bontegames

Hi! I'm Bart Bonte, a Belgian independent game designer and bontegames.com is where I blog about new interesting browser and mobile games. My own games are all in the left column (or at the bottom of this page on mobile). More info about me and my games on bartbonte.com.
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September 19, 2011

a bontegames interview with ...

During the weekend I had this thought to try a new item on the blog: interviews with game designers of the frequently featured games here. The idea is that you all submit the questions you want to see answered by that particular game designer, I bundle the most interesting questions and afterwards you can read the interview here. Sounds interesting?
Now to start off the interview series, I have tracked down perhaps the most mysterious game designer featured on this blog with 171 games so far and counting, it is ... Minoto! Minito has agreed to answer the questions from the bontegames visitors. I think that's quite unique since I have never seen an interview with Minoto before.
So put your thinking cap on, submit your questions for Minoto in the comments below, and pretty soon I hope to present you everything you always wanted to know about Minoto!

50 comments:

Jack said...

cool,,i always wondered about this guy

Rob said...

Question: Why are you inspired by Belgian artists? Can we expect a Van Gog game in the future?

Pam said...

Minoto, hello and thanks for your pieces of funny games in the worldwideweb :)
I have a few qustions:
- where do you get ideas for your games?
- how long does it take to create one game?
- what is your favourite colour? (not game-related question, but I'm really interested =) )

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful idea, Bart!

Here are my questions:

- Do you write the game in English, or do you translate it? If you translate it, how do you translate it?
- How do you think the culture of your home country affects your games? Is there a sense of irony or humor that you think makes more sense at home than elsewhere in the world?
- It seems like sometimes you try to make the game into a puzzle where players have to faithfully re-enact a real story. But other times you seem to just be trying to be silly. Are you trying to be silly all the time?
- How does it feel to know you are making the world a happier place with your games?

Lim said...

- Where do you get your inspiration? (actually the same question as Pam, but differently worded, lol)
- No offence intended, but is your bad English on purpose or not? (If so, please don't change it, 'cause I like it, lol)

Humm, can't think of anything else right now..

Caroline said...

What a fantastic idea Bart. I don't have a question for Minoto but shall watch with interest to see who you track down next :-)

Anonymous said...

Hello! The question i would like to ask is :
Which story did you prefer to revisit?

Et longue vie à minoto!! :D

Ryuka said...

i really like your idea bart!
My questions:
- what is your favourite character you created?
- will there be another story with a super sayajin? :D
- how old are you?

love your games minoto :3

Emma said...

Hi Minoto and Bart!
Question: What inspires you?
How do you know Bart?

Coffeeteamix said...

This is an excellent idea and I am so glad Minoto has agreed to do an interview =D

Thanks Minoto-san for agreeing to the interview and for all the wonderful games!
Questions:
- 1st of all, I am also interested in your inspirations and also whether or not your quirky English descriptions are intentional (I love them! =P)
- Do your friends/family find you quirky outside of game making? For example, are you usually the one to say the most random, but somehow related, things in a conversation and make everyone laugh?
- What are some of your ventures aside from the weekly escape games ie. do you work on other games, have a main job, etc? (If you don't mind sharing ^^;)
- You have changed your style significantly since your first weekly escape the room games, but recently seems to have been relatively consistent... do you agree? What do you think of your progress so far? Do you have future direction/dreams/plans for your game making "career?"
- Many of your games seem to be loosely based on famous fairy tales/folk tales... what's your all time favorite story, if you have one? Why?
- What game/movie/book/show would you recommend for a fan of your work?
- If you don't mind, can you share a bit about yourself? Some example questions (whatever you're comfortable sharing): what age range are you? Around what age did you first became interested in making games? Do you have other hobbies aside from making games; what are they? Have you traveled much/lived outside of Japan? What's your favorite movie/game/book/music? What would you say is the most important thing in life at the moment? What would you most like to do/accomplish in life? If you were a character in a fantasy novel/game, what special power/element would you most want? What power/element do you think is most similar to your current personality/abilities? What was your childhood/what is your family life like?
- Your games seem mostly based on your funny interpretation of famous stories. Have you ever made one based on your interpretation of your own experience? Can we expect to see one?
- Have you ever expected your games to become so popular? How do you feel about it?

Thanks once again. All the best =)

Anonymous said...

Everybody seems to assume you are a man... or are you a woman?

btw we looooove you.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I loooooove your work, Minoto. :) Here is my question:

What's your favorite food? ( Not work related, but I wanna know) :)

Maddie said...

Hey!!!!

Anonymous said...

- What do you smoke before coming up with the stories in your games?
- Who provides it to you and can I get some? ;)

Anonymous said...

Why are you and your games so awesome? :D

Anonymous said...

I like the question of the anonymous
of the 19 September 2011 22:01

mb said...

amazing idea Bart :)...loved the fact of interviewing such mysterious,interesting and lovable people.
I always wondered:
*How does he relate each move in a game with the other? eventhough they often have no sense...
*How did the first spark of designing games start?
*Is it a main job or only a side job/hobby?
*How did such a job affect ur personality and way of thinking?
*What is the job that u wished to have before starting designing games?
*Do u play other flash games? Ofcourse rather than yours :P
Thanks a lot Bart and Minoto for sharing such amazing pieces of art on the web :D

Anonymous said...

