Artist Interview - Tom Fry (Pt. 1)
Welcome Tom Fry, creator of our MIDNIGHT TURBO deck, formed of yet another fierce FLICK HQ game studio mash-up!
Time to G O T U R B O and chat to Tom!
What makes a video game 'fun' to play?
- A game which is fun to play is one which doesn't hold my hand unnecessarily and bombard me with objective markers and tips on what to do, instead allowing me to explore and work things out for myself yet passively teaching me through its design on how to be a better player with clearly delineated fail states and goals - this is how I can become thoroughly engaged in an experience. In a modern context, I'd point the finger squarely at any decent Souls-like title (shout out to Bloodborne) as an example of how to achieve this succinctly.
I have heard you're a little into Japanese video game art + design born of the NEO GEO times. How do you feel about the next-generation consoles and the future of gaming? Are we in danger of losing the arcade/retro feel?
- It's true! I have a deep love for Japanese video games and art, particularly across the 80's and 90's (very much including my beloved Neo Geo), but this was the time I grew up in and what I was primarily exposed to, so nostalgia undoubtedly plays a big part in this. I think with this upcoming generation we're seemingly at a point where actually, that arcade/retro console feel is making a spiritual comeback by virtue of first parties pushing the need to eliminate loading times altogether giving next gen titles a much greater sense of immediacy which is par for the course with any arcade title. I also associate high frame rates with being a very arcade-y hallmark (thinking back to the early 90's and advent of blockbusting 3D arcade titles like Daytona USA) and again, it looks as though after 3 or 4 generations, we're finally getting back to 60fps being more commonplace rather than 30fps which massively improves the feel and responsiveness of gameplay, whether you consciously notice it or not. I'm excited about the next-generation and have been loving it so far already and I will do my bit to uphold the warm and fuzzy tenets of that arcade/retro feel however I can.
As an animator, illustrator and art designer - is there EVER enough detail in a finished project for you?
- This was a big issue for me in the past, although I still continue to grapple with it from time to time these days. I used to think that more detail meant a more impressive finish or that more value would be added, but I've come to find, through plenty of team and client feedback, that more often than not less is more and so, on the contrary, I find myself having to restrict how much detail goes into any piece of work to ensure it's easy on the eye and readable.
In your freelancing days, what was the strangest project that you worked on and designed?
- If I told you, they'd put me on some sort of no-fly list I imagine, so that will have to remain classified at least for now ;)
Who is your favourite Sonic character? Are you allowed to have one?!
- Classic Doctor Eggman, surely the world's most lovable villain! Or Ray the Flying Squirrel who made a return in Sonic Mania Plus having previously been a very obscure and unknown character since the very early days of the franchise.
What has kept you passionate about the video games industry?
- There's so many angles as to why I continue to be passionate. As a creator, it's being surrounded by those who are themselves incredibly passionate and so it's hard not to be buoyed by that. It's an industry which I have grown up with - it was still very much in its infancy when I was but a wee lad and year after year it continues to grow, evolve and throw new and exciting curve balls, so it's hard to resist that gravitational pull of excitement wrapped up in all of that.
If you could have worked on ANY video game, which one would it be?
- Big question, but probably Metal Slug or Burnout. Both arcade-focused titles, but obviously different genres. I suppose I'd have liked to just have been a fly on the wall during the development of any number of the titles these two IPs have spawned over the years just to witness the sparks of creativity and humour that surprised and amused me over the years as I got to play them for the first time.
As we tentatively come out of lockdown in the U.K, what have you missed most during the last year?
- Take your pick from the patented Lockdown Missed Activity Bingo Card! Having a proper summer holiday and a proper Christmas probably, but I've taken a glass half-full approach during this time and made the best of these traditions in their "unique" forms in 2020 anyway (adhering always to government guidelines of course!)
Flick Solitaire's secret (and now not so secret) mission is to be the finest SOLITAIRE game on mobile, in the entire world, ever!... What are your ingredients in making a good mobile game?
- It's been a long, long time since I made a mobile game, but I would say the ultimate goal or ingredient (if you could call it that) is to reduce friction as much as possible to get your player into the meat of the game and engaged quick as you can or face losing that prestigious space on your user's home screen. Punchy, engrossing branding certainly doesn't go amiss either from a retention aspect.
How long did it take for you to create the video game Major Magnet?
- 18 months in total. We were content-complete by around the year mark, then we found a publisher and spent a further 6 months polishing and refining the presentation and flow of the title with their guidance.
Have you picked up any new skills or hobbies during the last year in lockdown?
- There are a few hobbies I returned to or 'levelled-up' such as portrait painting and electronics soldering, but I also found that I quite enjoy composing music using sequencing software. It has tapped into a less well-trodden part of my brain that has delivered a few hefty doses of dopamine when I've been doing it, so I think I'll carry on!
Check out Tom’s deck MIDNIGHT TURBO and stay FLICKED for Pt.2 of the interview coming soon….