Interview: Erik Svedäng, creator of Blueberry Garden

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Erik Svedäng, picture stolen from his website

I just noticed this will be the third article in a row about the ‘indy’ PC game Blueberry Garden. Read up on this game in my brief hands-on preview right here so I can just stick to the interview in this post.

So I’m very glad Erik Svedäng made some time for me to interview him about himself and his current Blueberry Garden project. It was a friendly, short conversation and I ask you to bare with me as this is my very first interview, like, ever. Feel free to comment on it below to add some good feedback, I plan to do these things more often!

A short prologue: Erik Svedäng is a Swedish game designer in his early twenties and teaches game design at the University of Skövde.  Very recently, Erik has been awarded a grand prize at the Independant Game Festival in San Fransisco, California for his soon to be released project Blueberry Garden.

Interview Actofrage.com (Sietse Smith) – Erik Svedäng

Actofrage.com
I just wanted to ask some questions about you and the development of the game if that’s okay.

Erik Svedäng
sure

Actofrage.com
So how did you come up with Blueberry Garden?

Erik Svedäng
I didn’t really come up with it, it evolved.
I like drawing, and I had an enormous amount of time to draw the last four, five years.
So I drew and thought about game design and I found out that I wanted to try certain things.
Like creating a large world that was constantly simulated and where everything was working sort of like “for real”.
I mean like an ecosystem, not falling pieces of cheese.

Actofrage.com
Based on real physics and natural behaviour of things you mean?

Erik Svedäng
Yeah.
And where things that are dead stay dead and so on.
And things are created out of eachother, not just magically inserted into the world.

Actofrage.com
I see. I noticed that with the trees growing out of the ground, growing new red or blue berries themselves.
I noticed a lot of good physics going on here and there, do you have a history in game development?

Erik Svedäng
Yeah, I’ve made games my whole life sort of, but the physics isn’t mine, it’s a free lib.

Actofrage.com
But with it you created quite a lot of interest in Blueberry Garden, you even won a grand prize a couple of days ago. Does this motivate you to do even more?

Erik Svedäng
I guess so.
IGF (Independent Game Festival) and GDC (Game Developers Conference) was really inspirational, especially Jason Rohrer’s talk

Actofrage.com
Does this mean you would be willing to go even further in developing new levels or more advanced puzzles?

Erik Svedäng
Not really, I know the game is kind of small compared to others, but it’s the way it has to be.
So I won’t make it bigger, only a little bit better.

Actofrage.com
Have you set a release date?

Erik Svedäng
Before summer, probably May

Actofrage.com
Any chance of a sneak preview on added features or enhancements?

Erik Svedäng
Sure.
But there aren’t any right now, what did you think lacked in the game?

Actofrage.com
Whow whow, who’s interviewing who now?

I don’t know. I guess I really didn’t know what I was doing, but for some reason it all seemed to make sense. You can go in any direction, collecting the ‘necessary’ pieces to go on and I think I didn’t even see all of it.
Maybe it could use some clarification for people who are easily scared off by such games, but I guess anyone with some curiosity could enjoy finishing this game.

Erik Svedäng
OK, great thoughts.

Actofrage.com
So how about your choice of music:
How did you find something that fits the drawings so well?

Erik Svedäng
I searched for a long time on a site with songs under the “creative commons” license until I found what I wanted
I listen a lot to music while I draw so I had certain music in mind, just had to find something that was free.

Actofrage.com
Very good choice indeed.
So I know you’re from Sweden, you are active as a game design teacher at a university and you’ve now gotten some fresh publicity with your current project: Do you plan on continuing on this course? Or do you have other plans for your future?

Erik Svedäng
Heh, haven’t decided yet, but I will stay at the uni for a while

Actofrage.com
Okay, one last question: You’ve been awarded already and nominated for more, what if an oppertunity presented itself to work in the gaming industry, would we be hearing more from you in the bigger sense?

Erik Svedäng
If I want to work on a big studio?

Actofrage.com
Yes.

Erik Svedäng
Not really.
I guess I would consider it, but it seems boring and self-destroying.
A lot of indies have been working in “the industry” and quit, I take that as a clue.

Actofrage.com
I understand.
Anything you might want to add? About the Blueberry Garden or anything else?

Erik Svedäng
be nice!

Good stuff!

Ofcourse I’m going to keep you all informed on any progress on the game or maybe even any of Svedäng’s future projects. If you would like to stay updated on this or any other subject for that matter, here’s the Actofrage feed.

As stated earlier, this is my very first interview and I would really like to hear some constructive feedback to try and better my skills. So thanks in advance!

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