Ok. I have found a new game to obsess about. After Tiny Bang Story, I felt like I needed to throw myself into something that could promise me a story I could sink my teeth into and forget the long days of working my summer job slinging mayonnaise at the deli. Something different than the normal games I play. That's when I stumbled upon Tearstone. Honestly… it's awesome. I love it. I'm having so much fun playing it. And when I started blabbing to everyone about how much fun it was, they actually offered me the chance to talk with Chris Djokich, the Founder and Art Director at at Dragon's Eye Studio! OMG Yes! Me going all red carpet on Dragon Eye Studios, the creators of Tearstone. Naturally I leapt at the chance, bribed my brother into doing my chores, put on my best red carpet dress… something I wore to my cousin's wedding a few years ago, and got to work feverishly coming up with questions for the Dragon's Eye team.

Question 1. I knew Dragon's Eye Studio was a new player in the casual game arena so naturally my first question was just to ask them about the company and their team. Keep it simple Morgan… put them off guard and maybe they will let something slip like where to find the super-secret item of all items that will make me Queen of gaming…

First of all, Morgan, we would like to thank you for taking interest in our game and our company. Also, we would like to greet all casual game players and the Casual Game Guides team. Dragons Eye Studio is a young game company that is focused on the development of quality casual games. Our company was officially established in 2010 in Belgrade, Serbia. From the very start we had big plans, but there were only 3 of us and plenty of work to be done. The first few months were real "hell." The work day sometimes lasted for 20 hours. Even so, we were able to make a demo very quickly and people from Big Fish Games recognized our potential, interesting concept and visual style right from the start. From that moment our Dragons Eye Studios (DES) team started to grow. A few great character artists, programmers, light effect artists, and 3D artists have joined our team since. We have started to work on few different games and some of the artists have helped the original DES team in certain segments of the Tearstone game.

Question 2. Ok, I'm done with simple… Now it's time to dig up some really juicy stuff.  Can you tell us where the idea for Tearstone came from? What was your inspiration for this really awesome story? And what happens next?!!

Tearstone trilogy (OMG that's right… he said trilogy!!!!) was conceived several years earlier and represents the very beginning of the big plan we have in mind. We won't reveal much, but we can say that – there will not be any "cliffhanging" endings of the sequels, but, each sequel (like the first one) will have a fully rounded story to tell. The biggest secret will be revealed after the last sequel of the trilogy… also coming from the Tearstone world… But, there is still plenty of time until then… So, we will leave it for our future conversations. :) (NO tell me now!!!!) At this point, as you might imagine… my excitement was getting the better of me... I had already fallen out of my chair, tripped on my dress and had to yell downstairs to my mother that I was not indeed practicing to be on the show So You Think You Can Dance or going to run away and join the circus. I had indeed just fallen hard in 3 inch heels. No mother, you don't want to know why I have them on.

Question 3.  Next question… Tearstone really deviates, in a positive way, from the traditional hidden object games on the market today. What made you decide to take a risk and create something so different from the normal gameplay?

We would like to give a somewhat longer answer to this question. We have entered the casual world (and market) with a clear intention of bringing as much diversity and new things as possible with our games. For almost 10 years now, we have been playing these games, and for the past 5 or 6 years we have been closely following the market and carefully "listening" (over various forums, mainly BFG) what the players like, dislike and what are their wishes for the future games - so we can't really call it a risk. When we noticed that the thoughts and critiques of the players coincided with ours - we decided to make a game for theirs and our soul. We have always wondered why the "old school" adventures (that were great and so popular all around the world) got neglected, especially nowadays. The first motto of Tearstone that, in some way, has carried out the whole idea was: "Old School Adventure - New Generation Of iHOG." The secret of the success and also the hardest thing to achieve - is to find the right level of game difficulty and find the balance between the elements on which the players are already used on playing classic iHOGs, and the innovations we have decided to bring with our game. Since Tearstone came out, we are trying to be in touch with our players over forums to get the feedback on our game and learn what improvements we can make for the future ones. Each and every game that will come from DES, will be done in same innovative way, made with an effort to always bring something fresh to the players. See that gamers, developers are really out there listening to us and our opinions do matter! So next time a few people in the forums start talking about improvements for games, I think we should all say that the world of gaming needs more young twenty something girls as stars named oh... I don't know Morgan?

