Interview: Chip ‘n Clawz vs The Brainioids Team Talk Character Design, Comic Book Inspirations, And Bringing The RTS Scene Forward

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In simple terms, the project titled “Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids” is a fresh initiative spearheaded by the designer of X-COM. It’s designed to merge elements from Real-Time Strategy (RTS) and third-person action genres. With a gameplay style that blends these aspects and a visual design reminiscent of comic books, Chip ‘n Clawz promises an engaging gaming experience for players.

Hailing from the mind behind the renowned X-COM series, Chip ‘n Clawz is an exciting upcoming action game with real-time strategy (RTS) elements, set in a third-person perspective. The protagonist, Chip – a resourceful young inventor – teams up with his robotic feline companion, Clawz, to save the world from an alien invasion by the Brainioids. An army of minions also lends assistance. Game Rant recently sat down with Julian Gollop, the game’s director and creator of X-COM, along with art director Rossen Tzvetanov, plus designers Dean Calver and Nikola Petrov for an in-depth discussion on the game’s development and character creation. For clarity, this interview has been condensed.

The Team Behind Chip ‘n Clawz Talk Balancing Genres And Designing Characters

A: What is the usual approach for developing a character idea into a completed design? On average, how many revisions does the character design undergo, and what aspects do you focus on when deciding to progress with one version over others?

The paraphrased sentence maintains the original meaning but uses slightly different words and grammatical structures for a more natural and easy-to-read tone.

In our game, minions play a crucial part. It was essential for us to ensure that every minion is distinct and identifiable by players. The key consideration was how clear they would be on the battlefield, such as recognizing a large weapon about to be fired by a ranged bot. For instance, consider an artillery unit-a massive rocket with legs-that deals considerable damage to structures. The process of creating minions and the buildings that generate them followed these basic guidelines.

Gollop: Typically, we go through about three or four rounds of concept art refinements before moving on to 3D modeling. Once all the minion types and their structures were constructed in 3D, we made additional adjustments to ensure some buildings stood out more distinctly.

In a nutshell: Our original idea for the game was a blend of Real-Time Strategy (RTS) and third-person perspective. We aimed to innovate within the RTS genre with this unique approach, although games like it have been attempted before less frequently. The third-person viewpoint is designed to impact your strategy, as you won’t be able to see the entire map and will need to guide your minions closely, ensuring you stay near them for most of the gameplay.

Q: Outside the main duo, which character went through the most changes?

As a devoted fan, I’d describe him as the ultimate challenge! This final boss has undergone numerous transformations throughout the development process. At one point, he morphed into a colossal tentacle beast, governed by a brain. He even crowned himself an emperor, flaunting a laser-shooting crown. The minions also went through extensive revisions to ensure they stood out distinctively on the battlefield. We’ve been consistently play-testing the game to perfect their feel and overall experience.

Question: To what extent will players become acquainted with the two principal characters? What amount of narrative content can we expect in Chip ‘n Clawz?

Petrov: The game’s narrative unfolds across two types of stages – Story and Challenge missions. In both, our duo explores fresh locations, encounters new adversaries, and deepens their bond, moving the plot forward. A variety of Brainioid characters are scattered throughout the game, each with unique characteristics that enhance the storyline, often by teasing our protagonists.

In the course of our design, we ensured that every level offers an enjoyable gaming experience with a touch of excitement. Subsequently, we focused on incorporating distinct locations, conversations, and hidden treasures that propel the narrative forward. This design caters to both action-oriented players who can quickly progress through objectives and further the plot at breakneck speed, as well as those who prefer a more immersive experience, allowing them to delve into our world’s history, uncover its secrets, collect hidden items, and anticipate upcoming events in the story.

You’ll come to know Chip and Clawz rather intimately due to their frequent banter. Nikola notes that there is a diverse array of Brainioid characters, with growing levels of ineptitude and arrogance as the narrative progresses.

Could you explain why the design change from dog-like to feline in the concept art for the character Clawz occurred?