What are the games that inspire Minoto? Which Flash games does he admire?
The Minoto games often make use of elements from children's stories... does Minoto set out to entertain children, or adults?
Which books or films does Minoto most relate to? Which other creative artists does he like?

Beanly said...

Which is your favorite recurring character in your games?

I said...

When will your games have multiple endings again? Or have you been hiding them in the game and still wright "only one ending"? I MUST KNOW THIS!!!!! HELP ME OUT HERE BART!!!!! I also want to know what gender Minoto is...
OK! Bye everyone! I wonder if Minoto reads these blogs... I wonder if he could! Lol JK!

Anonymous said...

Can't think of a question for Minot yet but please be sure to tell him/her that my wife and I adore his/her games.

farbolous.com

Anonymous said...

Will you ever bring back the animations where the screen changes like the mangaish thing with the bear?

-k said...

Great idea Bart!


1) When did you start designing games?

2) What got you started in creating art?

3) Who is your biggest inspiration?

4) Where are you from? Do you have a large family?

5) Why do you use video games as your medium for creative work?

Anonymous said...

Which came first, bontegame or Minoto? ;)

The Lion said...

My Q's:
-What process do you use to make the fairytale based games?
-What your inspiration for the other games?
-where did the "Sun" creature come from?
-What's your favourite game or game string out of the ones you've made?
-What's your favourite colour and animal?
-What your zodiac sign? (Chinese or otherwise)
-What is your home language? Secondary language? Any others?
-What do you look like? (Actual name, age, gender, hair and eye colour, etc.)
-How do you know Bart, or rather how does Bart know you?

Sorry there's so much but I've been here since almost the beginning and I've loved Minoto's creations since the very start. By the way, Your art evolution was très bien, both of you!

The Lion said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Minoto, when have u started making your games and how many people make each game?? Do you get idea from random people or your family??

Nemur said...

-Which program do you use to make your games?
-Why have you stopped adding the hilarious descriptions of the items?
-And what's the deal with the "Asian Racoon" who is seen at most rivers in your games? :D

PS: I'm writing this on a 3DS!

NotMarian said...

I liked the little poems or descriptions at the end of your games. Will you start adding them to your games again?

I liked the games that had more than one ending. Will you start doing those again?

Love your games, Minoto!!

Legs said...

Question: How long does it take you, and how do you, design each new game? What the characters are, what all the items are and where they go, how they interact with other items and the background. Thanks!

Steve said...

Question: Are the funny translations wrong on purpose? I don't mean to offend or anything, but I'm really curious.

Anonymous said...

Just throwing this out there: Since Minoto's a native Japanese speaker, I'll be more than happy to translate the questions into Japanese and translate the answers back into English. If you're interested in the idea, please mention it in a post and I'll e-mail you.

As for questions: Are you a guy or a girl?
How old are you?
Why are the games so cutesy? :D

Unknown said...

Heya!

How long does it take you (Minoto)to create a game from start to finish? Also, do you ever have a 'writers' block and if so, how do you over come it?

Thanks!
Steph

Joaybean said...

Minoto, thak you for all the fabulously familly oriented games that are a pleasure to play.

If you could recieve any gift, what would you choose?

If you could give any gift, what would it be?

Cyn said...

The only question I could think of: Is Minoto a single person or a group of game designers?

Anonymous said...

@Anonymous 20 Sept 11:00

What Bart really needs is someone who can translate from Flemish into Japanese and back into Flemish. English is not Bart's first language, either!

Feli said...

Are you playing games on the internet? If so which type do you prefer?

What is your favourite character you ever created and why?

How old were you when you started making games? (If that's not too personal)

Thanks :)

madandyb said...

I have one question for Minoto:
How do you manage to produce one game a week? Or do you have them in reserve and just publish them weekly?

Beth said...

Minoto; My questios is real simple, why do you make games or what made you decide to start making games? We love them dont ever stop!!

Anonymous said...

Bleh. I don't like Rat of Hemlin or what ever.

Katie said...

@ Anonymous 21 Sept 23:32

Hey, be nice. Minoto's AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Are you just one person or a group? Your games seem to change sometimes which makes me suspect you are more than one.

You have a "Pay" game advertised on your site - MY HOUSE. What is that? Tell us about it please.

Anono*nym* said...

Can you make any games with dragons in them?

Bart said...

Thanks everyone for the questions!
The questions are now on their way to Minoto.

Big MINOTO fan said...

WHAT MAKES YOU SO SUPER AWESOME??
How did you decide to make this your job? Do you do anything else for a living? I am homeschooled, what do you suggest I should be learning so I could become a cool game maker too?

Anonymous said...

What does Minoto mean?
Do you write stories?
Have you ever considered putting music in the background of your games?
Are you going to consider a finale or will we be kept entertained by your limitless ideas?!

Ty for your time and creativity, Minoto!

P.S. Ty Bart; like your games too ;)

Joyce Grant said...

Maybe it's too late, but I'd love to ask Minoto what else he/she has done. Or is it strictly online casual games? (If there's a line of Minotoa clothing out there, I want some!)

Anonymous said...

I don't have a question I'm tired of waiting on the new weekly game! Where is it?!

LSquared32 said...

I want to know what's up with the pay game icon on the site. It looks like a click-able link, but it isn't a link (yet). Is it going to be up soon?

Anonymous said...

I have another question. Will your games be published in other countries and translated into other languages?

I would be willing to do some free Turkish translation if you promise to release the games in Turkey :-)

 

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