🎤 Interview with Hidebu

2023年 3月 30日
Indie Tsushin 2023 March issueThis article was featured in our 2023 March issue. Check out more articles and interviews in the full issue.

Hidebu was kind enough to speak with us about working on the adorable management sim and adventure game, Cat Café 101!


English (Translated)

Translated by Renkon

Screenshot of Cat Café 101. The player is standing in the cafe and facing the blue robot who runs it. Around them are lots of cats milling about. Some of the tables nearby have sweets on them.

(2022) Cat Café 101

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm Hidebu. I make games using pixel art that I made myself. Since I can't do programming, I make games with no-code engines like RPG Maker. I work as an illustrator who draws portraits.

How did you get started making games?

I started making games because I wanted my daughter, who was in elementary school at the time, to be able to play a game that I made before she grew up. But one thing I didn't anticipate was for her to also start making games. I think it is unmistakable that we share the same blood.

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player is standing in front of the shopkeeper, who has an outdoor stall. A large sign in the back says CAT FOOD ONLY. There are crates and counters surrounding the stall, and town characters walking around on the sides.

Do you make or play games together? If so, are there any differences from when you work alone?

My daughter like side-scrolling beat-'em-ups, so I sometimes play them with her. And since my daughter makes her own games, we playtest each others' games and exchange opinions and ideas on how to improve our work. I think this is a much better environment than if I were to make games in isolation. I am truly grateful to my daughter from the bottom of my heart.

What does your general game-making process look like?

I roughly decide on a theme, then sketch out the map by hand. I flesh out that idea as I draw the items and obstacles. Using that as a guide, I create the actual map, and test it out by walking around while adding more skits and items. After that, my daughter and I continue to playtest the game. I write down any points that can be improved upon, along with any ideas that I think would be fun to add. Once everything is completed, I repeat this process from the beginning again and again until I run out of tasks to complete. Then I translate the game into English and release it.

Title screen for Rabbit loves Carrot

(2021) Rabbit loves Carrot

I understand that you are quite familiar with RPG Maker. Are there any engines you are interested in or have tried?

I'm interested in any game engines that don't require any coding! I actually made a game in Pocket Platformer, Rabbit loves Carrot. Right now, I am working on a game using GB Studio.

How did you become interested in pixel art? Do you have any favorite pixel artists or works that you can recommend?

When I was young, I used to play Game Boy all the time, so I naturally became interested in pixel art. As for my favorite pixel artist, I really like 2BitU for their simple yet deep work. I also really love Acorn Grove by GibbonGL, and have replayed it many times. Both of these artists can be found on itch.

Can you tell us about some of your favorite games or genres?

My favorite game is The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening for the Game Boy. For indie games, my favorite is A Short Hike. I like every genre, but now that I'm a grown adult, I've settled on easygoing adventure games. Games where you do quests to open up new areas to explore, and collect items to do more activities. These kinds of games are just so much fun to play.

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player is standing in the center of the patisserie, which has filled out the twelve plates with sweets and baked goods. The chef is in the back.

Please tell us about Cat Café 101!

This is a simple game where you collect 101 cats at a cat café by giving them canned cat food. We also added elements like collecting recipes and furniture to mix things up.

What was your greatest influence when making Cat Café 101?

My initial idea was to make something like Cookie Clicker but as an adventure game. The idea that you need money to unlock new areas was inspired by Mini Mini Farm, and the idea of running a cat café was inspired by Calico.

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player is about to enter the furniture shop, which has a sign across the top that says FURNITURE in yellow on a blue background.

What was the most challenging part of making Cat Café 101?

Handling all of the text with multi-language plugins. It was a lot of work, but because of that, we were able to create a single build, which let us create it as a browser game. Far more people will play it if they can run it in their browser, so I think it was a challenge worth taking on.

As for the game itself, it was a challenge just trying to make a Cookie Clicker-like experience. In the end, it all came down to balancing.

