This
is the e-mail Interview with the 'Tysen Henderson', Lead Designer of
[Bookworm Adventures] & Co-Designer of [Bookworm].
Korean version of this Interview.
1. Did you choice some 'Target Player' for Word Games, as [Bookworm] & [Bookworm Adventures]? If so, how come to get it?
Our
core audience is always our first target, namely our long-time loyal
PopCap fans, our friends and family, and of course ourselves. With
added role-playing elements and new complex game play we also invite
more traditional role-playing and hard-core gamers to try their hands
at Bookworm Adventures.
2. We could call it 'Word
Game' as 'Another Method of Education' or 'Edu-tainment'. Did you
expect something like that, when you make & release 'Word Game'?
While
wordplay is at the core of Bookworm and Bookworm Adventures, education
is not specifically the first focus. Providing a fun, engaging and
challenging experience was the focus. That being said, the educational
and cerebral aspects one experiences while playing are not accidental.
In many ways we attempted to engage the player’s mind and to think
about words in unique ways while adventuring with Lex the bookworm
(such as in Moxie’s Mini-Game Hut, the Sphinx’s Riddle, and using bonus
word categories).
3. There might be some 'positive
feedback' about your works, as 'Word Game'. And you might feel very
good about that. Could you please let us know some episodes about that
briefly?
Bookworm Adventures has been received very
well since its launch. Its sales numbers have been breaking records
despite its slightly higher price point as people are seeing the
definite added value we’ve put in the game. Players are also accepting
the genre combination of casual word games and role-playing and
enjoying the nuances it adds, and that either genre alone lacked before
Bookworm Adventures was released. Also, as the previous question
alludes to, a lot of feedback gathered speaks to Bookworm Adventure’s
success as both casual entertainment and a bit of mental stimulation.
4. Do you have some special algorithm for [Bookworm Adventures], for Alphabet board?
There
are a number of hidden rules at play concerning letter distribution in
Bookworm Adventures. The fun of spelling words is of course in finding
words fast and/or spelling words of exceptional length, so it was
important that we facilitated that as much as possible. You’ll notice
with a little bit of observation that the game makes an attempt to keep
a balance of vowels and consonants on the board, as well as limits the
number of instances of certain letters that can appear at once. While
certain enemies in the game have special abilities to offset this
balance, you’ll almost always be able to spell something to deliver a
whopping to your foe, and you’ll likely find yourself using the
Scramble button to clear off nasty effects more often than to find
words. We want you to spell powerful words, and so does the game.
5.
You can't use all the words in the English culture, and you might have
some basis to choice 'What words use & What words don't use'. Could
you please let us know, how you decided (or choiced or made)
'Dictionary' of [Bookworm] & [Bookworm Adventures]?
The
choice to include certain words and not others in the Bookworm
Adventures was based numerous factors. Most notably we did not include
‘Proper Nouns’ such as the names of people or countries or calendar
months, as this is a rule commonly found in word games both in the
board-game format as well as in computer-based word gaming. Another
important factor was in consideration of our audience. To ensure that
players of any age and background could enjoy Bookworm Adventures at
home, a friend’s house or in a classroom, we took extra care to
restrict words that might otherwise offend our players or ruin the
light-hearted and humorous atmosphere of the game.
6.
Could you leave some advise something, if somebody wants to make 'Word
Game' with non-English, as Korean or Japanese or Chinese?
The
Korean, Japanese and Chinese gaming audiences obviously have their own
unique nuances, expectations and trends. But in producing any game
including word games, one must prioritize fun first, everything else
second. As beautiful as your graphics might be or as populated your
lobby might be, if the game isn’t fun, eventually everyone will move on
and leave your game behind if you don’t hook them with fun. Once
players are having fun, give them new goals, give them something to
progress towards, whether it be that next level or a new area, and
while you’re at it, don’t forget to give them something sparkly to
collect. Who doesn’t want a shiny new treasure as a reward for all
their hard work?
7. Please leave some message for Pig-MIn Interview Readers, especially for whom are interested in 'Word Games'.
Whether
you develop games or just play games, try to remember why you’re
playing. It’s for fun, right? Games should inspire or relax or thrill
you (or all of the above) and make you feel fulfilled. Bookworm and
Bookworm Adventures were amazing projects and a lot of fun to create,
and we all hope you have just as much fun playing along with Lex the
bookworm on all of his adventures! Thanks for your time. Enjoy!
Korean version of this Interview.