Geekscape Interview: Talking ‘Octogeddon’ And Popcap With Rich Werner!
Early Monday morning, I had the honor of talking to Ex-Popcap employee Rich Werner. Rich was the character designer for the runaway Popcap hit Plants Vs. Zombies, and is now working on a brand new game with Plants Vs. Zombies co-creator George Fan. The game seems to have that same zany and off the wall tone as most of PopCaps games are. I got to talk with Rich for about an hour and got to find out more about his past working for PopCap, and a little of what we can expect from Octogeddon.
Acz: What inspired you and the team at All Yes Good to form this studio and make Octogeddon?
Rich: Well basically, George had made this Ludem Dare entry “48 hour game jam”. That was the beginning of Octogeddon and he had gotten a lot of positive feedback. He reached out to me and asked if I would like to help make it a real game. I couldn’t say no. I left EA and we started on it. Then I reached out to Kurt because I had known him for many years at PopCap and he jumped on board. We saw the success of PVZ and thought it would be so cool to keep making games like that with a small team, but also be our own boss and own it!
Acz: That’s great! Always nice to get a fresh new start
Rich: Totally. Seemed like time to take the reins you know?
Acz: Definitely! How was it like working at PopCap at that time?
Rich: PopCap was great. Probably the best job I have ever had other than working for myself. When I was hired there was 20 some people there. A very tight group of people. As time went on though, it got bigger and bigger. It just wasn’t quite the same, but I think that’s totally natural though. It was so awesome being there from the beginning.
Acz: Growing up with Popcap when I was younger, I always loved and appreciated how weird and fresh your guys games were. I remember countless hours spent playing games Like Typer Shark, and Insaniquarium
Rich: It was basically try anything. If it sticks. Cool. If not, then toss it and try something else. Insaniquarium was George’s game before he even joined PopCap if I remember correctly. PopCap wasn’t afraid to fail. If things were going south on a game it was ok to let it go.
Acz: That’s really awesome. Kind of reminds me of the try anything attitude that Rare also employs. Preferences aside, what would you say your favorite Popcap game is?
Rich: Ours! LOL. Joking haha. I actually really liked Peggle. It was very satisfying to play. There was a Facebook game for a minute that I loved but it didn’t get legs. It was Pig Up! You were a flying pig and it controlled by clicking so he wouldn’t fall out of the sky. Haha.
Acz: I’d have to agree. Peggle is such a simple ,but engaging game.
Rich: Something so nice when you pull off a really cool trick shot. That was the last thing I worked on before leaving. I made some of the characters for Peggle for XBLA.
Acz: You were also a character designer for Peggle 2 right? How did you guys go about updating some of the old masters while also coming up with the new ones?
Rich: Oh man, that was a massive project. There were stacks and stacks of concept art everywhere. Haha. I think that just from me there were at least 20 different Bjorns. And everyone was in on it so hundreds all together I bet. Eventually, the new ones I had done were sort of combining a bunch of designs together and adding my own twist to them. I think they turned out cool in the end.
Acz: So, what are your guys plans for All Yes Good moving forward after Octogeddon?
Rich: I think what we want to do is just make cool games that we love and share them with everyone. That’s why I think George and I work well together. He has such amazing ideas and designs. I get pumped up whenever he tells me about them. I instantly want to make his ideas come to life. Sometimes we’ll be on the phone just riffing ideas and it always ends with us cracking up, and I’ll hang up and totally start drawing stuff haha.
Acz: Is there anything you can tell us about the game that you’re really excited to show people
Rich: No. JK. As an artist, making cut scenes is super intense, especially doing them solo. I’m really stoked on what people will see. I spared no expense!! So to speak. But honestly, the whole thing is great. I’m really excited to get peoples reactions to the game. I don’t think people can comprehend the amount of work it takes to make a game with a team as small as ours. When I step back and look at it I’m like “woah” haha.
Acz: Well, I’m pretty excited about the game. Last question. What is the craziest or strangest thing you’ve designed for the game so far?
Rich: Oh man. If I told you I’d have to kill you. Haha. Trust me, You’ll know it when ya see it.
It was extremely fun conducting this interview with Rich, and I hope all of you reading are just as excited for the new game as they are now. Octogeddon is scheduled for release in early 2017 for PC.