Do you have a cat or any other pet? Would you like to try running your own cat café in real life?

To tell you the truth, I don't have any pets, and I've never had any. I am a lazy person so I don't think I'm suited to keeping pets. But if I can play an indie game where I can run a cat café, that seems like a lot of fun!

Title screen of Mimi and animals

(2021) Mimi and animals

Can you tell us about any other games you worked on in the past?

The very first game I made, Mimi and animals, is an adventure game packed with a lot of the things I've wanted to do for many years. I think it's a game that you can enjoy playing together with your children.

Can you tell us about anything you are currently working on?

I'm making a simple adventure game about a mouse looking for cheese. In addition to using it to practice working with GB Studio, I'm aiming to create something cute and comical this time.

Title screen of Ghost in the school

(2021) Ghost in the school

Do you have any messages for your players?

I make peaceful adventure games, so I hope you can play them at your leisure. I usually aim to make games that even small children can play. I would be happy if you played my games together with your kids and had a great time.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player and their spouse are in the cat cafe surrounded by all 101 cats. Behind them is the blue robot who runs the place standing behind the counter. The spouse is telling the player, 'The thing that makes me happiest of all is always getting to be with a wonderful person like you.'

"The thing that makes me happiest of all is always getting to be with a wonderful person like you."


日本語 Screenshot of Cat Café 101. The player is standing in the cafe and facing the blue robot who runs it. Around them are lots of cats milling about. Some of the tables nearby have sweets on them.

(2022) Cat Café 101

自己紹介してください。

ひでぶぅです。自分で描いたドット絵でゲームを作っています。プログラミングができないため、RPGツクールなどのノーコードエンジンでゲームを作っています。仕事は、似顔絵を描く職業イラストレーターをしています。

ゲーム作りを始めたきっかけはなんですか。

小学生だった娘が大きくなってしまう前に、自分が作ったゲームを遊んでもらいたいと思い、作り始めたのがきっかけです。ただひとつ予定と違ったのは、娘もゲーム制作をはじめてしまったことでして、血は争えないものだなと思います。

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player is standing in front of the shopkeeper, who has an outdoor stall. A large sign in the back says CAT FOOD ONLY. There are crates and counters surrounding the stall, and town characters walking around on the sides.

家族と一緒にゲームを作ったり遊んだりしますか。一人での作成との違いはありますか。

娘がベルトスクロールアクションが好きなので、たまに一緒にプレイします。娘も自分でゲームを作っているため、お互いにテストプレイをして改善点やアイデアについて意見を出し合っているため、一人でつくるよりずっと良い環境にあります。娘には、心から感謝しています。

ゲームを作るときに、どのようなプロセスで作成されていますか。

ざっくりとテーマを決めて、手書きでマップを書きます。アイテムや障害物を書き込みながら、アイデアをふくらませます。それを元に、実際にマップを作り、歩いてテストプレイしながらスキットやさらなるアイテムを追加します。そのあとは、親子でテストプレイしつづけます。テストプレイで洗い出した改善点や、追加したら楽しいと思うアイデアをすべて紙に書き出し、すべて完了したら、また最初からテストプレイというのを延々と繰り返し、やることがなくなったら英訳を作ってリリースしています。

Title screen for Rabbit loves Carrot

(2021) Rabbit loves Carrot

今回のゲームはRPGツクールで作られたとお伺いしております。他のゲームエンジンにトライしたことはありますか。興味があるエンジンはありますか。

ノーコードで作れるゲームエンジンは、なんでも興味があります!実際に「Rabbit loves Carrot」というゲームをPocket Platformerを使って作りましたし、現在はGB Studioでゲームを作っています。

ドット絵についてどのように興味を持ちましたか。お気に入りのドット絵の作者や作品はありますか。

若い頃にゲームボーイばかりやっていたので、自然とドット絵に興味をもちました。好きなドット絵の作者さんとしては、2BitUさんのシンプルだけど奥深い線画が好きです。作品ではGibbonGLさんの「Acorn Grove」がたまらなく好きで、何度もプレイしています。どちらもitch.ioから遊べます。

