KZ: Hi Pere! As Lead Game Designer, what were your responsibilities for Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova?

P: The main responsibilities of a game designer is to organize the whole design team. This means that I have a clear vision of the game as a whole and must be aware of all the tasks at hand. Also, by whom, and when these tasks need to be done. Then review the tasks once there are done and give feedback. Because we are a 'small' design team (four, counting me) my job is not only taking care of the team, but also doing some of these design tasks myself. A more personal approach for me as a lead designer is caring about the design team. Knowing if they are pleased with the task they are doing, if they need to switch to another because they might be hitting a creative wall, or other reasons. Above all else, we are people and there is nothing more important than the health of our team members.

KZ: How long were you and the team working on the game?

P: This game has been in full development with Tessera for about a year and a half, with pre-production and early collaborations between Outright Games, Nickelodeon and the Star Trek teams for a couple of years.

KZ: The game features the voice cast from the Star Trek Prodigy series! What will fans of the series enjoy in the game, and what will new fans like?

P: We have the whole voice cast from the show here which is incredibly exciting for us. What really sets us in a unique place is we’re able to appeal to three sectors of the audience, for long time Trekkies we of course have the brilliant Kate Mulgrew reprising her role as Captain Janeway alongside many lore items to uncover. Fans of Star Trek Prodigy the series will have so much to connect with, as we have the recognizable voices of the full Protostar crew in English, such as Ella Purnell and Brett Gray as our lead heroes Gwyn and Dal. And of course Jason Mantzoukas as Jankom Pog! And then for new fans, we’ve made sure the story is contained enough and can stand alone within the overall narrative, alongside the action packed gameplay and co-op fun anyone will be able to play our game and have a fantastic time.

KZ: What was your favourite character or alien world from Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova to design?

P: Murf, no explanation needed. Just look at it… and listen to it!

KZ: Which do you enjoy designing more – combat moments or puzzles?

P: Actually, neither. My favourite part is exploration. Those moments between combat and puzzles. It’s a challenge, because technically there is no ‘gameplay’, no combat, no interactions, only moving around the environment. That’s why I enjoy it. With just level design we can make these moments interesting: tell a story by pointing to a ruin far in the distance. Make the player feel uncomfortable by walking through a dark cave and only seconds later feel relief when they see a light and go though the exit.  All those feelings can be achieved in exploration thanks to level design.

KZ: If you could have one of the gadgets from the game in real life, which one would you pick?

P: A transporter, of course. So many hours of commute could be saved with this technology.

Want to read more of our interview with Pere? Grab the January 2023 'Prime Time' issue, on sale now!