Old School Gamer Magazine chats with Kris Patrick (Owner, Krispy Animation) who details the creative process behind his newest game.
About Clown in a House:
Explore a mysterious home as a pixel-perfect clown in Clown in a House, the new exploration game by Kris Patrick – creator of the popular animated series CatGhost.
Venture deeper and deeper into the bowels of the house and meet its strange inhabitants to interact with more than 1,000 unique objects and uncover upwards of 20 endings (!)
Old School Gamer Magazine: How was Clown in a House born?
Kris Patrick: It was born from my indecisiveness and sporadic energy. After months of writing, changing direction, and starting over. I decided to take myself as well as others through my creative process.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What is your role in the game?
Patrick: I am the main writer and developer.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What has development been like?
Patrick: A bit of a rollercoaster ride. It is the most personal project I have ever made and sometimes I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to see it through. Now I am relieved it is complete.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What makes Clown in a House special?
Patrick: It’s personal, real, and raw. I’m hoping that those who have experienced the creative process can feel a little less alone after playing it.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What games influenced this one the most?
Patrick: I have always been in love with old DOS point and click adventures, and I have been enamoured by games and movies that leave a lasting impression.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Any fun stories or wild moments during development?
Patrick: Playtesting was the most memorable part of development. All English testers streamed while I watched their reactions. The best part was experiencing fits of laughter and shock while they discovered the endings and meeting Boy Howdy.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What were the major lessons learned?
Patrick: I think I have finally reached a point where I have expressed myself and said what I have needed to say. I am ready to move on to a more traditional game.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?
Patrick: Absolutely! Older gameplay mechanics should be improved and expanded but never abandoned. At the end of the day they are just tools that help hook and excite the player into continuing along.
Old School Gamer Magazine: The marketplace is crowded. How do you think Clown in a House stands out?
Patrick: Clown in a House is completely honest and comes from years of real human experience. It tells a story that is personal to me. If I stumbled across this game when I was younger, It would have left an impact on me. I think that’s the best thing you can do when making anything.
Old School Gamer Magazine: How have your previous experiences in industry helped this game?
Patrick: I think you will have to play the game to get the answer to that. 🙂
Old School Gamer Magazine: How do you want Clown in a House to ultimately be remembered?
Patrick: I hope that those who struggle with creative decision making can remember this project and laugh when they come across similar issues.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What’s next?
Patrick: I have been playing around with a few ideas. It might be a new game or something else. Who knows?
Patrick Hickey, Jr., is the founder and editor-in-chief of ReviewFix.com and a lecturer of English and journalism at Kingsborough Community College, in Brooklyn, New York. Over the past decade, his video game coverage has been featured in national ad campaigns by top publishers the likes of Nintendo, Deep Silver, Disney and EA Sports. His book series, "The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult and Classic Game Developers," from McFarland and Company, has earned praise from Forbes, Huffington Post, The New York Daily News and MSG Networks. He is also a former editor at NBC and National Video Games Writer at the late-Examiner.com
