Interview: Socks the Cat SNES Game Kickstarter

(Reuploaded since the old TICGN page was taken down due to a server shift)
(Also, I will review Socks the Cat this month!)

About: This interview was conducted during the duration of the Kickstarter for an official release of Socks the Cat Rocks the Hill, a Super Nintendo video game originally meant to be released in 1993 but canceled for unknown reasons. The Kickstarter has since been funded and copies have recently started getting shipped.

Original date: 10/20/2016

Ryan (Me): What is your experience with the classic console that is the Super Nintendo?

Adam (of Second Dimension): The SNES was basically my babysitter in pre to early teens. Okay, that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but it was definitely the most played console out of every console I own or have owned to this day. There's so many amazing titles on it and franchises that really took off -it's the pinnacle of gaming to me.

Tom (Socks owner): The Super Nintendo is personally my favorite system ever. It was actually the first system I bought with my own money. I think it's an iconic system in that it brought something to video game systems we hadn't really seen up until that point, depth. The RPG's were the first to immerse you into a digital world. I'll always love the 8-bit era but 16-bit graphics are pretty dang sweet. 

What is your position in delivering Socks the Cat to the public?

Adam: My role in the campaign is to help with the testing, working with the programmer to find bugs and fix them, and to publish the physical copies. I've also helped coordinate the artwork with the artist and the rest of the team.

Tom: Honestly, I just want to bring a game to people that they've been waiting for for over 20 years. It's a cool, challenging and funny game. I think everyone who enjoys politics and/or video games should play it. It's been unavailable far too long. 

How did this idea to Kickstart the game come together?

Adam: This is more of Tom's area, so I'll let him give the details of that.

Tom: Well, at first after acquiring the game I wasn't sure how to release it. After getting the game 100% ready for manufacturing we realized we had no idea what the actual demand was. Was it 100 games, was it 100,000? We really didn't know. Utilizing Kickstarter allows us to determine the exact demand. It's also a great tool for exposure and advertising. We did however want to be different. Meaning, we wanted the game ready for production before ever bringing it to Kickstarter. I think we achieved that. 

Explain the game itself. What exactly is Socks the Cat?

Adam: Socks is a platformer, similar to games of the same genre of that era (Aladdin, Lion King), but in a political style. The game doesn't favor any party, as neither are safe from the satire you'll find inside the game. Some of the boss battles are pretty hilarious, and a lot of "did that just really happen?!" moments were had while testing the game out.

It's also not an easy game. Don't get me wrong, it's not the most difficult game either, but I wouldn't expect a lot of players to beat it on the first try.

Tom: It's its own game. Yes it's a platformer. Yes it's character driven, but we've never seen anything like it before. A challenging game that mixes politics, satire and some really cool end bosses. We love Socks! It's funny, quirky and witty. 

Considering the game was left unreleased until the Kickstarter becomes funded, are there any significant changes going to be made for the game itself?

Adam: There's not many significant changes, as the game was complete on the prototype, though it did have some bugs, one being a kill screen after level 7 or 8, others being some collision issues and some polishing here and there.

Tom: No. There were, which Adam addressed, but it's ready and tested for reproduction. 

How much of an impact do you believe these changes have?

Adam: One change makes the game complete. Like I was saying earlier, I discovered that after level 7 or 8, heck, it might've been level 6, the game screen turned into a pink striped background, and Socks just plummeted to his death until you reach a Game Over. Turns out, that was a boss room, and there were still a few more levels after that!

Other changes fixed some collision detection issues, and others just polish up some of the stage card screens. The prototype has many levels listed with 2 names, stating "Level 1 Name A or Level 1 Name B", for example.

Tom: Overall the game is much more playable and aesthetically pleasing than when we started, but it's still very true to its original form. One bug almost ended the project entirely. We were very lucky to have a great programmer who fixed the bug and got us back on track. 

Will the original "release" be available in a fashion?

Adam: (I'm not sure quite what you mean, but I'm going to answer as best as I can) We're releasing Socks in 4 ways: a cartridge only copy, a complete in box copy (box, manual, cartridge, and any inserts that may be added), a Limited Edition copy, which will contain a different box and manual art, as well as some additional goodies to go along with it, and lastly a Developers Copy which will be similar to the Limited Edition, but with additional goodies and the teams signature.

Tom: Absolutely, if we get the Kickstarter funded the original unaltered ROM will be released to the public for free. We realize this is an important piece of gaming history and I have no intention of keeping it to myself. I hope people will appreciate that. 

Is the digital version the ROM file or is it within an .exe or installation program?

Adam: We're still working out the details of the digital release, but we want to make sure that everyone can play the digital version without issues.

Are there any intentions to give the Socks the Cat name more exposure (i.e. digital releases on modern consoles or original sequels)?

Adam: We've discussed a Sega Genesis/Mega Drive port and decided to add a stretch goal to see if the demand was there. As for modern consoles, it's definitely not out of the question, but it's still a bit early to tell.

Tom: We'd love to but for now we really are just heads down and are only concern is getting the funding on the Kickstarter. We've had requests for a few different formats. 

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Adam: To control time. I seem to never have enough of it

Tom: This one is easy for me. While it's a typical response I'm going with flying. No more traffic, go wherever you want, see the world from a different view. 


Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to write us!

Tom: Thanks again Ryan!