For those that don't know, Chasing Aurora is the second release from the Vienna-based studio Broken Rules.  The team previously created And Yet It Moves, which we loved when it was released back in 2010, describing it as an "extraordinary puzzler" and "visually without rival".

The team are back with Chasing Aurora, a mulitplayer-focused aerial title that launched alongside the Wii U.  We sent the team some questions about Chasing Aurora, their inspirations and what they're planning to get up to next, which you can read below.

Since the release of And Yet It Moves, Broken Rules has grown in size.  How has the development of Chasing Aurora compared to that of And Yet It Moves?

And Yet It Moves started as a student project and slowly developed into a console game. Chasing Aurora was conceived as a console game right from the start and we spent a lot of time to build the technology and design the game for the platform. Apart from a team that is twice as large – we're eight people now – we're also using our own tech for the first time and we have a graphics artist now.

Congratulations on making the launch date deadline for America, that must have been pretty chaotic.  What has early feedback been like?

We've learned a lot during this launch. A team with our size making a console launch title is an achievement on its own, but launch marketing is an adventure on its own. Selling a multiplayer-centered game is hard. We didn't play it safe, so the reception is mixed. I'm quite sure that our convoluted development process (i.e. Chasing Aurora was a single-player game for some time) didn't really make it easy to get it across what kind of game it is. The players enjoy it so we're happy.

How did you come up with the concept for Chasing Aurora?

The initial idea came from Felix, our design mastermind. He told us about his dreams of flying and soon everyone was hooked with the idea of a game where the player was able to fly freely through a level. We've created a couple of multiplayer prototypes and kept those aspects that worked. Then we started working on single-player gameplay. Soon, we realised that the single-player game will get much larger and more original than the multiplayer, so we split the game into two games. After working on the single-player for months, we returned to the multiplayer, extended it, polished it, adapted it to the unique features of the Wii U and now we're shipping it.

Was Chasing Aurora an idea you had before you saw the Wii U, or did it evolve from brain storming ideas for possible uses of the GamePad?

We had the idea before we learned about the Wii U. But once we saw it, we knew that our ideas for asynchronous local multiplayer would have finally found their perfect platform.

What were your inspirations when making this game?

The Austrian Alps, which form a spectacular background for this game. Nature, birds, images of native tribes in Africa and South America and thunderstorms in Styria. The forests of southern Austria. And folk games and children's games of course. All the multiplayer modes were modelled after children's games (just like deathmatches in FPSs are variants of the game of tag). We did not look too much at other games for inspiration.

What were your aims when making Chasing Aurora?  Were there goals you set as a company that you wanted to meet, or were you focused on crafting a title for Wii U's features?

On the technical side and for our studio profile, our goal was to release a launch title. On the aesthetic side, we wanted to make a game that has a contemporary look rooted in traditional local culture. On the gameplay side we set out to make a game that is fun to play with your friends. We met our goals, but boy, was it sometimes close.

How have you found working on the Wii U platform?

The Wii U is very comfortable to work with. In fact, we had our game engine's core ported in under a month. Still, making a game for console requires a lot more commitment than what is usual for iPhone or PC games. The mindset in the console space is still very much that of a patch being a sign that you made something wrong during development. The software-as-a-growing-thing mentality found in a lot of PC and iOS games has not really arrived there. It's slowly changing, though.

What excites you most about the Wii U?  Could you see yourself developing another title later down the line?

Now that we have the technology, we would be stupid to not consider another title. Personally, I'm excited by two things: the GamePad and the social networking innovations like Miiverse. Nintendo created its own interpretation of what it means to have an always online console and the possibilities to build on that are huge.

What were the Broken Rules team's first reaction to seeing the Wii U GamePad?

Every team member wanted to touch it and hold it in his hands. Moments later ideas came to all our heads about how to use this dual-screen setup. We're all game designers after all and it comes natural to us that you give us new tech and we instantly come up with ideas. We can't help it.

When Nintendo were pushing the WiiWare service AYIM, and Broken Rules, was one title and company that they really supported.  Has the situation been the same with the Wii U eShop given that it's a brand new platform?

They are doing their best. Considering the fact that a console launch is a huge thing and that Nintendo never launched a console with so much online infrastructure, they did amazing work. Of course, some calls were extremely close. Now the day one patch is something I'd rather not comment about lest things get out of hand.

The visual style of the birds in Chasing Aurora are reminiscent of origami.  As And Yet It Moves had a paper art style, was this an intentional continuation of the style or just a coincidence?

We were laughing when we realised that. There was never the intention as Chasing Aurora's art style has its roots in drawings that Clemens, our artist, drew on wooden boards left over after taking apart a wardrobe. Next time we'll start out with laser tag and steampunk and still end up in a paper world, I guess. Seriously, this continuation of our style just happened. Maybe it simply is our style.

How did this look come about? Were you tempted to go more "realistic" with the added power of the Wii U or did you alway envision the 2D landscape?

We like to work with self-imposed limitations. 2D was one of those limitations. With our team size, you could only make a 3D game if you either use existing technology or have a wizard at hand. Since both were not available for the Wii U when we started developing, we had to conceive the game in a way that would enable us to get it done. By the way, the original concept art was a lot more abstract and painterly then the end result.

You are based in Austria, a country known for its breathtaking landscapes.  Did they inspire the level design in Chasing Aurora?

I think I answered that question when talking about our inspirations above. For the level design, our credo was "one new gameplay element per level".

What is next for Broken Rules?

Next, we'll start working on the single-player game set in the same universe as Chasing Aurora. It has not title yet, but we already have a few hours of gameplay. We'll let you know as soon as we have anything to announce regarding that game. Before that, I'm looking forward to venturing into the Alps for some skiing!

We would like to thank Broken Rules for their time.  We submitted the questions just after the American launch and they still returned them prior to the European launch, a period we know kept them very busy.  We wish them all the very best of luck with Chasing Aurora.

Chasing Aurora is available to purchase right now on the Wii U eShop.  N-Europe's review will be posted during the week so make sure you check back.