BEHIND THE SCENES OF RIPTIDE PIRATES?!

Ahoy, me hearties! ???? Welcome aboard our newsletter where we dive deep into the world of Riptide Pirates? and uncover the tales behind this adventure on the high seas! ??

Today, we have the pleasure of sitting down with the crew members of Nailed It! Games, the minds behind the design & production of Riptide Pirates?: Marcin Górka - the Senior Game Designer/Game Producer, and Micha? Domański - the Art Director. They're here to share their tales of treasure hunts, daring escapades, and the creative storms that brewed the perfect adventure for all ye players out there. So raise the anchor, grab your spyglass, and set sail through the fascinating world of Riptide Pirates?! ????

Marcin, how did you and the team come up with the idea for the theme of Riptide Pirates?? What inspired you?

- The idea for both the theme and the battleships-like mechanic was there for a long time, fostered especially by Pawel, one of our founders. We loved pen-and-paper battleships as kids - it’s both simple and full of anticipation. It was my favourite design challenge to date to try and translate that ruleset into a bonus that can snuggly fit in a slot game.

Can you tell us about any challenges the team faced during the game's development? Any interesting anecdotes or behind-the-scenes stories?

- Oh, there were several! Base game, for one. We knew we wanted a “Riptide” feature (the game title was basically the first thing we agreed on and was just too good to pass up!). How do we convey “Riptide” constrained by familiar slot game mechanics - this was a real head-scratcher. The ‘aha!’ moment came when I realized we overlooked my favourite slot mechanic - the walking wilds. But, the “Pirates” bonus was the motherlode when it comes to challenges, obviously - both in development and design. For the aiming alone we had dozens of ideas, and we iterated up until the very last minute to get just right; the ‘locking’ that happens when you align with a target was for example an idea we came up with during a sneak peek for a client, and while the presentation was still ongoing we were already coding it in.

Most importantly though, the whole team very actively participated both in the design and evaluation of the features. We’d never come up with all this just at the drawing table. And the game is much more complex than it seems while playing - kudos to the developers and QA’a for tons of patience and hard work on this!

In your opinion, what sets Riptide Pirates? apart from other slot games on the market? What makes it unique?

- I’ll risk sounding repetitive - but first and foremost the Pirates Bonus! For so long we wanted to play a battleship-like game that would blend well with a classic slot, and we knew we were not alone. Plus, the game is thoroughly enjoyable, and the base game is not just something to grind through.

Lastly, what message do you have for players who are eager to set sail with Riptide Pirates??

- As our monkey gunner wisely says: 'Waaaaaaaaak!'

Micha?, you are behind the amazing art of the Riptide Pirates?! Can you walk us through your creative process when designing the artwork for the game?

- The most important thing in game visuals - apart from keeping focus on what’s actually important in the game flow - is to immerse the players in the game’s theme and world. There’s a lot that happens on the players' part, and what they imagine is as important as what they see. My direction was twofold: first, set the tone so that players unmistakably find themselves in the middle of a sea battle on dangerous waters, then - find the right balance in the palette so that the important features stand out, while still staying strongly in theme. The result is what you can see now: fire, smoke, visible parts of the ship, all basking in the warm palette, while the Riptide feature uses cold, water-like colours.

What inspired you when creating the characters for this slot game? Do you have a favourite character in Riptide Pirates??

- With the limited space that we have, I wanted to create a group of charismatic heroes that can grab players' imaginations and instantly transport them to the game world. The pirate crews players know - and expect - are always a colourful bunch full of individuals with vivid personalities. I like all my creations equally, but just between us - hand to heart… who doesn’t like a cheeky monkey?

Were there any specific challenges you faced while designing Riptide Pirates??

- Every game is a challenge in itself - all themes seem saturated these days, so standing out in the crowd without breaking the established visual language is always the first hurdle. But the most difficult part for me was the Pirates Bonus - just the number of features and elements we needed to represent while maintaining clarity and appeal was the challenge here. I’m really glad we succeeded there, as the bonus definitely is what sets us apart.

Thank ye for sharin' yer insights into the game's development. Fair winds and following seas to ye all! ??

So whether you're a seasoned pirate or a landlubber longing for adventure, Riptide Pirates? promises to whisk you away on a journey of excitement, intrigue, and untold riches. The adventure sets sail on May 9th, so contact Mauro Dos Santos at [email protected] and add Riptide Pirates? to yer roadmap today! ???????

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