I’m Patrick Moberg, Creator of Dots and Two Dots, and This Is How I Work
Patrick Moberg wasted hours of your life or the life of someone next to you in the waiting room. His studio Dots has created the beautiful and addictive mobile game Dots (Candy Crush for the thinking person) and its sequels Two Dots and Dots & Co , which are on millions of phones. We talked to him about the game development process, his favorite games and his children’s book.
Location: Live in Brooklyn, work in Manhattan, Meatpacking Current Gig: Co-founder and CEO of Mobile Games Studio Dots One word that best describes how you work: Convincing Current mobile device: iPhone X Current computer: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
First of all, tell us a little about your past and how you got where you are now.
I’ve always fluctuated between technology and visual arts, working on many different projects in the startup world of New York. I was fortunate enough to work at Vimeo as it went from a side project to the giant it is today. In 2012, I was on a trip to Matsumoto, Japan, where a retrospective of artist Yayoi Kusama was taking place. The next year I co-founded Dots with Paul Murphy, and it was a great opportunity to help grow the studio for technically and creatively gifted people. So far, we have released three award-winning games that are played by millions of people around the world.
What apps, gadgets or tools can’t you live without?
There is an application, unfortunately, called ” LICEcap ” that we often use in the studio. It captures the specified area on your computer screen and turns it into an animated gif. We often send GIFs of gameplay that are in development to get feedback. We also attach gifs to the submitted code to demonstrate the intended functionality so someone can appreciate it correctly.
How is your workplace arranged?
We have an amazing space designed by architects AF and Sheep + Stone . It’s simple, straightforward, and designed to do thoughtful work.
What’s your best shortcut or life hack (no matter how small or niche)?
When starting a new project, take your idea, cut it in half, and then cut it in half again. What you are dropping out can be revisited, but the process will help you understand what is at the heart of the idea and still gain momentum in a controlled way.
Tell us about an interesting or unusual process you have at work.
Every Thursday we have a show-and-tell session and we encourage people to share their work very early in development. Showing ideas to completion can be inconvenient for both creative and technical work, but it is hoped to develop the habit and colloquial language of imagining what the result might be before it is completed. This process helps people stay on the same page and anticipate needs in terms of volume or performance.
What are your gaming habits and favorite games?
I’ve always gravitated towards handheld games, especially those that are designed for quick entry and exit, similar to what we do in Dots. I download a lot of both free and paid games to understand what they are releasing. I recently got hooked on ” Shenzhen Solitaire” . Hypocrite and supertype is truly a romance gameplay with great aesthetics. Desert golf is beautiful and simple.
Who are the people who help you achieve results, and how do you rely on them?
Oh god, to be honest, everyone is in Dots. When I took over as CEO , I underestimated how many more things I needed to deeply understand in order to understand the whole picture of the business. In all disciplines, the studio was excellent at helping me understand and be available to advise me on difficult solutions. My partner Erica , who is deeply into creative work, generously cares and discusses projects or situations that I am working on.
How do you keep track of what you need to do?
Google Calendar and Reminders app for iOS.
How to recharge or relax?
My friend Alexander swears with baths, so I started doing it sometimes. Proximity to water is a good way to avoid electronics distractions.
What’s your favorite side project?
I wrote and illustrated a children’s book, Dog Lessons , published by Penguin. When I think of three pages, I almost cry. I was lucky to convey something that I think is very honest.
What are you reading now or what do you recommend?
Alexander Girard: The Universe of a Designer
Who else would you like to see to answer these questions?
Lauren McCarthy artist
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Take Your Pleasures Seriously.” – Charles Eames
What problem are you still trying to solve?
Balancing the different disciplines in our studio. As a group, we strive to allow people of all disciplines to access a variety of information in order to understand the multifaceted problems we face. This approach is designed to help us collectively understand the nuances of difficult decisions, but it is a difficult, persistent problem. I have found that our greatest success comes when there is consistency of thought between different aspects of game development.
Update: We have replaced the old employee photo with a newer one.