Amanita Design is by far one among my favourite builders on the market, and it has been releasing high quality video games on cellular and different platforms for a very long time. I’ve loved nearly each recreation by the staff from the legendary Machinarium again within the day to newer releases like Chuchel and Completely happy Sport. We’ve additionally seen Amanita launch Pilgrims (Free) on Apple Arcade, and it not too long ago left the service to get a standalone cellular launch on iOS and Android. Following that launch, I spoke to Jakub Dvorský (Studio Director and Designer/Artist on Pilgrims) about many matters together with his profession, Apple Arcade, Machinarium, vinyl soundtracks, espresso (in fact), Phonopolis, and the long run.
TouchArcade (TA): Inform us a bit of bit about your self and what you do at Amanita Design.
Jakub Dvorský (JD): I’m director of Amanita Design, a studio primarily based in Prague, Czech Republic, which I based 20 years in the past. I began as an artist and animator, these days I’m principally a recreation designer and challenge lead.
TA: Earlier than protecting the video games you labored on that almost all of our readers know and love, I needed to return a bit. Let’s discuss Dračí Historie and the way you’ve modified as a designer through the years since then to now. What learnings have you ever taken from these older video games and even early Amanita Design titles to your present work?
JD: Dračí historie (Dragon’s Historical past) is a standard level’n’click on journey and it’s the primary recreation I labored on as an animator. It was launched in 1996 I feel so it truly is historical past now. Since then I’m nonetheless studying, principally tips on how to make recreation design, tips on how to create video games extra successfully and tips on how to collaborate in a staff. I’ve learnt just a few methods which appear completely apparent however everyone must undergo some errors and discover their very own approach. For instance, now I do know it’s actually necessary to assume every little thing by way of earlier than you begin producing all of the artwork property and constructing the sport for actual. I do know prototyping and playtesting is necessary and inevitable. I had heard this knowledge earlier than, however now I KNOW that it’s true. Private expertise helps so much.
TA: Have you ever ever revisited your older video games like Asmodeus and Dračí Historie?
JD: No I haven’t, however I revisited early Samorosts and different issues many instances – these are extra necessary for me. I’ve seen lots of issues I’d do higher now however some elements of those video games nonetheless work effectively and it’s attention-grabbing to appreciate it and be taught from it.
TA: Samorost was the primary Amanita Design launch, however nearly everybody I do know, and myself, found your work by way of Machinarium. Inform us a bit of bit about the way you approached that challenge.
JD: Whereas the primary two Samorost video games have been small (primarily web-based) tasks, Machinarium was supposed as our first correct or full-length recreation for PC. The primary recreation mechanic comes straight from Samorost but it surely’s a extra conventional journey recreation, with a listing, menu and every little thing. Additionally the puzzles are tougher and it’s geared toward players slightly than most people, regardless that it’s nonetheless fairly accessible even for non-gamers if they’re . Fortunately this strategy labored effectively, the sport was successful so we ported it to many different platforms together with cellular.
TA: I nonetheless adore Botanicula, the discharge that adopted Machinarium, and cherished enjoying it on iPad. How was it for Amanita Design to start out working with Apple’s iPhone and iPad again then?
JD: Our video games are and at all times have been nice for contact controls so it was pure and apparent we wanted to convey our video games on cellular platforms. After I first tried the iPad I fell in love, as a result of it had a improbable hi-res display screen with lovely colours, which wasn’t the case for a lot of the PC screens at the moment. Additionally you possibly can play our video games on a sofa or in a mattress, which was improbable.
TA: I feel Machinarium is your most ported recreation ever with it even coming to PS Vita, Blackberry Playbook, and Xbox One. Apart from that, your video games are normally on cellular and PC constantly with Change generally. How has it been for the staff engaged on so many platforms?
JD: In fact it’s lots of further work and problem to get and keep our video games on so many platforms. Nevertheless every platform has a barely totally different viewers and its personal benefits and disadvantages so it’s attention-grabbing to get the video games on as a lot of them as attainable. Apart from PC and cellular we at the moment are additionally targeted on consoles and recreation controller enjoying which may be very satisfying when it’s made proper.
TA: Are you able to inform us a bit of bit in regards to the academic recreation you labored on for the BBC?
JD: The sport was referred to as Questionaut. It was a bit of Flash recreation constructed round quizzes from varied college topics equivalent to physics, chemistry or arithmetic. We created a tiny planet – a bit of puzzle for every theme – and the principle character traveled from one to a different with a blimp. It was enjoyable to make it, however we did it simply to make some cash so we will end our personal work-in-progress challenge Machinarium.
