Puddle: Puzzles to Ponder

Puzzle games challenge the mind and occasionally the reflexes. Rarely do they deal with a whole bunch of fluids. Early next year, Puddle will hit the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live with its own take on the puzzle formula.

Puddle comes to us via a group of student developers. With such an interesting premise, we thought we'd talk with the team about Puddle's design, dealing with such an abstract "main character," and designing games while at school.

This interview was conducted electronically. All emoticons have been included in accordance with the Emoticon Preservation Act of 1982.*

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IGN: Hello! Thank you for corresponding with us. Could you start off by introducing yourselves and tell us about your roles on the project?

Puddle Team: Hello, we are the Puddle core Team composed of Martial Potron (game designer / level designer / manager), Pierre Lemasson (graphics designer / level designer), Hoel Jacq (graphics designer / level designer), Antoine Guerchais (programmer / level designer), Arnaud Noble (sound designer), and Remi Gillig (programmer / level designer).


IGN: What inspired the development of Puddle? Did the team look to other environmental interaction games like LocoRoco?

Puddle Team: When the student project started we had to proceed during a very short time and we only worked "for fun", regardless of what other developers have already done.

When we began to develop the game with commercial objectives, the other games became direct competition and we had to start to observe them, to identify what made [them successful], and what should be/shouldn't be done.

IGN: What are the benefits of working with a 2D playing field? What are the drawbacks?

Puddle Team: Most of the gameplay we wanted to do was easier to apply in 2D and we loved 2D platformers. Also, not all games are suitable in 3D. We don't think there are any drawbacks: easier level design, easier editing, easier programming. :)

IGN: How did the team handle an in-game avatar that can separate and stretch across the playing field?

Puddle Team: With anti-depressants! Seriously it was a real pain, for camera purposes obviously. We had to think about [a number of things]. Should we focus on the biggest mass of liquid, or should we consider the entire pool? Should we try to anticipate where the player wants to go, or should we do something more systemic?

In terms of level design too, we encountered challenges. When should we open a door: when a particle reaches it, or when a percentage is close, or when the entire puddle is in the trigger? Our concern was to make something understandable by the player, with the least amount of frustration as possible.

Each fluid has some properties which may be cool -- like adding energy to machines -- but at the same time may be dangerous, too. For instance, if a lost drop of fuel ignites but then catches up and reaches the rest of your puddle of unlit fuel, you may regret that this bit of fluid didn't die before. :)


*Not a real act.