Ah! So, one other thing that I've wondering since the PR started coming out: how does the "Final Bouquet" work, exactly?
Guermonprez:It's a connect-the-dot thing. We love connect-the-dots. (smiles)
...hey, don't leave!
Each world has a special rule, though. Some of them are really tricky.
Basically, this part is just a bonus. After you have completed your level (of course, at this point, the game saves and the next level is unlocked), you connect dots with your stylus, and it reveals a picture if you succeed, just like in Picross. You draw your own Final Bouquet.
If you manage to have all the pictures right, you unlock an additional mode (the Relax Mode) which is designed for those weird states you are in when you come back from parties... mmm.
We really tried to put many more unlockables, hidden stuff and silly things in this game. We also made the progression simpler: each levels lasts about 2 to 3 minutes, and is automatically saved when you succeed. Oh, and we tried to design the alarm clock better this time, and also put more music (around 30 tracks) by popular request. (smiles)
One of the things that I've been particularly attracted to (and what convinced me to try Nervous Brickdown in the first place) was the really cool art. Who's responsible for that?
Guermonprez:Always the same guy: Aurélien Regard. I'm his biggest fan.
(grins)
I hired him 9 years ago now, in my first company. He now is my partner in Arkedo. However much I loved
NB art, I really think
BBM is better, but don't tell him!
The music guys also are the same: Xavier Thiry and Sylvain Hellio (a.k.a. Yubaba, Smith and Fortune), only older. And this time, as I said, they won an award! They did a great job for
BBM and there again, I believe this part is better than
NB. We clearly spent more time on this title: we were really afraid to make a so-so game after
NB (which was small, but full of love, hope it showed!) So we compensated by adding layers and layers, I guess.
Are you guys big DS players outside of your own titles?
Guermonprez:You should see the piles of games in our office :)
Yes we love this little DS. We would not spend 80% of our life on it if we did not... we are lazy, you know.
But we play many games, on many consoles, and have been doing it for many years. It helps us have a perspective on where we stand, with so many great titles. We come after almost 30 years of games... It teaches respect. (smiles)
Got any favorites? Have you ever tried my personal GOTY contender, Soul Bubbles?
Guermonprez:Mmm... look in the credits of Soul Bubbles, I guess you may find a clue. (grins)
Haha, I can't believe I missed that. Right there in the "Special Thanks."
Guermonprez:Yes, I agree with you, it's a great game. More people should know about this game.
I've been trying to spread the word. Anything else you'd like to tell our readers?
Guermonprez:Yes: for our next game, we'll leave our little DS for a while, but we'll stay with Nintendo... *hint*hint*nudge*nudge*
It was great talking to you. Thanks for answering our questions, and best of luck with Big Bang Mini and in your future endeavors!
Big Bang Mini hits retail this coming January, just in time for you to try to figure out what to do with that stack of gift cards you got under the tree. (Provided the retailer hasn't gone under, of course.)
