JK : Well, my name is Jonas Kyratzes. You'll notice that this is a strange name. It comes from the wrong translation of the Greek last name Kiratzis into German. You see, my mother is German and my father is Greek. I live in Greece but I speak both languages.

As for my experience in entertainment and computer gaming ... I used to know a lot about mainstream games (the big industry) but eventually I got interested in the independent game development scene and got stuck with it. I run Gamedeveloper.net's newsletter and now and then I write an article. So I usually know what's going on in the indie scene, but I know almost nothing about mainstream games anymore. I've been into game development quite a while now, but I haven't published anything before. Beyond games I'm also interested in writing, reading, and in movies (huge movie freak here).

AFM : Last Rose in a Desert Garden is certainly a moody, poetic piece. Tell us a little bit about the game and what sets it apart from others in the genre.

JK : There are many things that set it apart. For one, it's terribly short :). That was clear to me from the beginning -- this game couldn't be any longer without losing atmosphere. It's also different in the kind of story it tells; this is not about being a hero, or a conqueror -- it's about hope and despair. The way it's written is also pretty original -- I'm quite proud of it, even though there are a few typos :).

AFM : What made you decide on a post-apocalyptic setting for your game? JK : Hmm, good question. I think the sadness and loneliness of this setting were important, but I'm not really sure. It was just the ideal environment.

AFM : What inspired you in creating this game? What examples in film, fiction, entertainment, etc. influenced you?

JK : The book that influenced me most is Empty World by John Christofer, although it's been quite a while since I read it. The movie The Postman also influenced me, it was really great. The movie that influenced me most was Finding Forrester. Yes, I know it's not a post-apocalyptic movie, but it's a movie about writing, and it really inspired me. And you should know that originally Last Rose was a short story. I wrote it at 1 AM right after watching Finding Forrester. Later I turned it into a game. Another influence was my personal life. Things have been pretty bad lately, because the two persons I love most are very far from me and I'm not going to see them for years. Right now I'm actually feeling almost like the hero in the game. So now you know where all the moodiness comes from :).

AFM : What do you think is the appeal of the post-apocalypse or empty world for readers and gamers?

JK : I don't know. The destruction of the world as we know it raises all sorts of philosophical questions. It's quite depressing. Then of course there is the fact that in the new world everybody is more important, because there are so few of us and we're fighting for survival not only of the self, but of the entire species.

AFM : Can you give any tips or hints to players of Last Rose?

JK : Yeah, play the game at a color depth higher than 16 bit. And look for that card near the vault entrance, it's almost impossible to get into the vault without it.

AFM : What's next in terms of your projects?

JK : Right now I'm working on a fantasy RPG (The Lost Light) and a 'strange' adventure game. I've got other projects coming up too, but I want to finish these first. At some point -- hopefully this year -- there will be another two games similar in style to Last Rose. The first one will be about a man stranded on Mars. He knows that when the night comes alien creatures will kill him, and he tries to find a way to survive. It will be called Broken Pieces of Crystal Hope : The Song of Falling Night. The next game will deal with an immortal man who seeks death, and will be called The Neverending Road to Darkness and Sleep : An Ode to Death. Anyway, these are the games I hope to complete in 2001. Pretty ambitious, eh ? :P

• Download Game From AFM (5.1 megs) -- Click Here
  
• Download Game From Jonas Kyratzes, PGD&D (5.1 megs) -- Click Here

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