Discord AMA

A **Discord AMA** was held on the official Discord server every Tuesday from November 19, 2019 up until *Tell Me Why*'s full release. Community Manager Livvy Hall, known as Secret Keeper on the server, relayed answers from the development team to community-voted questions regarding the game.

The Discord AMA section returned on September 2, 2020; six days after the release of Chapter 1.

## Answers

*Note: The date links provided below will only work if the viewer is a member of the Tell Me Why Discord server.*
### Who is the Secret Keeper?

"*Hi all! Our first answered question for the #ask-us-anything channel: Who is the Secret Keeper? I’ve gotten a handful of questions about me, my role on the Tell Me Why team, and what you can expect from me as we get closer to Tell Me Why’s release in summer 2020. I’ll share answers to all these questions with you, plus some bonus Secret Keeper facts!

* I’m the community manager for Tell Me Why! I sit right next to the rest of the development team, and I relay feedback, comments and questions directly to them on a regular basis.
* I’m named the Secret Keeper after a figure from the Ronan twins’ childhood adventures. (You’ll learn more about these adventures soon – it’s one of the story elements I’m most excited to tell you about!) You can call me Seek for short, or @Mod if you need to reach me in a hurry.
* Like the Ronan twins, I love the outdoors; I can usually be found with my head in the clouds. I’m also a huge nerd for playable narratives of all kinds: graphic adventure games, interactive fiction, you name it. I’ve seen firsthand how these kinds of stories can build communities and change lives, and it’s my hope that we’ll be able to do the same here with Tell Me Why. On that note…
* Don’t hesitate to reach out to me! I’d like to hear from you about any questions or ideas you might have related to Tell Me Why or this server: custom emoji requests, thoughts for other potential channels, you name it.

Keep sending in your questions – and check back next Tuesday for another answer!*"
— November 19, 2019

### On Tell Me Why’s partnership with Huna Heritage Foundation

"*Happy Tuesday! Here's an answer to an #ask-us-anything question, this one from @FamiliarFrog (Green [gg]):

“What sort of influences and ideas were put in place that needed the Huna Heritage Foundation as a resource? Without going into major spoilers, are we dealing with a cast of characters who are descendants of the Huna Tlingit people or are we going to more have themes inspired by their traditions, art, stories, etc.?”

This question was really exciting for the whole team, because Huna Heritage Foundation have been such wonderful partners for years.

Tell Me Why is set in rural southeast Alaska, a region where indigenous communities make up a vast majority of the population. Fans of Life is Strange will know that setting plays a key role in DONTNOD’s storytelling, so the team sought guidance from Huna Heritage Foundation to ensure that the game accurately reflects not only Huna Tlingit culture but Alaskan life in general. The Foundation’s executive director, Amelia Wilson, went above and beyond in connecting the Tell Me Why team to people who could speak to various aspects of the game. Elise, our audio director, noted that Amelia’s connections gave the team invaluable advice on where to record audio footage and take photos for scenery design – everything we needed to truly bring the game’s setting to life. Through Amelia, we commissioned Tlingit artists to create works of art that appear in the game as decorative objects or as background design.

Huna Heritage Foundation were also essential in the implementation of Tell Me Why’s Tlingit characters: they introduced the team to real people who corresponded to Tell Me Why's characters, and they provided sensitivity reading, names for people and places, and other kinds of script validation.

Everyone had so much to say on this topic, so we hope to eventually build out this question into a future blog post. In the meantime, feel free to send through any other questions you may have for the team in this channel!
Here's a link to Huna Heritage Foundation's website, if you'd like to learn more about them and the work they do: https://www.hunaheritage.org/*"
— November 26, 2019

### On Tell Me Why’s endings

"*Hey @Hype Train Conductor! I know I said I wasn't going to post an ask-us-anything answer today... but I can confirm that Tell Me Why will have more than two endings!*"
— December 24, 2019

### Does Tell Me Why have a villain?

"*Re: @TheArkOfSteeple's question about enemies and villains - I at last have an answer!

There is one antagonist whom the team wanted to highlight. He's a notorious figure in Delos Crossing, spoken of mostly in whispers. He's well known for inspiring terror as he unwaveringly pursues his own twisted brand of justice.

