Hello there! Could you please tell us who you are and what do you do at MADFINGER Games?

• Hello! My name is Petr Cihelka, and I work at MADFINGER as a junior game designer.

I understand that you’ve exchanged multiple positions while working at MADFINGER. How would you compare your experiences in them?

• Yes, I have been working as QA, Localization Manager, and Game Designer. There is one underlying experience that all of them require clear communication. 
• QA work was very much involved with the game itself. It required some application of the scientific method. I had to continuously ask myself why something is doing what it's doing and how can I make it happen again. Hypothesis, Experiment, Report. 
• Localization was all about management. It involved keeping track of the work of multiple people and trying to fulfill the requests of the team in a timely fashion while not putting too much pressure on the translators.
• Design has been all about understanding how a game needs to appeal to its players and coming up with ways it can be done. Communication is the most important here, not only to explain the thoughts to the rest of the designers but to communicate them with the rest of the team.

What would you say were the biggest challenges that you had to overcome to get where you are right now, and how did overcoming them helped you as a designer?

• The biggest challenge was probably failing university for various reasons, but it has been a moment that allowed me to look around and find what was really important to me. How I would like to spend my life. 
• Designers, at their core, try translating experiences into games, and any life experience gained is another possibility we can draw on. On top of that, this has taught me that sometimes it is important to stop and evaluate. Which, in an industry that can be as hectic as game dev, can really help out the team.

Do you have any advice for people that aspire to get into game development through similar means as you did?

• Listen to everyone and everything. There usually is something that will help you in everyone’s thoughts. Also, you should understand games, not just how to play them, but know their history, what is expected from a genre, what makes them tick. Both of these are essential for the role of game designer, and they create a great foundation for any position within game development.

Would you consider yourself a gamer? If so, what are your favorite games, both new and old?

• Absolutely! Gaming is my primary hobby and has been ever since I was little. World of Warcraft was my main game for many years. RPGs and strategy games are what interests me the most. My older favorite games are probably Age of Mythology and Might and Magic 7. The newer ones would be Dragon Age Inquisition and Stellaris.

And what about your time outside of creating games and gaming? Any other activities or interests?

• I am interested in a wide variety of things. Crafting model terrains for wargaming for example. Other things include taking in current scientific knowledge and studying the medieval way of life.

Thanks for the interview!

• Thanks for having me!