video games are making more than the movie industry and they are the entertainment of tomorrow.

Cheng: Your first video game, Eternity’s Child, puts players in the shoes of Angel, a complete minority compared to the other children in the orphanage he resided in. He then sets off on a quest to find remaining creatures of his species and hopefully gain acceptance. Does the fact that Angel has no wings strike any other significant traits of him? Some of which we don’t know about?

Benard: Well he doesn’t really have any other significant traits, apart from being a mentally disturbed child.

Cheng: Looking at Eternity’s Child, I must say the artwork is gorgeous; how did you come up with these masterful and obscure designs for the fairy tale?

Benard: I think the current world we live in is ugly and boring, I like to imagine what kind of world I would like to live in. I live myself in a imaginary world, I prefer not to ever accept reality.

Cheng: The game was originally due out on the Xbox Live Arcade, but it wasn’t possible because of the file size limit on downloadable games and now development and production have shifted to the Nintendo Wii and DS. Does this open up new opportunities to expand on your original concept thanks to more storage space (extra content, more art perhaps)?

Benard: Well also Eternity’s Child got the red light for the live arcade. Well I would say it’s really good for the soundtrack and levels, since now there is no more limits to anything.

Cheng: As we turn our heads and look at the horsepower of the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, most developers have taken the newly formed path to create photo-realistic video games for pure eye candy. Do you feel that more companies should tackle projects with traditional art and designs? What are your opinions on the Nintendo Wii and DS and their innovations with motion sensing and touch-screen?

Benard: I think art direction is what makes a game good looking, not more polygons, video games are getting more and more boring and I’m sick of the “I’m a big muscle bald headed man saving the world from mutant hamsters from outer space”. I’m sick of the movie and music industry also, so I’m making something that I would enjoy playing, watching as well as listening to. The Wii is pretty fun I can’t wait until they make a porno game on it lol, imagine what they could do lol, you could spank people with the controller lol.

Cheng: Straying away to your other project, The Rose Princess, you described it as your chef d’oeuvre (master piece). Why so?

Benard: Eternity’s Child was inspired by my past, however The Rose Princess is inspired by my present. The Rose Princess I can talk about many other more mature subjects since it’s not planned for children. I just really love the characters in this fairytale so much, the funny thing is that they are all inspired by real people that I know. And also gameplay-wise it’s going to be something really new and original, especially the way you will be able to play the cello.

Cheng: The kill-with-one-touch cello player (Rose Princess) and the drug-addicted, alcoholic, cross-dressing prostitute mechanical rabbit (Mr. Cuddles) are radically different characters that are striving for the same goal: finding acceptance from the world. How would you describe their relationship with each other? And since they are completely oblivious to the world, how far will problems escalate for them on their journey?

Benard: Well the rose princess was inspired by Megan McCauley, she needed to be as beautiful as she is dangerous, she never gives up however hard the road is. Mr Cuddles on the other hand many elements were inspired by myself, when I was a kid I used to wear dresses and everyone thought I was a girl. However I don’t have any drug or alcohol problems lol. I have been homeless a couple of times where no one cared and I nearly became a prostitute. So most elements in this game are inspired by real life stories.

The relationship between the 2 characters will be unseperable, they will both need each other, The Rose Princess is the only person that has accepted Mr Cuddles for who he is. The problems for both characters will go pretty far, The Rose Princess will have bounty hunters after her since she is considered a threat to society, as well as extreme religious groups.

Cheng: Judging by both of your fairy tales, the tone is very dark and acceptance is the major theme. What message(s) are you trying to convey to your audience?

Benard: I’m not really trying to deliver any messages, most is inspired by my life. I’ve been doing stories since I was a child, trying to escape from reality. I really want to bring emotions to people, I want to make them feel. I’m a very emotional person and friendship and love is what matters to me the most and within the last 4 months I have met the most fantastic people I will ever know.

Cheng: I’ve read several comments from readers and they are very interested in the potential of your interactive fairy-tales, noting that something this new doesn’t come to the gaming industry very often. Do you have any comments for these immediate-fans?

Benard: Well actually I would like to say BLOODY THANK YOU!!! It really means alot to me, the videogame industry is really hard and critics are harsh and being an independent is also very hard, so I thank everyone who is supporting this, hey we should even all go out and party (laughs).

Cheng: As we close the interview, do you have any last (inspiring) words for our fellow gamers, story writers and artists?

Benard: Hmmm I don’t really have anything inspiring to say to people lol, just go and buy Megan McCauley’s Better Than Blood album, lol I’m not doing publicity at all lol. Oh yeah and also does anyone know any virgins? I have a friend who likes them (I’m serious) lol.