As a devoted gamer, I found that the canine character in our game harkened back to an earlier version. Acknowledging a desire for novelty, my team and I decided it was time for a fresh start.

Gollop: In the dev team, the cat people won over the dog people.

Balancing Chip ‘n Clawz’ Genres

Why was the choice made to blend third-person action and real-time strategy elements in the game, instead of sticking with either one alone?

Petrov: From the very start, we’ve been aiming to create a game that combines thrilling action with strategic depth, drawing on various influences. One reason for this is the sense of stagnation in the Real-Time Strategy (RTS) genre since the release of StarCraft II. Despite new games emerging occasionally, it’s clear that the RTS genre has taken a hit and players have shifted towards Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve always dreamed about crafting a fresh take on Real-Time Strategy (RTS) gaming – something that offers a more relaxed and approachable experience compared to the high-paced, intense eSports-style gameplay of traditional RTS games. At the same time, I yearned to design an action game where it’s not just about the hero but also managing a small troop of minions for strategic purposes. When these two concepts collided, it was like finding the perfect puzzle piece – a perfect blend that feels incredibly satisfying!

In the second instance, we’ve been motivated by games that we cherish, yet feel they didn’t receive the recognition they truly deserved. Games like Brutal Legend, Pikmin, Overlord, Tooth and Tail, and Orcs Must Die! have served as fantastic sources of inspiration, showcasing a delightful blend of action and strategy. Our aim is to add our own creative touch to this genre, contributing to its rich tapestry with our unique perspective.

Initially as a fun experiment between Dean and me, we began creating something unique in early 2020. This creation was a fast-paced, exciting 1v1 game with battles that typically lasted around 6 minutes. A year later, we revisited our prototype and started brainstorming ways to expand it into a fully-fledged game, offering both single-player and multiplayer experiences.

In a related context, how have these two styles been harmonized to avoid overlap or conflicting with one another?

Petrov: From the very start, we’ve grappled with this question. Every design choice we made had to address it: does our game lean too heavily towards strategy for an action gamer, or too heavily towards action for a strategy gamer? We’re aiming for armies, but do we need micro-management details? We want intricate melee combos, but what if a strategy player prefers not to quickly tap buttons?

Our aim has consistently been to strike the perfect equilibrium. We strove to incorporate essential elements that give each genre its charm – base construction, troop management, along with hidden locations, collectibles, and engaging combats. Yet, we were mindful not to overemphasize a single aspect, ensuring it didn’t turn into “just an action game with some real-time strategy” or the reverse.

In a nutshell, creating and perfecting our game involved numerous revisions, some intense discussions within the team, and swift testing of every feature as it became available. To get valuable feedback, we invited various gamers to try our alpha and beta versions, and we were consistently on the lookout for responses such as “Did this Fortnite player understand minion commands?” or “How did a Warcraft player find the shooting mechanics?” Once our diverse group of playtesters gave us the green light, we knew that the balance was just right.

Gollop’s Approach: To ensure success, Gollop simplified and limited the control system, steering clear of the intricate micromanagement common in RTS games. Instead, players were given just four rally points, each for deploying a different minion type on the map. The Command View offers an extensive battle perspective that can be easily accessed whenever needed, providing a comprehensive overview of the entire conflict.

To ensure players can earn rewards regardless of their preferred approach, we designed the game mechanics to reward both tactical maneuvering and direct battle engagement. Players may opt for an action-focused style or a strategic one, with both approaches being viable and supported by diverse HQ Mods. These mods provide boosts to character combat, minions, production, and economy.

A: Could you share some details about the sources of inspiration for the design of the game’s characters, including the main duo, as well as the Allies and Brainioids factions?

Petrov: The development of Clawz was a continuous cycle. Our goal was to make her appear both stunning and peculiar, yet highlight her robotic aspects – a combination that seemed contradictory. From the initial concept sketches, she already looked fantastic. Then, the animators added elegance and whimsy to her movements. A seemingly minor detail, but it made a significant difference, was rotating her ears like a real cat’s.

