I promised I will post more from the interview I conducted with Jeff McCord — and this time about his role in making games for the Trouble Brothers development studio along with team member Steve Shippert, who I also talked to at Macworld 2011 and will pitch in this interview from time to time.

Trouble Brothers have already developed a number of great games for the App Store and their future plans are just as bright. Soon we will have a great board game on our hands made for the iPad with multiplayer in mind called ‘Cargo Runners,’ as well as a word trivia bar game with old jukebox-style graphics to boot called ‘Match-O-Matic.’ This development team is unique on the App Store in the sense both McCord and Shippert have done extensive work in traditional board game design, as well as video and computer game design, so they really combine the best aspects of the two mediums with many App Store releases. Their title Wizard Hex speaks volumes as it was featured in the “New and Noteworthy” and “What’s Hot” categories on the App Store — combining elements from various board games like Chinese Checkers into a unique iDevice game. McCord goes into detail in the interview about the philosophy of the board game design and how it relates to iOS gaming as well as McCord’s history in the industry. Look out for ‘Cargo Runners’ to be released sometime in February with the ‘Match-O-Matic’ release date still to be announced.

Q: Hello Jeff. Can you tell me a little bit about the Trouble Brothers development studio and how you met up with Steve.

Steve and I worked traditionally as board game designers and I worked for a company in Seattle called Front Porch Classics. I worked as a game designer and a graphic artist and while I was there, Steve and I started doing some of the game design and concept creation for a project or two while I was there.

Q: So how did you end up making board games for the App Store together?

The company was eventually bought out and staffing changed so Steve and I started freelancing and were hired to design a board game that was a bit like Monopoly or Risk but on the ocean called Cargo Runners.

Q: Was it actually released as a board game before you started porting it to the App Store, meaning is this going to be a port based on an older model of design?

Initially, it was designed as a board game but was never released because of changes in the economy; and when we realized the iPad is coming out we thought it would be perfect to have an original board game that no one has ever seen before launch on the iPad.

Q: How would this game be different than other board games on the iPad?

A lot of games have been ported to the iPad from board game design but not many are fully original. And we decided to create a version that took advantage of all aspects of the iPad but also tried to remain aware of some of the limitations of it in regards to the original board game design.

Q: What are some examples of the differences or limitations that you had to overcome?

For example, there was some card play held in your hands that is a part of the game; and that was more typical of that type of board game where games could last an hour and a half to complete. So we realized that we needed to make the play faster. It was also hard to do hidden cards and we had to make it a little more natural to what people expect in terms of electronic gameplay but all the while we knew we had to maintain the feeling of a boardgame that people would play together. And that’s central to what Trouble Brothers has been doing with all of our games.

Q: When will the game be released?

Cargo Runners will come out mid to late February or that’s our target date.

Q: Will it be iPad exclusive or do you plan on releasing it for the other iDevices as well?

Right now it is iPad only. It is a gathering game made to be played right on the table but we will see if later we should add it for the iPhone or not.

Q: Will there be some sort of online matchmaking and multiplayer or is it the type of game you only play at the table with friends?

It is a gathering game made to be played on the table. We may consider trying to do online multiplayer?

Steve Shippert adds:

We will do our best to do that — if not at launch as an update via GameCenter or something like that.

Q: Will you be able to play only with others or is there A.I. to play against as well?

At launch you can’t play against A.I.

Q: What was the design of the game based on or inspired by?

We wanted to accomplish something inspired by European — or German to be specific — strategy war games.

Steve Shippert adds:

It’s a two to four player game and the goal is to attempt to be the first player to earn $10 million; that player wins. And you do this by gathering four cargos and completing one of 12 different contracts. One of the virtues of the game as opposed to a board game is we’re able to take advantage of the smarts of the game so the contracts will generate differently every time and make the game play differently. It is played over a real world map with 36 different port locations.

Q: Can you tell me about any other projects you have in the works?

Another game from Trouble Brothers we are working on is Match-O-Matic. The idea behind this is that it is a fun, casual, trivia game. It is meant to be like the old fashioned jukebox; like a diner jukebox. So when you come into the play screen a category will come at random. It is meant to be old fashioned and retro looking. 20 images iwll randomly come up from a category you choose.

Q: How do you win a game?

You wager on the category depending on how well you know it against other players.

Q: How many players will the game support?

It is a two player game.

Q: Can you go further into explaining what the gameplay will be like?

Questions will come up, like names of people, and you take turns seeing if your right and try ranking up the score — and besting the other player. It is meant as a game pub or a coffee shop game where people play together socially. All of our games are designed to promote or create a social experience.

Cargo Runners Photos and Video

Match-O-Matic Photos

Thank you Jeff McCord, Steve Shippert and Trouble Brothers for this interview.

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