Q: When I started making UNDERTALE, I literally sent you a tumblr DM asking for help. You agreed, then I then just infodumped on you to skype about the game.
Let me say that again, you literally just agreed to help. This was really really really really really lucky for me. How did you feel about this?

Tem: I think the timing for both of us worked out really well! I was really eager to work on games, and I didn’t get asked very often for collaborative works. I told my friends about the nice DM I got from you, and one friend told me you were a sparkly big shot so I was a little starry-eyed that I’d been recognized for my skill by a cool person. (Maybe this seems a little silly now) Though, I think one way or the other, I’d have agreed to help you! The conclusion would’ve been the same once I heard your music. I only knew a few music composers at the time, and I viewed them all like magicians. And to this day I still find you one of the most impressive music composers! It’s always a treat to hear your music, and I always forget how good you are and am always blown away even listening to drafts. To this day, making music still seems like a superpower to me. I was the one who always felt lucky you reached out to me!!

Q: What was your first impression when I showed you the game?

Tem: You managed to blow my expectations out of the water! So, to go back to the first question, I read through your logs for the game and it was a little difficult for me to entirely process what I was reading all the time. I feel like my reading comprehension isn’t the greatest, but I would re-read logs over and over to grasp them better. From what I was able to follow, the ideas and concepts sounded neat! And then I saw your first demo with flowey, and I was like
:o

I also remember thinking how cool flowey’s acting and laugh was, it felt so different from other games i played at the time.. I remember being a little stunned
I knew especially from that point forward that the game was going to be something special

Q: Any specific memories when working on the game?

Tem: I remember being in class, and I think you were trying to figure out Papyrus’ personality a little more, so I started receiving messages on my phone from “Papyrus”. I think it took me a few seconds to realize what was happening, but I remember having fun responding. I don’t think I paid attention to my class for the rest of the time, but that’s ok because I don’t even remember what class it was.

Q: Were you surprised at the reaction people had to the game when it released?

Tem: The amount of people it reached certainly did. Your writing, music composing and direction is a powerful combo. I feel like i knew it was gonna impact others like it did me!! The amount of people this game has reached though, I don’t think anyone could’ve seen that coming. Though in my opinion whether it reached as many people as it did or only reached a small few, it wouldn’t change how special the game was.

Q: I feel like I probably put so many dogs in the game because of you... you still like dogs, right!?

Tem: I’m sorry…………… i like cats more now…………………….. But i still like dogs too……………………………. Both are cute……………..

Q: I literally made the character "Aaron" from UNDERTALE have muscles to troll you.
How are you about muscles now? Do they still gross you out?

Tem: i have grown to accept they exist

Q: The character design of UNDERTALE's "Temmie" was actually drawn by your friend Betty Kwong. I remember the drawing being like... some super quick doodle of "Temmie" crossing the street or something.
However, if Betty's drawing never existed, and you could design a new "Temmie" now... any ideas what it might look like?

Tem: I believe before Betty’s drawing, my avatar was just me with bunny ears and a fluff sweater, or a dust bunny. Something like these:

I remember I called her BunnyThing, so maybe it would’ve been some variant of a dust bunny

Q: The reason I wanted to include you in the game is because your way of speaking was so specific back then, you would constantly misspell things on purpose.
So the speech of Temmie in the game was a slightly exaggerated version of your normal speech at the time. Slowly over time you stopped speaking that way though.
... well, I was going to ask why you changed, but I think it just shifted actually.

Tem: I think naturally over time the way i type shifted, but I remember in those early days I had a lot of energy that i exuded even through my typing (i wish that energy would return to me)

Q: I think now people identify you more with Temloaf, the cute illustrations you do of yourself, and your original works.
But for a long time lots of people just treated you like you WERE Temmie from the game. How did you feel being primarily associated with the "Temmie" character, and UNDERTALE in general?

Tem: It was fun at first!! I didn’t really understand why I was getting a lot of attention. I know I did do a lot of art! But sometimes it doesn’t process as being something significant… it’s also not like I was the character, or you. (or… was i the character in the game… I don’t know anymor e)
I do know after awhile I got SO much attention for being 「Temmie from UNDERTALE」 that it felt a little strange at times, so I felt like I tried to compensate by really trying to improve my drawing skills more/begin working on small personal projects to feel a little more deserving of all that. I’m glad it pushed me to do that though because I do enjoy chipping away at little personal projects now.

Q: We've been working together for almost 10 years... Kind of crazy. Getting sick of it yet?

Tem: 👀

Q: Development's been kind of a blur, but any funny memories working on DELTARUNE Chapter 1 and 2?

Tem: My memory is starting to get so fuzzy with earlier development for some reason that I can’t remember when or if I drew something. You could show me one of my drawings and say I didn’t draw it and I’d believe you at this point.
There actually has been a few times that I’ve seen assets I thought look nice, only to be told I drew them and i just have no memory of drawing them

Q: Do you have a favorite character from DR?

Tem: I like susie!! And jevil

Q: Your art is amazing. Any tips for improvement? And, what tools do you use?

Tem: thank you!! I think observation is an important skill for improvement. Learning to understand why you like what you like to help develop your voice through your work. That, in combination with learning fundamentals (Stuff like life-drawing, studying from life/anatomy etc). It also becomes more fun to look at life and observe why you like random things from life. Like when strong sunlight hitting against a vibrant red blanket makes the rest of the room red. (my eyes liked seeing that once) Absorbing some of this will find its way back into your work and help shape it.
Tools, I use a wacom intuos tablet and krita to paint! Adobe animate and After Effects to animate, and graphicsgale to do pixel art. Sometimes i draw on Procreate on my ipad or the notes app on my phone

Q: Temmie keeps trying to get me to play Final Fantasy XVI. In one sentence, why should I play it?

Tem: cool dragons and hot knights
Also there’s a cool 56-person raid with the fancy orb that changes shape

Q: Which are your favorite characters? (Note: I won't know any of them.)

Tem: estinien :3

Q: Any stupid memories of us unrelated to the game?

Tem: I liked when we started going to karaoke and i learned to be brave and try singing and then learned.. Tem CAN sing…… maybe, a little

Q: Let's promote some of your other stuff. For example, did you guys know me, Camellia, and Temmie all collaborated on a soundtrack for Temmie's original adventure game?
And, she has an ongoing webcomic?

Tem: (Idon’t think this one’s a question)
Thank you for promoting these!!! It always feels like a really cool accomplishment to see these works through!! I still like to listen to the music you and camellia did for my little game, you guys’ music is waaaaaayyy too good for my little thing

This comic is also really exciting for me because this is my first time ever getting so far in making a comic… I’ve always wanted to!! I’m so proud of all my efforts!!
Lately, I keep having dreams of having a perfect-bound printed version for myself and feeling so happy flipping through all the pages. After I finish this next chapter, I’d like to actually do that. I also plan on making a little animation for it sometime as well as maybe adapt it into a simple little game when I finish the comic!