Wireframe - #34 - 2020

Early Access

Attract Mode

wfmag.cc \ 13

That’s not to say the team hasn’t been working
hard at honing things, with plenty of time
spent simply honing Drink More Glurp’s physics:
“We had built Sprint and Long Throw, but we
refused to make other events until we were sure
we had nailed the physics,” they say. “We spent
a lot of time working out the traction on the
‘hands’ to make sure that players could run over
obstacles without skidding. We did our best to
make it as close to ‘pure’ physics as possible,
which carried through to the minimalist visual
styling of the game.
“But the process of making a game goes
beyond just making something fun. We’ve had to
learn things like setting up a business, pitching
to publishers, sorting
out funds, dealing with
platform holders and
getting devkits, all while
trying to do anything
social while also trying to
make a game.
“We’ve been going to conventions, working on
marketing, dealing with music and audio... The
production side has been a new challenge for
us, but it’s all very important.”
Sponsors are more important to Glurp than
just a funny-sounding name and an army of
puns: event sponsorship essentially indicates a
modifier for the event in question – maybe low
gravity, say, or super-strength throughout. It’s
another way in which things are being aimed
more down the path of fun for the sake of it,
rather than frustration for the lulz.
Drink More Glurp is a party game first and
foremost, but there is some level of support

baked in for those without a party with which

to play. A challenge mode provides curated

events to take part in with scores to beat, and

you can unlock – of course – hats through

playing this mode. Thrown in with challenge

mode is an online leader board and full replays,

so you can see what those atop the mountain

actually do in order to be

the best. Beyond drinking

more of the titular soft

drink (or whatever it is).

But we had to save the

most important question

for last: what’s in a name? “It took us forever

to come up with a name,” the devs reply. “But

we were super-keen to carry the sponsorship

theme through to the title, so we created Glurp

and had it take over every aspect of the game,

as well as have the sponsorships completely

dominate the events, too.”

This ultimately led to the actual name of the

game being an ad for the fictional drink, but it

still leaves the question: what is Glurp? “Who

knows,” they respond. “We had sheets full of

words. Drink more this... Drink more that... The

exact origins have been forgotten... but I think

Glurp was an amalgamation of ‘Gurgle’ and

‘Burp.’” And now we know.

Early Access

Attract Mode

“We wanted it to be

fun to watch and fun

to pick up and play”

wfmag.cc \ 13

 Hot seat competition

means players are able

to study each others’

techniques, levelling the

playing field a bit.

 When you’re sponsored

by handcuffs, you’re not

going to see a prime

competitive advantage.