Regarding Chip, at first we wanted to give him a more contemporary, stylish appearance with a sporty vest, messy hair, and flashy sneakers. But we felt that this style didn’t quite fit his personality. After some brainstorming, we drew inspiration from the game’s setting. The early parts of the game feature ruins of an old civilization and collectible comic books. We wondered what it would be like if a descendant of these ancient people became a modern-day boy fascinated by robotics. This sparked our creativity! Our concept artists then designed him with tattoos reminiscent of the ancient ruins, wavy hair to mimic the style of the civilization, a flowing scarf for fluid movements, and a jumper and engineering accessories to make him look like a contemporary tinkerer or kit-basher.

The Brainioids presented an enjoyable conundrum from the get-go. Since their debut, our focus was on preserving their iconic “brain-in-jar” appearance, which imposed certain constraints in terms of design. As a result, they all share similar appearances and don’t wear any clothes. To compensate, we delved into intricate details to make each one unique.

Personality-wise, they display a wide range – for instance, General Manager Blobbius is a raving madman who bark out orders, while Minda Thoughtsson is a composed and chilly corporate executive. We paid special attention to their dialogue, accents, idiosyncrasies, and even added minor visual elements like glasses and hats as embellishments. Our talented voice actors relished the opportunity to bring these brains-in-jars to life by accentuating their distinctive traits.

The idea behind the brain-in-a-jar concept was influenced by a book I shared with my kids called “My Arch-Enemy Is a Brain In a Jar” by David Solomon, as well as from the humor and satire in Chip ‘n Clawz found in the movie Mars Attacks.

Q: What inspired the comic book aesthetics in Chip ‘n Clawz’ aesthetic?

Tzvetanov shared that he came up with an amusing idea for a Christmas card. He aimed to spread holiday cheer to his studio colleagues by designing a card that was reminiscent of old-style comic books. The card’s concept included a final boss monster disrupting their festive celebrations. As the project progressed, they further developed this idea and focused on incorporating more comic book elements into the game itself.

Question: How significant is the role of comic book collectibles within the game? What kind of benefits or prizes might players receive for gathering such items?

Petrov: In our game, we offer a variety of collectibles. Some are enhancements that enable players to access new weapons and upgrades, thereby facilitating their advancement in the campaign by offering them fresh strategies. Other collectibles, such as our card collection, provide insights into the game world and mechanics. Although the game includes an extensive tutorial, having a substantial collection of cards makes it convenient for players to review various mechanics and strategy hints directly within the gallery. We found it intriguing to incorporate some information that players would typically search for online right within the game itself.

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but feel drawn to the intriguing collectibles hidden within our comic book world. These bonus tales don’t align with the main storyline, instead weaving their own threads throughout the campaign. Gathering every last one puts together a timeline that offers fascinating insights into our game’s backstory, shedding light on events hinted at in dialogues. While these aren’t essential to comprehend the overall narrative, delving into the ‘bonus issues’ of the comics definitely enriches a player’s grasp of the gaming universe.

A: Was there ever a time when Chip ‘n Clawz was conceived solely as a single-player game featuring one protagonist, or was it primarily designed from the start as a cooperative game for two characters?

Initially, Petrov conceived the game as a multiplayer-exclusive battle. However, during development, we chose to additionally create a story campaign which morphed into a cooperative design. Although solo play was always essential, the game can be played alone or with a friend. Inviting a companion offers unique strategies, challenges, and enjoyable gameplay, but it’s never compulsory. Each mission in the story can be completed either solo or cooperatively, giving our players the freedom to choose.

Calver: Initially, it wasn’t a two-player game; instead, it was merely a test of certain fundamental game mechanics in PvP format. The artistic or storyline aspects were not even considered at the time. Later on, we found that cooperative play would make for an engaging experience, which led us to consider a duo as a fitting choice.

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2025-08-24 13:09