Erroll Maas: How did you come up with the name Crowns/ Monster Crown, and what were some other names you were considering?
EM: What influenced the decision for Monster Crown to contain a darker narrative and lore than other games in the subgenre?
EM: How many monsters will be in Monster Crown, and do you have a favorite?
EM: Palette swaps do seem to be a common problem in monster-raising RPGs outside of Pokemon. Was it difficult to avoid palette swaps when creating monsters, or was it a goal since the game’s inception?
EM: So you mentioned breeding, but Monster Crown also has a separate fusion mechanic. How do these mechanics differ, and why were both included?
Personally I’m a bit of a Scientist – I love the breeding system. You get so much control, you get to keep both parents, but your offspring monster starts as a baby – you have to raise it up!
EM: In addition to breeding and fusion, to obtain wild monsters the player can offer them contracts. Why was this the chosen method rather than favorite food or another alternative?
EM: It can be assumed that monsters will be of different types and have strengths and weaknesses to others. What are some of these monster types, and how do they differ from the types we’ve seen in other games?
EM: The stockpiling mechanic encourages players to switch monsters of the same type in order to create a chain and boost the strength of their following attacks. What helped influence this idea?
EM: Last question, is there some time we can expect a possible release date or release window, and will it be exclusive to PC?
I thanked Jason for taking the time out of his day to chat with me. Monster Crown is currently in development. An early demo of the game, Crowns Frostbite, is available for download on PC. You can follow Jason on Twitter as well as the Monster Crown Twitter, Facebook, subreddit, and website.
