Email interview with Steve Pavlina

April 2004
 

Hello Steve, it's nice of you to answer some questions concerning your person and Dweep!
 

How old are you?

I turn 33 on April 14, 2004.

What foodstuff do you like most?

I'm a raw foodist, so I only eat plant-based foods that are completely raw – nothing cooked and nothing that comes from an animal. I like virtually all fruits and vegetables, so I eat lots of them. I especially like banana-walnut shakes and fruit smoothies, strawberries with cashew cream, organic carrots with fresh guacamole, and dried fruits like banana and kiwi chips. For breakfast this morning I had some dehydrated flax seed crackers with avocado and tomato slices plus a big glass of fresh apple-carrot-beet-ginger-lime juice.

Where do you live?

Las Vegas

Are you married and do you have children?

I've been married six years and have two children, a 4-year old daughter and an 8-month old son.

Do you have a dog or any other pets?

Nope. No pets.

Do you play non-computer games like card or board games in your free time?

My favorite card game is Texas Hold'em (a popular poker variation), and since I live in Las Vegas, there's always a game available, so I usually play about once a week. I'm pretty good at poker compared to most of the tourists who play in the casinos, so I like that I can have fun and win money at the same time. I don't play board games or other card games too often.

How long did you work on the first published version of Dweep?

About six months.

Is it difficult to create a computer game which is fun to play?

Yes, it's very difficult. Game design is one of the hardest tasks human beings can undertake. Many people confuse game design with coming up with an idea for a game, but designing a complete game is much more than coming up with ideas. The hard part is combining all of those ideas into a cohesive whole that makes a fun experience for the player. Coming up with ideas is pretty easy – anyone can come up with a clever idea. The hard part is in the detail work.

What's the meaning of "dweep"? Is it a fantasy word?

Yes, it's a made up word for the name of the game's main character. One interesting fact is that the squeaky sounds that Dweep makes when you move him are actually a recording of my own voice saying the word "Dweep", with the pitch raised up really high to make it sound like a squeak.

Do you plan a sequel of Dweep (Gold) in the near future?

A sequel is always a possibility, but I haven't made any firm commitment to it yet. I felt that the original game came out so well that it would be tough to create a really new experience in a sequel. So I'm holding off on doing a sequel until I can come up with a design that's a bigger leap forward rather than just making small improvements and additions to what's already in the game.