Question 4. It's obvious from the extraordinarily beautiful and whimsical imagery and graphics that you spent a long time creating this world of Tearstone for us gamers. Just how long did the project take and how was the experience? Is there anyone on the team in particular that deserves special recognition?

Almost two years have passed since the first "brainstorming" we had about Tearstone trilogy. We never thought it would take us this long to finish the first sequel, but we had high expectations right from the start and wanted to be sure that our game will be accepted and loved by the majority of the players, and for that reason, we have conducted numerous internal beta testing's with different focus groups. We paid close attention on each and every feedback we had received. That was the most valuable thing for us when it came to the game development. Special recognition goes to Olgica for visual part, as the lead designer of DES and Marko for the technical part, as the lead programmer of the DES. The two of them have really helped me out tremendously with game concept, story and the look of Tearstone. Olgica and Marko, thank you so much for your hard work and for making me a game that I can go crazy over! Ok, so you may be enabling a game addict, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that… you just go ahead and keep on enabling…

Question 5. Playing Tearstone is really a lot of fun, but the game can be challenging at certain points. Can you give us any hints or strategies we can use as we play the game? Or tell me where I can find that super secret item that will make me beyond cool… I know there is one… somewhere...

Yes, we agree that there are few points in Tearstone that players can find a bit challenging. Many times so far I have seen a player returning to say how the solution was so obvious and they couldn't believe that they had missed it :) That will be our advice for all our future players: "Nothing is as hard as it might seem to you in the Tearstone World. The answer to a problem is always hidden in the most difficult place to look for > right in front of your eyes." :) So… what… you're telling me that I need to look in front of my eyes… is there a secret message in there like an anagram or something…

Question 6. There are so many great areas of the game and fun characters that we meet along the way. Are there any areas or parts of the game that are your favorites? If so, what and why?

I have to say it is a part with the PARROT, PHONE and the GUARD! :) And when it comes to the character – that certainly is "Todd The Cold" – for the role he is yet to play in the following sequels …oooppsss…I said too much. :) No! Tell me more! I NEED to know!

Question 7. Now that Tearstone is completed and has been very well received, the gaming world wants to know… what can we expect from Dragon's Eye Studio in the future? Are you currently working on another project, and if so, can you share some inside information with your gamers? Or are you willing to put my face on the main character?

Beside the Tearstone trilogy, we are proud to announce our next game, which by genre will be completely different from Tearstone. However, that doesn't mean that we are going to leave iHOG lovers waiting long for the next treat! A fantasy - thriller adventure, we are already working on, will also bring a few innovations when the iHOG-FROG are about. We hope that the new visual/technical elements in it will change the overall gaming experience for the players. There will be plenty more surprises along the way! We are not going to announce them on this occasion because that would be kind of bragging – and we certainly don't want that. (We don't mind!!! Brag Brag!!!!) Our goal is to become a strong competition to already high positioned and well established studios on the casual game market. That's the only way the players will profit – they will get to enjoy better and more versatile games and the iHOGs will get stronger and more popular throughout the world! :)

Well sign me up for No. 1 fan! Feel free to ummmm you know call me if you ever want someone to try a game out before anyone else… or if you are in need of a fun loving, adventurous girl as inspiration for your next game…. Sigh…

About Dragon’s Eye Studio

Dragon’s Eye Studio is a young and independent game company founded in 2010 that is focused on the development of quality casual games.

The Adventure/Hidden Object/Puzzle game Tearstone is already on the BigFish game portal. In its first day of appearance, Tearstone broke into Top 10 chart list!

Another 2 titles are in development and will be released this year.

"As a game developer we want to create great casual games  that are fun and also entertaining for everyone everywhere!", Chris Djokich.