The story behind Derby Creek is deeply personal. Long before it became a game, it was a real place tied to family, memory, and a lifelong love of fishing. In many ways, this project is as much about the places and people that shaped us as it is about the game itself.
Derby Creek sits in the Flat Tops of Colorado, and it's been in my family for three generations. Derby Creek isn't the official name, it's just what we've always called it. The creek runs off from a few of the larger lakes up in the high country. What you're seeing in these photos is the South Fork of Derby Creek and Still Waters Lake.
My father and I still visit when we can, usually once a year. This place started my love of fishing, and now, particularly fly fishing. I share these photos with you so I can provide a fraction of this experience through the game.
Video games and fishing have gotten me through many hard times in my life. When I was 16, I lost my mother to suicide. Those two things gave me a way to keep going when the world felt too heavy. My father introduced me to both. Some of my earliest memories are fishing at Derby Creek and playing Age of Empires 2 together. He shaped me into who I am today, and this game wouldn't exist without him.
I'm making Derby Creek in loving memory of my mother and in dedication to my father. If this game can offer even one person a quiet place to breathe when they need it most, then it was worth building. Mental health matters, and sometimes the best thing you can find is a quiet place to escape for a while. Even if that place is a pixelated creek.
— Ritz, Creator and Founder
If this story resonated with you, come join our community on Discord. We'd love to have you alongside us as we build Derby Creek.
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