Everyone, meet Justin Beaver.*"
— January 14, 2020

### How old are the Ronan twins?

"*In Tell Me Why's present day, Alyson and Tyler are twenty-one years old! Both twins were born on March 7, 1994. For all you astrologically-minded folks, that's Pisces sun, Capricorn moon, Sagittarius rising - a combination of aspects which leans sensitive, reliable, emotionally secretive and big-thinking. We'll have to see if you all agree with that horoscopic assessment once the game comes out!

(As for whether Tyler or Alyson is older... it depends very much on which twin one asks.)*"
— January 21, 2020

### How much will Tell Me Why cost at release?

"*To answer @FamiliarFrog (Green [gg])'s question on Tell Me Why's price at release: Tell Me Why's standard edition will cost $29.99 USD on all platforms (Xbox, Windows PC and Steam). The game will also be available on Xbox and Windows PC with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. We cannot confirm any details about collector's editions yet!

For @a wet sandwich, on announcing our release date: We'll let you all know as soon as we have confirmed a release date for our first episode, and/or when pre-order becomes available.*"
— January 28, 2020

### On Tell Me Why’s language options

"*Hi @voяı! Sorry for being late to answer this #ask-us-anything; I can now answer the first of your questions.

Unfortunately, there are currently no plans to localize Tell Me Why in Polish. We're aiming to have localized voiceover and subtitles available in the following languages at launch:

* English
* Spanish (Mexico)
* Portuguese (Brazil)
* French (France)
* German

Additionally, we intend to provide localized subtitles (no voiceover) in the following languages at launch:

* Spanish (Spain)
* Italian
* Japanese
* Korean

I've let our team know that there are questions about which languages we're localizing for, and I'll be sure to follow up in this channel with any additional information on Tell Me Why's language options. I'm sorry I couldn't offer more insight on this topic, but please feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any other questions on localization!*"
— February 5, 2020

### Which emote does Tyler prefer: uwu or owo?

"*Since the poll is a tie... I owe you all one more answer! But I can confirm through Clay, the Xbox narrative director, that Tyler is absolutely an "uwu" type of guy.

The reasoning: "Tyler's shy. He's a bit embarrassed, but trying to be coy about it. Of course he'll do [the uwu face]."*"
— February 18, 2020

### Is the name "Delos Crossing" significant?

"*Speaking of which, I have another response on the topic of Greek myths!

Here's some thoughts from DONTNOD narrative director Stéphane Beauverger:

"The name of the town, Delos Crossing, was indeed created as a reference to the island of Delos, where the twin Gods Apollo and Artemis were supposedly born. To speculate about the symbolic meaning of that fun fact is left to each player’s investigating mind :blush:"*"
— February 19, 2020

### Whose stuffed monkey can be found in the trailer?

"*Firstly, to answer @riley's question about the stuffed monkey: DONTNOD narrative director Stéphane Beauverger did confirm for us that Alyson had the lower bunk on the twins' childhood bunk bed, which means the stuffed monkey seen in the trailer belonged to Alyson!*Here's another look at this great friend (courtesy of DONTNOD art director Lucile Meunier!):

(I can also confirm that you will uncover several more of the twins' stuffed animals during the course of the game. They are all delightful.)"
— February 27, 2020

### Did the Ronan twins play any special games?

"*Secondly, for @Dreamprism, I was so excited when you asked about the twins playing board games - because the twins did in fact create their own board game! It's called Luge and Tramway.*Luge and Tramway is similar to Chutes and Ladders, albeit with some Alaskan-themed twists, a customizable game board, and references to the Book of Goblins throughout! Here's some cute concept art of a Luge and Tramway board you'll find somewhere in Tell Me Why:

Do you think you'd like to see instructions for a make-your-own Luge and Tramway board once the game is out? Let us know - we can make it a blog post!"
— February 27, 2020

### How does Tell Me Why approach Tyler’s transition?

"*This week’s questions from @Xariks and @Connor(He/Him) touched on Tyler, the portrayal of his gender, and details on his transition.

When it comes to creating new stories, DONTNOD's creative teams rarely start with the specific details of each character. Instead, they begin by building a story around one or more concepts. For Tell Me Why, one of those key concepts was "family history" – returning home, revisiting your past self, and seeing your childhood in a new light. These are themes that can be meaningful for people of all gender identities, but they undoubtedly hold extra significance for trans individuals and those of other queer identities, for whom homecomings can often be emotionally fraught. With that in mind, DONTNOD took steps to make sure that Tyler would be a complex, multifaceted character capable of doing justice to all of Tell Me Why’s major themes.

