Interview with Petri Purho

I recently got a chance to ask Petri Purho of Kloonigames some questions about rapid prototyping, Crayon Physics, etc.

Q: Introduce yourself, however you like.
A: I’m Petri Purho and I’m probably best known for my extremely bad english, without a spell checker. Also I made Crayon Physics.

Q: Is there any significance behind the name “Kloonigames?”
A: Well it’s a long story… It started out as a joke between my friends and then I just picked it up. Didn’t spend too much time thinking about the name.

Q: Where did the original idea for Crayon Physics come from?
A: It’s also a long and a hazy story… I remember thinking about doing a drawing physics game for some time, that idea came from the story Harold and Purple Crayon. But it wasn’t until I was working on “Daydreaming at Oval Office” that I figured how you could do the crayon graphics. I mean, realized how to do the algorithm to make the crayon look.

Q: Any chance I could get a demo of Crayon Physics Deluxe to preview? 🙂
A: It’s possible, at least when the game goes to beta. That could be a while 🙂

Q: Is there a timeframe for the development of Crayon Physics Deluxe, or will it just be done “when it’s done?”
A: Well it’s in the “when it’s done” category, because I can’t really schedule crap. A schedule would mean that I had a design of the game that I knew would work. I’ve noticed that doing a working design before you’ve tested out what works is impossible.

Q: Are there plans for Linux or Mac versions of Crayon Physics Deluxe?
A: Yeah, there are plans and it’s possible that it might happen. But right now I’m concentrating my efforts to getting the PC version done. Problem is that I can’t afford to buy a Mac, so I can’t test if the game works 🙂

Q: Do you have any other plans for full games, after Crayon Physics Deluxe is complete?
A: Nothing concrete. I’ll estimate the situation after I get Crayon Physics Deluxe done. As you can see I really hate planning 🙂 I’m an impulsive designer.

Q: Do you have a creative process that you go through, for making the ideas for your rapid prototypes?
A: Yeah, it’s called deadline & public humiliation. Every once in a while I write some ideas to a notebook, but I usually end up picking some idea that inspires me to work on the prototype. Usually I get most inspired by the most fresh idea. After a while ideas don’t just seem so great. Crayon Physics was on one of those not so hot ideas, that I had been playing around for a while. But because I had the deadline I had to do something so I picked up and prototyped the Crayon Physics idea. Good thing I did that.

Q: What advice would you give independent game developers?
A: I’m not sure I’m an authority to give [advice] to anybody. I’ve only done freeware games. But I would say that prototype a load of ideas and don’t cling to any game idea until you’ve tested them out.

Q: What advice or comments would you give to the general game industry today?
A: They could cut out a very small chunk out of their budgets and give that to some indie to do a game. Nobody would notice anything. That way they could create two games at the price of one!

Q: What questions do you always wish interviewers would ask, and never do? How would you answer them?
A: “Could you do a game about the wonderful world of jelly beans?” and I’d answer, “Of course.” Also the second most favorite question is, “Would you a like a million dollars to develop Crayon Physics Deluxe?”

Q: Well, seeing as I already know about your affinity for jelly beans, would you like a million dollars to develop Crayon Physics Deluxe?
A: No, I’m so indie that I’d rather starve to death than accept your dirty corporate money. (But if you’re serious, then the answer is yes of course)

Q: Last remarks.
A: Can’t really think of anything. I’m a dull person, I don’t have last remarks.

Thank you for your time. Best of luck with Crayon Physics Deluxe!
Thanks.