DSF: How much freedom did you have in approaching that title? How would you compare the DS game to Spore? What have you done to make it stand out from the shadow of Spore proper?Conners: The Spore Creatures team had quite a bit of freedom when it came to the game design, though we worked really closely with Maxis to make sure that the two games felt like they were part of the same universe. Because the DS game really focuses on the creature piece of the game – which is just one of the many aspects of the PC experience – we were able to innovate in a lot of areas, especially in regard to our storyline, collectible parts system, and explorable planets. While certainly not as epic as the PC game, Spore Creatures provides brand new gameplay and customization options to Spore fans.
DSF: Did you have much interaction with the main Spore team?
Conners: Yes – we have a great relationship with Maxis. We've worked with them for years now, dating back to The Sims: Bustin' Out on GBA. Our teams share ideas constantly, and it's always fun to see which ways we influence each other.
DSF: Were there any other influences on the design of Spore Creatures other than Spore itself?
Conners: There were definitely some artistic influences on the look of the game that differed greatly from the PC version. Early on, Maxis and Griptonite decided to take a more "shadowbox" approach to the creature design. Not only did this approach use the DS's horsepower better, but it made the game stand out from the PC game.
DSF: Many of your games are also multi-platform releases, but don't have the base differences of Spore versus Spore Creatures. How do you try to make portable games, which are often the bastard siblings of multi-platform games, stand out against such stiff competition?Conners: Griptonite's philosophy is to make sure that every game works on its own level. For example, just because a console game might focus on a great stealth mechanic using a dynamic lighting system, if that doesn't work on handheld, we won't force it into the game. The DS is such a radically different platform compared to others ... our teams have learned to respect and embrace those differences. Fortunately, we get a lot of support from our publishing partners in this area. Most publishers are smart enough to know that you can't just "port' a console experience to a handheld and expect great results.
DSF: You guys have worked on a lot of licensed games, or games that feature well-known franchises or characters. How much control do you get over the finished product? Are you working with very specific guidelines, or do you have a little freedom to do as you'd like, at least in parts?
Conners: Griptonite tends to only work on games where we have a good amount of creative control. We have a lot of experienced teams here who are used to dealing with unique challenges, so it's very rare that we find ourselves working on a title that really restricts our creativity. That said, we really respect the "rules" of whatever franchise that we're working on, and take pride in our ability to absorb the essence of a series. We bury ourselves in the fiction and lore of a game, whether it's a big licensed title like Spider-Man or something precious to gamers, like The Sims or Age of Empires. We know the gamers that buy our games don't want to play something that violates the license they love, whether it's in the art style or the game design.
DSF: How do you try to leave your own stamp on some of these games?
Conners: That's up to the team working on the game! I think each of our games reflects the personality of the team that built it. For example, the guys on the Spider-Man: Web of Shadows team have a huge love of precise and tight controls, and it shows. Our Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa team prides themselves in gameplay variety, humor, and crazy fun, and they crammed all of that into that tiny DS cartridge.
DSF: What are some of the challenges associated with developing titles around mascots or familiar characters?Conners: I think the biggest challenge is capturing the "feel" of a familiar character. A mascot like Crash Bandicoot or a superhero like Spider-Man or Wolverine have starred in games for years and years over lots of different hardware configurations, game controllers, and genres. Gamers expect these characters to play similarly, which means that our teams really need to study what worked well in the past and what could still use refinement. Obviously, characters like Crash and Spidey have been done really, really well before, so it's a fun job to analyze how other developers made them work so well. Other, newer ones, like Captain Jack Sparrow, however, still have plenty more room for experimentation and discovery. I think that's why our Spyro GBA game stood out – we spent a lot of time redefining how that character moved so he'd always be the star of the game.
