Producer Interview – DinerTown Pets

DinerTown Pets, our newest game for iPhone and iPod touch, invites players to care for cute and cuddly pets as they manage their very own pet stores! We sat down with the game's producer, artichoke_heart, for an inside look at the making of this adorable game.

What’s the game about?
For long-time PlayFirst fans, the player will choose to play as Walter or Scarlet from the classic title Doggie Dash and run their very own pet store within DinerTown.  They can choose to stock up on a variety of adorable and exotic pets as well as customize their shop with deluxe cages, wall hangings and floor tiles to build a world-class pet store!  The best feature of the game is Play Mode, where users can interact with their pets and get to know their fun personalities to make them happy.

How do Play Mode and pet happiness work?
I think Play Mode is definitely one of the most fun aspects of the DinerTown Pets. It’s a chance to get close and personal with your pets where you directly play and take care of them. You can tickle your pets and when they get tired, choose from a variety of toys for them to enjoy. In Play Mode, it’s important to remember that every interaction increases the pet’s happiness.  Pet happiness directly affects your store’s sales and whether customers will buy your pets so be sure to visit often to take care of all your pets! The pet animations are all unique and simply divine; I really think players will be glued to their screens to see what pets will do when tickled!

What challenges did you face making this game?
The biggest challenge was how to bring these cute and cuddly pets to life and really make it feel like the player had a direct human interaction with them. Looking at some of the other store games out there, the focus is really on managing inventory and stock. We really wanted our game to feature the pets themselves, taking care of them, selecting the right cage for them and finding a good customer to take them home.

What are some of your favorite pets (in the game) and why?
All the pets are so cute and distinctive that it’s hard to choose a favorite!  However, I do have a soft spot for the Bulldog and Basset Hounds; they’re two of my favorite breeds of dogs. I love tickling the Guinea Pig and I also find the Puffer Fish hilarious, his pouty-mouthed expression is priceless!

Will players see favorite characters like Flo and Quinn?
While Flo & Quinn are not in the game right now, we would like to feature them in the future as special guests.  Players will be able to fulfill special pet orders from all their DinerTown favorites and help them cultivate their dream pet collection.

What can fans look forward to? Any cool features?
Fans can look forward to unlocking and discovering new adorable animals and also purchasing cool décor to expand and grow their store.  In the future, look out for quests, daily bonuses, seasonal decorations and more ways to play with pets!

Are you a cat person, a dog person, or neither?
Growing up, I had a lot of allergies so unfortunately I was not able to take care of any pets at all. However, I would have to say that I’m a dog person; I love their energy, playfulness and loyalty.

If you could own any pet, what would it be?
I’d love to own a teacup pig.  They’re really intelligent and affectionate and of course, incredibly adorable. Also I believe they are mostly hypo-allergenic which would be great for my allergies!

Thanks to artichoke_heart for her time! Don't forget to download DinerTown Pets from the App Store for FREE.