As such, although Tell Me Why puts Tyler’s trans identity at the forefront, it isn’t a story about Tyler’s transition: by the time the game begins, Tyler’s been living confidently as a man for several years. Players may uncover details about Tyler’s transition throughout the game, but the specifics of his transition don’t play a major role in his story. Above all else, Tell Me Why focuses on both Tyler and Alyson finding their own connection to their past, and the choices players make will determine the course of both twins’ futures. Tyler’s gender is only one part of that story – just as it’s only one part of what makes him who he is.

If you’d like to read some more about how Tell Me Why portrays Tyler’s trans identity, we’ve recently had some wonderful interviews with Gayming Mag and VG24/7, linked below:

https://gaymingmag.com/2020/01/tell-me-why-tyler-ronan-and-dontnods-strides-towards-complexity-and-authenticity-in-their-characters/
https://www.vg247.com/2020/02/18/meet-tyler-ronan-first-transgender-triple-video-game-protagonist/*"
— March 6, 2020

### On playing as the twins in Tell Me Why

"*It was a close call, but this week's answer is for @Silver: Is it possible to choose which twin you'll be playing as throughout Tell Me Why's story?

Players will play as both Alyson and Tyler as they uncover secrets and explore mysteries in Delos Crossing! The game doesn't offer the means for players to choose which Ronan twin they'll control in any given scene - but that doesn't mean you won't get to see the other twin's perspective!

Thanks to a unique mechanic called the Bond, you'll be in tune with Alyson's thoughts, memories and feelings even when you're walking around as Tyler - and vice versa. The Bond features heavily in Tell Me Why's branching story, and it will impact the way players will explore the twins' relationships - both with each other, and with the rest of the game's cast.

We hope to share more info about the Bond in the future, so stay tuned!*"
— March 10, 2020

### On Easter eggs to other DONTNOD games, and the twins’ educations

"*Two short answers this week!

For @riley: Will Tell Me Why contain any Easter eggs to other DONTNOD titles?

Yes. I can't reveal what these Easter eggs are, but they do exist. In fact, only yesterday, we finished the art for the Steam achievement you'll get for finding them all!

(I will say only that one especially biting reference had me laughing to the point of tears the first time I saw it.)

For @DaraMessToTheMasses and @FamiliarFrog (Green [gg]): What are the twins' educational and employment statuses?

Tyler has completed his studies and is well on his way toward his dream career as a park ranger. As for Alyson, she's been working in retail while planning her next big adventure. (We've been there, Alyson. Hang in there. ✊)*"
— March 17, 2020

### Do the twins get wardrobe changes during the game?

"*For @DaraMessToTheMasses: Do the twins get more than one outfit throughout Tell Me Why?

Yes! The Ronan twins have more than one look - and we think all of them are pretty great. We'll have to let you vote on your favorites once all episodes are out! In the meantime, here's a quick peek at some casual Alyson vibes:*"
— March 24, 2020

### About how long is each chapter?

"*For @Deleted User: Roughly how long is each chapter of Tell Me Why?

It depends! One of the really cool things about our user research process is that it's shown us all of the different ways in which people are playing Tell Me Why. As DONTNOD executive producer Arnaud de Pischof noted in one of our recent blog posts, it's been totally possible for people to get through the first chapter in just a couple of hours - but we've also had people spend six hours or more for the same span! I would estimate that on one of my more recent playthroughs of Chapter 1, it took me about seven hours for a "full completion" run: clicking on everything that could be clicked, viewing all possible dialogue options, and even just sitting and vibing. However you like to play narrative adventures, it's fair to say that Tell Me Why has something to offer for fans of any kind of pacing.*"
— March 31, 2020

### Miscellaneous short answers

"*Alright! Since we don't have very many questions we can answer this week - sorry! - I'll give you as much info as I can this week.

For @that-internet-lover, on flashbacks: Good eye! There will be some flashbacks in Tell Me Why. As far as how many there are, whether they'll be playable, or what connection those ghost-like figures have to Tyler and Alyson... you'll have to see for yourself once you play!

For @DaraMessToTheMasses, on costume changes: Alyson and Tyler will wear a specific outfit each episode.

