Now thats some solid developer hair!

Peter Polack is the developer of some of our favorite AG games, including I Don’t Even Know. Recently I had a chance to pick his brain to find out what makes this developer tick.

Zip: Why games?

Peter: Ever since I had the ability to grab onto a pencil, I’ve been pouring out designs and concepts for games, even when I couldn’t actually make them.
When I stumbled across Flash in middle school, I was finally able to take the ideas in my head and drop them into the real world. Making games is ridiculously fun. I enjoy designing them on paper, and if I ever have time to transfer my idea to the screen, it’s unbelievably fun to turn a concept into something playable. I love drawing the objects, I love bringing them to life with code, and I love the look on players’ faces when they see the objects do something awesome. In short, why not games?

Zip: What does LAWLOLAWL stand for?

Peter: Lawlolawl isn’t an acronym, but more of, well, a collage of words. Lawl is a common internet way to spell LOL, or Laugh Out Loud. When you combine Lawl with LOL, you get Lawlolawl, an expression that resembles sheer laughter. In a sense, it’s synonymous with “guffaw.”

Zip: What Flash games are you playing now?

Peter: Lately, I’ve been trying to put together a line of podcasts that announces the latest in Flash gaming and animation - it gives me some time to experiment with a variety of Flash games, and then talk about them. Just recently I came across Tuper Tario Tros, which puts a Tetris twist on the classic Mario. But, to be truly honest, I’ve actually been playing a lot of my own recently released game Shuttle Bound: Meadowed Isle, which is infinitely fun because of its multiplayer mode. My friends enjoy the game a lot, too!

Zip: What is the worst thing about making games?

Peter: For me, it’s tough to finish a game entirely without allowing an idea for another game to replace it. As an example, I worked for some time on a sequel to Pixel Mission (complete with a full arsenal of weapons, smart enemies, and awesome pixelated graphics), but it was pushed into the abyss of work-in-progress-games by my working with new game engines and concepts.
Bugs, bugs, glitches, and more bugs are also enormous problems. If it wasn’t for that little type-o in code that occurs every once in a while, I’d be streaming out games like fireworks on the 4th of July. It’s one thing to make a game work, but another thing to make it work flawlessly.It’s also difficult to fix a glitch on launch day (a frequent happening), when your game is already exposed to the internet.

Zip: Do you have a Game Philosophy?

Peter: This is a tough question, because it’s difficult to wrap up my entire Flash Game Philosophy in a single statement. I think the most important part, though, is that it’s important to enjoy the ride. In order to crank out a full feature Flash game, a lot of effort is required. But, when you’re excited to work on such a project, this work is transformed from a burden into an opportunity to make something brilliant. It’s always important to be enthusiastic about making Flash games, which I’m sure most developers are. It really shows through in your game. Also, if I could give any advice to someone working with Flash games, it would be to plan out the game ahead of time. Doing so eliminates spontaneous obstacles, and makes the whole experience more enjoyable.

Zip: Do you have any hobbies besides ActionScript?

Peter: Tons, actually. I’m essentially interested in every form of art that involves a computer. I’ve worked a lot with video editing and general graphic design, and I’ve dabbled a bit in speed painting, voice acting, 3D modeling, and audio composition. Outside of the computer, I enjoy sketching out concept art, playing tennis, video games, and movies with friends, and heading to a nearby Major League Gaming (MLG) tournament whenever I get the chance.

Zip: Favorite Food?

Peter: My close friends would tell you that I’m relatively picky, but I’m open to anything (besides seafood). To narrow it down, I’m obsessed with Chinese and Thai food. I also tend to avoid leftovers at all costs. I don’t know why, but something about them seems too mysterious.

Zip: Favorite Movie?

Peter: 2001: A Space Odyssey has got to be very high on my list, tied with District 9 for the win. I love anything science fiction, and both of these movies apply real-world scenarios to the genre.

Zip: Have you ever bitten anyone in the butt?

Peter: Haha, literally speaking? I tend to restrict my biting to the Chinese and Thai food mentioned above, but my occasional rants regarding theology and gaming could be considered biting the butt of conformity. It depends on how you look at it.

Zip: Do you have a website?

Peter: I do indeed! One with a fine community, at that! It’s simply www.lawlolawl.com, and it aims to provide the general public with Flash games, as well as with Flash cartoons and a few downloads here and there.

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