What’s your role at FlatPonies?

I am the Art Director on Scratch the Cat. I’m responsible for managing the artists, assigning tasks, and ensuring that the project maintains a consistent visual direction.

I’m a bit of a jack-of-all-trades skill-wise, and I also assist with production. I primarily work with concepting, 3D modelling, animation, rigging, and texturing. I also have a background in game design, so I also dabble in game design, level design, prototyping, and a bit of programming.

What makes a great work environment?

A great work environment is a place where people can be open and upfront – where ideas can be voiced and concerns can be heard. Ping-pong between developers is important, and making sure the different faculties of the team are on the same page is important for a consistent project. Everyone on the team should be able to feel a sense of purpose and ownership of what they make, so that people remain motivated and invested in the project.

At the same time, there’s a balancing act between giving everyone the chance to contribute, while not making it so democratic that it slows down development or makes the design unfocused. I do believe that strong direction from the top makes for a good project. By delegating decision-making to a few key people, you can mitigate the risk of indecisiveness.

What excites you most about our current project?

The world and the characters. We’re aiming to create a game with a vibrant, colorful feel and a strong sense of personality. Bringing this vision to life is the most exciting part! I’m also very invested in the level design (which I’m also involved in as well), as it’s crucial to the genre we’re working in and has to work well with the visuals.

What’s been the biggest ‘aha’ moment in development so far?

Honestly, downscoping! At the start of a game project, you think about all the potential directions the game could take and aim for the stars. Once you start prototyping, you start to realize what’s important for the game, and which ideas are worth keeping or cutting.

What’s a fun or unexpected fact about you that your teammates might not know about you? 

Probably my diversity of tastes and obscure knowledge. I’m into a ton of thing’s, which often catches people a bit by surprise. People are often surprised when they learn I have a pet rabbit at home.

I tend to be more cool-headed or revel in ironic humor at work, but I can also be very earnest and sensitive in the right environment.

If you could jump back in time, and play your favorite childhood video game, which one would it be and why? OR What’s a gaming moment from your childhood that you’ll never forget?

I would have a hard time singling out a single game. I would jump back to the early 2000’s and play a combination of the following games: ‘The early Heroes of Might and Magic’ games, ‘Diablo I’ and ‘II’, ‘Warcraft III‘, ‘Super Mario 64′, ‘Rayman Gold‘, and ‘Red Alert‘.

I’ll also give a shoutout to a more obscure cult game from 1999 called ‘Outcast’. That game felt like a real adventure back in the day.

Tell us about your pony—why is it designed this way?

I have an old gas mask at home and thought that would make it stand out from the other ponies.