For @JadedCactus, on next-gen Xbox enhancement: We don't have any info at this time, but we'll let you know if it's confirmed!*"
— April 7, 2020

### What does "Tell Me Why" even mean, anyway?

"*For @Cyril, @that-internet-lover and many others since we announced: What does the title "Tell Me Why" mean, anyway?

We got in touch with Tell Me Why's director, Florent Guillaume, to ask him!

Tell Me Why is a story about memories and secrets. As the twins delve deeper into their shared past, the title is meant to evoke a need for information and connection. Florent noted that DONTNOD narrative director Stéphane Beauverger wanted the title to reflect the core essence of the game's story: a journey of understanding.

In regards to who might be doing the asking and who the telling... we'll have to leave you to guess until the game comes out!*"
— April 16, 2020

### What are the Ronan twins’ hobbies?

"*Alright! Our answer for this week is for @Zeldanerdster, on the Ronan twins' hobbies.

Tyler is an avid outdoorsman! We've mentioned before in some interviews, and in a previous #ask-us-anything question, that his dream job is to be a park ranger. He especially loves hiking and fishing - anything that gives him the opportunity to be alone in the woods. :tyler\_shades:

Alyson connects with nature in her own way: she loves stargazing, and she's been known to take advantage of Delos Crossing's remote location to watch meteor showers. She's also artistically inclined! What sort of projects might she be working on when the game begins? :alyson\_thinking:*"
— April 22, 2020

### Is there an in-game collectible system in Tell Me Why?

"*Hey all! At last, here's some info on a question which @Silver, @brychuuuuuu , @that-internet-lover, @JadedCactus and others have posed at one point or another over the past few months: Is there an in-game collectible system in Tell Me Why?

Yes there is! As you make your way around Delos Crossing, be on the lookout for figurines representing characters from the Book of Goblins. Here's some concept art of the very first figurine you'll pick up: one of the Crafty Goblins!

How many of the Crafty Goblins' friends will you be able to find? What might happen if you collect them all before the end of the game? Only the Secret Keeper knows! ✨*"
— May 15, 2020

### How open are the areas in Tell Me Why? Is there a large area to explore, or is it a bunch of smaller locations?

"*Here's our answer to a question from @DaraMessToTheMasses: How open are the areas in Tell Me Why? Is there a large area to explore, or is it a bunch of smaller locations?

It's a bunch of areas within Delos Crossing! You'll be visiting and exploring different parts of the town as you join the twins on their journey. Some of those areas are big outdoor spaces with sweeping scenery to take in, while others are buildings or rooms where every detail counts. No matter where you are, there'll always be something to see!

And if you ever notice one of the twins sitting down somewhere, take a seat with them - it could lead to some interesting conversations!*"
— June 5, 2020

### What's the scale of Tell Me Why compared to the Life is Strange games?

"*Hi all! We've got our answer from the Tell Me Why team on @voяı's question that was asked a couple weeks back: What's the scale of Tell Me Why compared to the Life is Strange games?

'Tell Me Why is a new narrative experience, different in many ways to our previous games.

The game takes place in the town of Delos Crossing; you won't travel across America like in Life is Strange 2, for example. But you will explore various locations in and around Delos Crossing and meet characters with whom you will interact. The length of your experience will depend on the paths you will choose as a player, including the number of interactions with characters and the environment around you.'*"
— June 23, 2020

### How did the art team create a set of characters who are identical twins but different genders?

"*We've got an answer from DONTNOD, just in time for the weekend! Per @Secret Woods (today!): How did the art team create a set of characters who are identical twins but different genders?

We reached out to DONTNOD art director Lucile Meunier, who described the process of designing Tyler's and Alyson's faces. The team started by noting the ways HRT (hormone replacement therapy) can affect a person's facial features over a period of months and years. But the twins have a few other differences, too! Alyson has a slightly fuller face, and Tyler has darker, more pronounced circles under his eyes.

You'll also notice that the shape of Tyler's nose is slightly different from Alyson's; this is due to a time when he fell as a child. (You may find out more about this incident in Tell Me Why!)

But Lucile believes that images convey these differences better than words ever can, so here's a quick look at the twins' models for you to compare!*"
— July 3, 2020

## External Links

* *Tell Me Why* Discord invite
* Livvy Hall's Twitter account
* *How to make the most of joining a digital community* - Article by Livvy Hall for *CheckPoint*
* Twitch stream of Episode 1 with Hall and Product Marketing Manager Tifa Robles