Today we have an interview with one of the game designers of Ubinota.
Hi there, I’m Stephen Keating with et tu, Gamer? and cover different aspects of game development and design. I’d like to ask some questions about your design and development process.
Hi Stephen,
I am Jérémie, the game designer of Ubinota. It would be a pleasure to answer to your questions. I am glad that our game aroused your curiosity.First, I would like to ask what inspired you to make videogames?
Tibo, my partner, is the only programmer on the project since the beginning.
He and I, love videogames. And we wanted to create our own ones.Who are some of your personal inspirations?
We want to create games that are really new and not derived from any other game. But you could say that World of Goo and Little Big Adventure influenced me while working on Ubinota.What do videogames do that no other media can do?
Without thinking about it too much, I would say that it’s the strongest media in terms of interaction and immersion.What is your process like in designing a videogame?
We try different processes and for Ubinota, I had a base idea that was really simple; we built up a prototype that was pretty convincing and decided to create the game, which took us two years. We continually added features and level designs, building up the game little by little.When you sit down and start work, is there anything specific that helps you with your process?
To design a game, I personally use exercise book. But I think that the better is to talk with women and build on talked ideas.Was there ever a time you considered leaving working on videogames? As an addenda, was it something you had been doing your entire life or was it something you eventually came to, and if so, why?
Of course, we don’t know if we will succeed to continue to working in videogames and my partner and I have each a retreat plan.I have worked in videogames since the end of my studies. Tibo jumps from one job to another (always involving programming) while creating games besides.
What kinds of games do you want to make?
Mainly new ones. About types, we are open to all kinds.When is a game finished?
I think that a game is never finished. A game can always be improved, sharpened. People just decide on a satisfaction threshold, like we did on Ubinota. And even now we are still adding some improvements.What frustrates you most about games?
I don’t know, I love games. Good games are not frustrating to me, or in a way that increase fun.
And if something frustrates us, it’s up to us (game developers) to change it!How does a project need to feel in order to be good (to you)?
It needs to feel fun. It maybe sounds stupid but it’s true.
But there is other things needed for a project to be good–viability for example.Where is the best place to present a videogame?
I don’t know.What do you intend to represent when presenting a videogame to the public?
I would present the fun of the game and show us more as players than as developers.Lastly, why videogames?
Because it’s awesome 😉
Thanks so much for your time Jérémie!