MMORPG: Tell us about the journey for Brick-Force to get to launch? How has it been?
Armin Papenfuss: I've been with Infernum since December 2011. Brick-Force was in an early state then but all the core features were already functioning. We began to develop proposals for the improvements we would like to see in Brick-Force. These were then sent to the developer EXE Games in Korea. This is basic work-flow.
But the most exciting moment for a Game Designer is when the first players start playing. With the beginning of the beta phase, feedback from the users started to pour in. Everything we planned out before was now tested and we knew whether it works or not.
This is still an ongoing task. Seeing how players react to the game, what they like and what they don't like, taking all this information and melding them into new ideas and designs.
Right from the official announcement in December 2011 we got very positive feedback from a lot of players and the community grew so rapidly. We launched Brick-Force last week and now already have about 1 million players! That´s such a good feeling because we know we must have done it right.
MMORPG: What is it about Brick-Force that you have found appeals most to players? What is your favorite part of the game?
Armin Papenfuss: Having the possibility to build your own maps and to play on lots of different maps is a very strong feature in Brick-Force. For every creative player that wishes for "just my perfect map" now there is an easy and fun way to build them. For players who are more on the shooting than the building side there are now new maps to play on every day. My favorite part is jumping into new maps I don't know and playing some rounds in shooter mode. It's kind of an exploring thing. Some players made some amazing maps and it is lots of fun for me to find all the good spots, hidden ways and best tactics in these.
We really like the philosophy of “Build, Share, Play” tell us how you came up with that mantra for the game. Maps built by the players for the players are a central part of Brick-Force. With "Build, Share, Play" we want to show that in Brick-Force there is much more than in most other FPS titles. There isn't just a small set of prefabricated maps, but players can build their own and decide on which they want to play. Creativity and a diverse choice of maps are crucial.
MMORPG: You have some amazing competitions for players in the game, like building, shooter games, etc. how many do you host at a time?
Armin Papenfuss: In the shooter mode, up to 16 players in two teams of 8 can play together. The room master can decrease this number individually for each team as he or she sees fit for smaller scale maps. For example, there are special maps like 1 player up in a tower against 8 players trying to rush it. Or jump and run maps in which players try to overcome a tricky course to reach the flag high above.
In the building mode up to 8 players can collaborate to build in one map. The map owner can give rights to individual players to build or just to view the map. This decreases the chance for griefers. Bringing friends along is a great way to build large, creative maps quickly.
MMORPG: How easy is it for players to get involved with both aspects of the game? Shooter and Building? Is there a way to do both easily?
Armin Papenfuss: We want to give the players a low threshold to start playing Brick-Force. The shooter mode is pretty straight forward: point your gun and press the trigger. Of course players who are more familiar with FPS games will be able to master Brick-Force more easily. But I think anyone can grasp the basic game mechanics quickly.
In the building mode the only limit is your creativity. This mode is also very accessible: you just need one mouse click to place or remove bricks. There is a palette where you can put up to 10 bricks you want to use at the moment. And then just start building click by click.
MMORPG: Can you give players some information about getting started in the game? What is your recommendation when you begin playing?
Armin Papenfuss: My advice is to start with some shooter matches. For players who are mainly interested in FPS this is the obvious choice. But also for those who want to build it´s a good way to see what other players already did out there and get inspired by their work. There are some awesome maps with interesting twists available. Or one might see some maps with things to make better. And then, it’s off into build mode with fresh ideas!
MMORPG: What plans do you have for Brick-Force in 2012? More importantly beyond…
Armin Papenfuss: In the future we want to introduce new game modes into Brick-Force and expand the existing ones. For example, the Defense mode where players have to fight our AI Bomber Bees will be available very soon. New themes are also planned. Bricks and clothes fitting a Wild West, Space, or Vampire setting are in the works. Having more interactive bricks like levers and doors is another thing we're looking forward to. Last but not least to mention is the mobile version of the game, which will make Brick-Force playable on smartphones and tablets. So there are some nice things to come!
