I originally posted this in the Scratches subforum, but then I realized that I probably wouldn't get any responses in time, since nobody ever goes to the subforums. So I've decided to post it here as well :P

Agustin Cordes, lead designer of Scratches, has agreed to do a short email interview with me, and I was wondering if anyone had any questions they'd like me to ask him. I'm not quite happy with the questions I've been coming up with so far.

EDIT: Questions have been sent out. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Ooh, awesome. One of these days I need to wrangle an interview with someone. I know David Dunham (King of Dragon Pass) hangs around here sometimes, maybe I'll contact him.

Anyway, what sort of questions do you have so far? I assume you've covered the various basic stuff like what his influences are, etc? Maybe ask him about the details of the production itself? His team, etc?

I haven't played Scratches yet. But I can help you because he's Argentinian and I'm Argentinian too. So I speak Spanish.

Actually, I had completely forgotten to cover those basics! Asking him about the production would certainly be interesting, since I believe there were actually more testers for Scratches than actual team members.

Yeah, well for the basics you should cover stuff like, y'know, what inspired him to make the game, were there any difficulties during production, what his team was like, etc... I haven't played the game so I probably can't offer any more specific questions. >.>

Thanks for the offer! But his english is actually pretty good :)

Perhaps something about the "interesting" design choice of you not being able to take things that the character doesn't know you need even when you know you need them? But ask it in a less rude way. >.>

Although you have to admit, a highly aggressive and accusatory interview would be amusing. Well, probably not for the interviewee. :P

But maybe a better way of phrasing it would just to bring up the issues you had with it, and the conventions of adventure games, and ask about that, and ask if there's anything he'd do different if he made it today.

Who came up with the damn name?

I assume it's because Scratches figure into the story?

Never played it >_>

Me neither, but I recall reading somewhere (Wikipedia or the game page) that a big part of the mystery is scratching sounds coming from the basement. It's also just a good horror name, you gotta admit. ;)

I would be extremely interested in knowing what actually triggers the alternative ending that was added in the director's cut. I've seen some vague hints (like "try to use the typewriter often"), but no one seems to know for sure.

Also, I'm curious about his thoughts on the puzzles, and how unrelated puzzles control the flow of the story. Does he see that as a good way to control the game's flow, or as a necessary evil, or as something he wants to improve upon?

How difficult was it for an Argentinian developer to make himself known, to get the game published, manufactured, and distributed? I don't know anything about the infrastructure for game developers in Argentina, but it seems that it's barely existing. I don't think I remember even one other game programmed by an Argentinian.

So is Sinister, Chained, VHS, ect..... :P

Yes. The name is pretty obvious when you played the game.