I think if a person plays 'Quantum Conundrum' and they walk away feeling really intelligent and skilled, that's what I want. That's my only goal.
Kim Swift
When I play games, I'll make up little stories for just anything. It's almost the game of making up background stories for people you see on the street. You know what I mean? I wasn't exactly the popular kid in school growing up, so I found myself really observing people, and watching how they interact, and how they react to things.
'Quantum Conundrum' has a little bit of something for everybody - it's got something for kids and it's got enough of a challenge for a hardcore gamer.
I started working at Airtight Games after I shipped 'Left 4 Dead 2' back in 2009.
Being young is an advantage. You've grown up with games as the dominant entertainment. You have a lot of experience of video games. So what do you want to see that's not been done? Innovation is really low cost for you. You can afford to take risks and fail to execute new ideas.
I like that I make toys.
Games can be art, and they can be significant and all the glorified things that we want them to be. But if you ask a kid if their toys are important, they'll say 'yes,' and 'Please don't take them away.'
Typically my ideas come to me in the most inane ways possible. I had the initial idea for 'Quantum Conundrum' while I was walking down the street to get breakfast. People are like, 'Whoa, what's your inspiration, is it something amazing?' No, I was just really hungry.
I think different games have a different chemical release in your brain as far as reward goes. I like making puzzle games, just because I know I'm kinda good at it, and they really are superfun to work on.
I think the downloadable scene in general is really, really interesting for developers because it's low-risk. It doesn't require as much money as a triple-A title. And it's a great proving ground for new IPs, new concepts, new ideas - things that I think I, as a developer, find really attractive.
I'd been at Valve since I got out of college. I felt like I kind of grew up there, and I wanted to see what else was out in the world. One of the owners of Airtight Games is a friend of mine, and he asked if I would run a team there. It just sounded like a great opportunity.
The drawings in 'Portal' were actually me scribbling that stuff... I had a funny moment when I realized that someone gotten 'The cake is a lie' tattooed on themselves. It was really interesting to see my handwriting tattooed on another human being. That... that's odd.
I love humorous games. I love to laugh, and I think it's a really great way to attract players.
'Quantum Conundrum' is a direct reflection, not just of me, but of our entire team. It has a little bit of all of our personalities in it.
I was the lead designer on 'Portal,' and I really enjoyed making that type of game.
What's great about games in particular is that it's a socially acceptable way for adults to imagine.
I can't really change the games I like to make, and I can't change my own particular aesthetic.
One of the things I loved about working on 'Portal' was that we'd get emails from people saying, 'I love to play first-person shooters but my girlfriend won't play them with me. But I got her to play 'Portal' and she had a blast.'