もしよろしければ、ご本人にとって一番好きなゲームや好きなジャンルをご紹介お願いします。

ゲームボーイの「ゼルダの伝説 夢を見る島」が一番好きです。インディーゲームだと、「A Short Hike」が一番好きです。どんなジャンルも好きなのですが、いい大人になった今となっては、ゆったり遊べるアドベンチャーゲームに落ち着きました。クエストをこなすことで行ける場所が増えたり、アイテムを手に入れることで、できることが増えるという単純なことが、楽しくて仕方がありません。

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player is standing in the center of the patisserie, which has filled out the twelve plates with sweets and baked goods. The chef is in the back.

この度の「Cat Café 101」という作品についてご紹介お願いします。

猫に猫缶を与えて猫カフェに 101匹あつめるシンプルなゲームです。レシピや家具を集める要素も入れて、シンプルすぎない工夫もしています。

「Cat Café 101」を作成するにあたり、最も影響を受けたものは何ですか?(例えば、ほかのゲームや映画など何でも構いません)

「クッキークリッカー」っぽいことをアドベンチャーでやってみたかったのが最初の構想です。エリア解放にお金が必要なところは、「ミニミニ農園」に影響を受けていますし、猫カフェのゲームということで「Calico」にも影響を受けています。

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player is about to enter the furniture shop, which has a sign across the top that says FURNITURE in yellow on a blue background.

「Cat Café 101」を作成するにあたり最も挑戦したことなどはありますか。

多言語化プラグインでテキストをすべて外部化しました。とても骨の折れる作業でしたが、おかげで1つのデータで済んだため、ブラウザゲームとして遊んでもらうことができました。ブラウザゲームとしてリリースできれば、アクセス数が違ってくるので、良い挑戦だったと思います。

ゲームとしては、「クッキークリッカー」っぽいこと自体がかなりの挑戦でして、最終的にはバランス調整に全てがかかっていました。

猫か他の動物のペットを飼っていますか。猫カフェを実際にやってみたいと思いますか。

じつは、ペットは飼っていませんし、飼ったこともないんです。ものぐさのため、ペットを飼うのには向いていないと思います。インディーゲームが遊べる猫カフェなんてあったら、楽しそうですよね!

Title screen of Mimi and animals

(2021) Mimi and animals

もしよろしければ、これ以外に作成したゲームについてご紹介お願いします。

一番最初に作った「Mimi and animals」は、長年やりたいと思っていたことをほとんど詰め込んだアドベンチャーゲームで、お子さんと一緒に楽しめる作品になっていると思います。

今はどのようなプロジェクトを進めていますか。今作っているゲームなどをもしよろしければご紹介お願いします。

ネズミがチーズを探すシンプルなアドベンチャーゲームを作っています。GB Studioの練習を兼ねて、今回もかわいいコメディタッチのゲームを目指しています。

Title screen of Ghost in the school

(2021) Ghost in the school

プレイヤーの皆さんへ何かメッセージがあれば一言お願いします。

平和なアドベンチャーゲームを作っていますので、ゆったりとプレイしていただけたらと思います。ほとんどは、小さい子供でも遊べるゲームを目指しています。子供と一緒にプレイして盛り上がってもらえると、うれしいです。

この度はインタビューにご協力いただき誠にありがとうございます。

Screenshot from Cat Café 101. The player and their spouse are in the cat cafe surrounded by all 101 cats. Behind them is the blue robot who runs the place standing behind the counter. The spouse is telling the player, 'The thing that makes me happiest of all is always getting to be with a wonderful person like you.'
HidebuYou can follow Hidebu on Twitter @hidebugames, on the Fediverse @hidebu@misskey.io, and visit their itch profile for more games.