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Since September's announcement of the top 20 Dream.Build.Play 2009 finalists, we've seen a number of these games working their way to Xbox LIVE Indie Games. We chatted with David Flook from Silver Dollar Games about his team's experience competing in this year's Dream.Build.Play (DBP) challenge, and the making of their game, Mirror.
How would you describe your game for anyone who hasn’t seen or played it yet?
Mirror is a simple game of spatial perception. The object of the game is to estimate the positions of reflections across mirrors.
What made you want to make Mirror?
I wanted a way to showcase my love for fractal art and marry it with an equally unusual gameplay mechanic.
Where did you hear about the contest and what made you decide to enter?
I am very closely in touch with Indie Games news. I use the website every single day.
Is this your first time competing in DBP?
This was my third time participating in DBP.
Why did you decide to participate in the DBP Challenge?
It's an incredible experience competing with the world's best!
How long did it take to develop your game?
It took roughly a month to code and a month to create the artwork.
How was the experience of competing in DBP?
It's always a lot of fun. Win or lose, I like to try and be a part of Indie Games history.
Did you Playtest your game through XNA Creators Club Online (CCO)? Did it help?
No. All testing for Mirror was done internally.
How was your experience with Peer Review?
Peer Review is much tougher now than what it was a year ago; in a good way. The community has really come together and raised the bar for quality and completeness.
Have you helped to Playtest and Peer Review other games?
I playtest and review games on a daily basis.
Would you participate in the contest again?
Absolutely. I already have a game in mind for next year.
What games influenced or inspired this game?
I try not to let other games influence me. My influences are mainly from other art outlets like music and film.
What games are you playing now (other than your game!)?
Right now I'm deep in the middle of production on several new games. I'm almost afraid to start playing something ...although I'm really interested in playing Dragon Age: Origins.
Is this the first game you’ve made? If not, can you tell us more about the other things you’ve worked on?
Haha. We just love making games; of the games officially released or announced:
A Killer's Dream
Advanced Rock Paper Scissors
Arrow Run
Bed Time Nursery Rhymes
Blazing Birds (DBP 2007 Top 4, now on XBLA)
Blow (DBP 2008 Top 6)
Boom Chick Chick
Cassie's Corner
Crisis Nuclear Holocaust
Drop Zone
Head Shot
Head Shot 2
Hotel Danger
Johnny's Minefield
Johnny's Skydiving Lessons
Reef Rave
The Drinking Game
The Headsman
Wacky Water Fun
War: The Card Game Advanced
Who Did I Date Last Night?
How was your experience using XNA Game Studio to make your game?
It's so easy to use. I love it. I believe there's no excuse why anyone can't get into this.
What other tools/programs did you use to help you make your game?
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Audition are my core tools.
How many people are on your team, and what are their roles?
There are two people on the team. I do programming and assets and my brother (Jonathan) does assets, quality control, level design, and testing.
How long did it take you to make this game?
It took roughly a month to code and a month to create the artwork.
Can you walk us through a usual day for you and your team?
We both start work about 8:00 a.m. and work until a minimum of 5:00 p.m. (or longer). Since my brother lives in a different city, we often convene using the Xbox 360 LIVE chat.
Any plans to release more games for XBLIG?
Haha. And how...
What’s next for you?
Our next big release is Boom Chick Chick, a unique single stick, four-player, co-op shooter.
If you'd like to check out Mirror, or any of Silver Dollar Games other titles, you can do that now on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
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