Interviewee(s): Nic Watt, Creative Director of Nnooo

Nnooo may be a recently established company, but Creative Director Nic Watt and company have big plans. We got the chance to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the WiiWare title Pop, along with details about future titles, the competition and their Pokemon MMORPG concept.

How did Pop come to realization?

Nic Watt: Pop came pretty much exclusively because of the Wii. I had been thinking for a while about how to make a game which could use the Wii Remote and be both accessible for new players but still have depth for the more experienced gamer. Watching my partner play Lumines I came to realize that simple fun games do not have to appeal just to one demographic.

How long was Pop in development? When did you decide it would be a good fit for WiiWare?

NW: Pop was in development for about a year. The gameplay and general code was finished in about 6-7 months but localization, bug testing and polish took us a little longer than expected. As soon as we had a PC prototype we knew it would be good fun. Then getting the interaction working on the Wii really showed us the potential, particularly in multiplayer.

How did Pop become a launch title for WiiWare (in North America)? Did you go to Nintendo or did they come to you?

NW: We have been part of the WiiWare program since slightly before the official announcement, so we managed to get started pretty quickly. We kept in touch with Nintendo throughout the development process and set ourselves the goal of becoming a launch title. As it got closer to the launch date, it was a worry as we had the usual last minute hiccups, but fortunately Nintendo were very supportive and really pushed to get us on there from day 1.

Did Nintendo help in the development process of the game?

NW: In terms of the making the game, no, we funded and developed the game ourselves. However, Nintendo supply some great tools and software examples, which make programming for the Wii a lot easier. Nintendo really helped us out with the submission process and were very patient with us as we sorted issues out, etc. They were always there to ask questions of and get advice from which was great!

Is developing a download title different from a retail release?

NW: Not really and that in some ways has been the hard part. Although it is true it is cheaper than releasing and making a disc based game, we still need to do a lot of ancillary stuff not directly related to the gameplay. For example, we needed to translate the online manual into English, French and Spanish for North America and English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Dutch for Europe; we also needed to get the game rated by the ESRB, PEGI, OFLC and USK for all the various regions. As a company of only 3 people, we had no localization or testing team so we had to sort out all of this stuff ourselves. This is something I had not really had to do working at EA and other games companies!

How well has the game been received commercially? How are you happy with the sales numbers?

NW: We are really pleased with not only the sales so far in North America but also the player feedback we have had. The vast majority of users have really enjoyed the game and found it to be fun and rewarding. That makes it all worthwhile!

Did you have any say in the pricing (700 Wii Points) for Pop? Will there be price cuts on WiiWare?

NW:We can't really comment on how Nintendo arrives at the pricing for WiiWare games or if there will be price cuts. However, we do have an input into the price and we are happy at the amount we are charging.

The main complaint from many critics relates to the price being too much for such a simple game. Why is Pop worth 700 Wii points?

NW: Pricing is always hard to justify as everyone would like things cheaper. We feel that at 700 Wii Points, Pop represents a very good deal for the consumer. There are 4 modes of play and online high-score tables, plus plenty of depth to keep coming back to.

What is your favorite element of the game? What aspect of Pop do you wish you could refine or work on more?

NW: I love the pumping up mechanic in particular, but the audio changes as you build a chain, which I think really makes the game shine. We would love to have added more bonus rounds and some extra modes, but unfortunately, being a launch title meant deciding to focus on getting the game done, and so we had to remove some less core features. We would also like to add more danger in single player and work on ways to adjust the balance of multiplayer.

Pop has casual, popping bubbles, and hardcore, high scores, appeal. As such, whom do you view as your competitor in the WiiWare market?

NW: That is a tough one. I feel that in many ways all games and forms of entertainment are our competitors, as the users only has limited time and money to spend on such things. The games that will probably compete most directly on WiiWare for us are Defend Your Castle, Dr. Mario Online Rx, Actionloop Twist (Magnetica Twist) and Block Breaker Deluxe.

The audio really fits the title well, with a mixture of calming sounds and trippy beats that dynamically change with gameplay. Game Audio Australia was in charge of the soundtrack. How did they become a part of the development process of Pop?

NW: When we started making Pop, I knew I wanted great audio for the game and having no experience of making music, I contacted Game Audio Australia and they jumped at the chance. Andrew Curnock, the Audio Engineer/Designer, really got into the style of music and ended up being the perfect fit for Pop. We are more than happy with the music and think they have done a great job!

You originally discussed a Puzzle mode being present in the game. What happened to this feature?

NW: The puzzle mode was one mode we had to drop due to time pressures, unfortunately. It is something we would like to revive maybe as a bonus round if and when we announce a follow up!

How did Nnooo start as a company? Is there any secret meaning or story behind the name Nnooo?

NW: Nnooo started in July 2006 when my partner and I moved to Australia. As I had to leave EA when my partner was asked to move to Australia, I took the scary step of starting up a company. I began talking to Nintendo about making downloadable games around then.

The logo and phrase Nnooo comes from when I used to play games in the UK with my work mates. If something was unbelievable, amazing or if I was suddenly being beaten I would often cry out No! in a comic book fashion. My colleagues thought this was hilarious in part because of my Scottish accent and so it stuck. I thought it was a cool name for a games company so have kept it ever since!

On your website, Fwick seems to be the next game in development. You state that it is a "competitive Wi-Fi title for Wii." Can you give us any information on the title? And will it be a retail release?

NW: Fwick is indeed one of a couple of games we are looking at doing next. Unfortunately, there is not much more we can reveal about the game at the moment other than that Fwick is not the actual name, just a working title! We do have the final name sorted, but cannot announce that either as it will give too much of the game away. The plan for it is to also be on WiiWare. However, at the moment we are also appraising iPhone development and may start to move Pop onto that as well.

For Nintendo fans, you also have a pitch on your website for a "cool Pokemon MMORPG." Have you discussed this concept with Nintendo? Is this a small nod of personal desire for the franchise or a serious concept?

NW: I am a MASSIVE Pokemon fan and would love to work on a Pokemon MMO. The idea I have I think is pretty unique and we would love the opportunity to pitch it to Nintendo. However, at the moment, it is only a concept but when I feel more confident in our ability, I will definitely take it to them! Although, in the mean time, if Nintendo would like to talk to us about it, we would love the opportunity!

Pop is now available on WiiWare in most regions, except Japan, for 700 Wii Points. Stay tuned to Nintendojo as we give our review about the downloadable title in the near future.

We would like to give special thanks to Nic Watt for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak with us.