TA: In recent times, it seems like Amanita Design has been pushing inventive boundaries much more, and I really like every little thing being proven. How concerned are you in titles like Completely happy Sport and the upcoming Phonopolis?
JD: Completely happy Sport was created by Jara Plachy, creator of Chuchel and Botanicula. It’s so bizarre and distinctive that it was nearly not possible to assist him with design choices. Phonopolis continues to be in improvement by a brand new staff in Amanita that hasn’t launched a recreation but. I’m serving to principally with recreation design concepts and at the moment additionally with the manufacturing pipeline as we’re slowly getting nearer to the end line.
TA: Pilgrims on Apple Arcade was a stunning recreation, and it not too long ago noticed a standalone cellular launch following it leaving the service. Is there any probability Amanita Design will do extra quick video games like that?
JD: We don’t have something like Pilgrims within the making proper now, but it surely would possibly change sooner or later. I loved this little experiment so much.
TA: Out of the numerous video games you’ve labored on earlier than and with Amanita Design, what’s your favourite, and looking out again is there any recreation you want you had finished extra with?
JD: My favourite is by far the one I’m engaged on proper now, which is sadly nonetheless unannounced so I can’t discuss it.
TA: Inform us a bit of bit about working with Apple on the Apple Arcade releases. Will there be extra Apple Arcade video games sooner or later?
JD: Apple Arcade began on the proper time for us as we had 2 video games nearing the discharge when Apple approached us. So we have been capable of launch each of them (Creaks and Pilgrims) on Arcade fairly quickly. AA helped us to achieve a brand new large viewers and it was additionally useful financially. Apple had a transparent imaginative and prescient of what sort of video games they needed to help on Apple Arcade and why. Sadly this imaginative and prescient modified since then so I’m undecided about the way forward for this service.
TA: I discussed how I found Amanita Design by way of Machinarium, however essentially the most spectacular factor again then was seeing it have a vinyl soundtrack obtainable. I missed the unique pressings sadly, however this and Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery have wonderful music with vinyl releases. Amanita Design has at all times been doing vinyl releases and I’m glad to see it. How has it been doing these releases through the years with how the vinyl business has been rising?
JD: We’ve had a tremendous partnership with Dan Dudarec from Minority Data – a Czech indie music label – ever because the first Machinarium vinyl urgent. He’s been doing all of the manufacturing work, schedules reissues, offers with manufacturing crops, helps with distribution… And it’s very a lot because of him that every one of our vinyl releases – aside from the 2 restricted editions – proceed to be obtainable. The Machinarium LP is certainly our hottest piece of merchandise – it acquired its twelfth urgent final 12 months!
Typically we simply love vinyl. It’s in all probability the prettiest, most tactile music format on the market. There’s simply one thing magical about a big spinning disk that has grooves in it that comprise music… They arrive in all kinds of colours and transparencies lately, and with some artwork prints included, it’s a pleasant collectible even should you don’t personal a turntable.
TA: Within the newest subject of EDGE journal, the function on Phonopolis talked about how it’s Amanita Design’s first correct 3D world. I at all times thought it regarded unimaginable, however this stood out to me. Has it been the biggest challenge for the studio?
JD: It’s undoubtedly been our longest and most complex challenge to this point. The artwork and animation methods, in addition to your complete creation course of, are extremely difficult and time-consuming. Nonetheless, we stay dedicated to the unique imaginative and prescient. Irrespective of how lengthy it takes, we’re a cussed group of builders.
TA: Is there any probability we see Phonopolis on cellular quickly after or at launch?
JD: Cellular is a part of the plan, however I can’t say if it’s ultimately after its PC launch.
TA: What’s subsequent for Jakub Dvorský?
JD: A pair extra video games to make and that’s it. Life goes quick.
TA: What have you ever been enjoying currently and what was your favourite recreation of 2023?
JD: I performed The Case of the Golden Idol, Viewfinder, Storyteller and The Invincible – all nice video games which I totally suggest. Presently I’m caught with Balatro which is improbable and sadly too addictive.
TA: How do you want your espresso?
JD: Black, Turkish espresso is most popular however I drink principally inexperienced tea and Pu-erh anyway.
I’d prefer to thank Jakub Dvorský and Lukas Kunce for his or her time and assist right here.
You’ll be able to sustain with all our interviews right here together with our latest ones with Akitoshi Kawazu, Kenji Ito, and Tomokazu Shibata right here, Dave Oshry of New Blood, Digital Extremes for Warframe cellular, Crew NINJA, Sonic Dream Crew, Hello-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and extra. As ordinary, thanks for studying.
