Peggy Brown Interview

Check out the below interview with Peggy Brown, inventor of Backseat Drawing-

How long have you been inventing games?
21 years

How many published games have you invented or worked on?
I honestly have no idea, but it's in the hundreds.

What do you do when you are not inventing games?
I'm an author, designer, and artist. I have many creative endeavors in progress at any given time. I'm not inventing games all the time, but I am generally creative, even when I'm cooking! I like to invent new cookie recipes. Snapperdoodles, anyone?

How did you invent Backseat Drawing?
My friend and I were waiting for our dinner in an Indian restaurant. As we would often do, we started doodling all over the paper placemats, and Backseat Drawing was born before the mulligatawny soup was served.

Do you have any role models that you look up to?
My mom. She is extremely creative, and she has always showed me how to apply creative thinking and inject a dose of funinto any situation. As far as famous role models go, Jim Henson taught me how to make infinite worlds out of a little story, a couple ping pong balls, and some fuzz.

What is the best piece of advice you ever got about inventing toys and games?
This piece of advice came from a teacher and was about creating stories, not games, but I find it helpful in games as well: Ask yourself two things... what's the point, and who cares? In other words,get right to the heart of the matter, and always always always remember your audience.

What is your biggest motivation for inventing toys and games?
I like to take advantage of the opportunities I have to show others how to use their imaginations to enjoy themselves and spend fun times with their friends and families.

What do you like most about the toy industry?
It's full of people with playful souls... and that's a very rare commodity.

What kinds of trends to you see coming in games?
I hope this is really a trend and not just a wish of mine, but I see people taking more time to play with each other and forget their worries for a few hours. Play time is crucial for the development of kids, but it's important for adults too. When people are willing and able to concentrate a little harder on games, then games will get more interesting and more complex, and the wonderful things inventors create will not have to be boiled down so they're fast and simple.

How many games are in your personal collection?
I honestly have no idea, but it's in the hundreds. Plus, I've saved one copy of every game I've developed, and my basement is really getting crowded!

Learn more about Peggy Brown at www.peggybrown.net and learn more about Backseat Drawing at www.otb-games.com/backseatdrawing