Review Fix Exclusive: Brad Becker Talks ‘KOMRAD’ Release And More

Former Chief Design Officer of IBM’s sophisticated AI platform, Watson, Brad Becker discusses his recently released Apple Watch and iOS game, “KOMRAD.” Breaking down the development process, as well as his hopes for the title now that it’s available, Becker gives us the skinny on this nifty “conversation game.”

For More on the Game, Click Here.

About KOMRAD, Courtesy of Sentient Play:

Your phone or Apple Watch chimes with a text message from an unknown number. In broken English, you’re informed that your online accounts have been hijacked — passwords changed, identity stolen. You can get it all back in return for a simple task: hack into a Russian computer untouched since the 1980s and probe it for useful information. How, exactly? That’s where your people skills come in, because K.O.M.R.A.D. isn’t any ordinary computer — it’s an experimental Soviet artificial intelligence that doesn’t know the Cold War ended.

Playing out as a real-time conversation between you and the roused AI, K.O.M.R.A.D. is a psychological narrative game based on real history and real technology. What does a Cold War era computer know, what assumptions will it make, and how can you gain its trust? Find out through brief text exchanges delivered via push notifications over several days. If you manage to make K.O.M.R.A.D. your ally, you can use this powerful technology for good. And if you fail, well, the fallout might be nuclear.

Inspired by 1980s text adventures and gamebooks, conversation games such as K.O.M.R.A.D. will tell stories via interactive dialogues optimized for Apple Watch and other mobile devices, in short bursts convenient for playing on the go and with branching outcomes that tailor consequences to players’ choices. K.O.M.R.A.D. will be the first release from the newly-formed Sentient Play, a lab Becker founded to explore the potential of interaction between people and advanced technology such as virtual reality, wearables, and AI.

Review Fix: What was the last leg of development like?

Brad Becker: This last push has been a bit brutal—yesterday was an 18 hour work day, for instance. It’s all worth it when people enjoy chatting with KOMRAD though.

Review Fix: How do you think this game changes the mobile game genre?

Becker: This game is the icebreaker for us to get started mingling with people and learning what they want in interactive conversational games.

Review Fix: What type of gamer will get the most out of it?

Becker: If you’d like to experience roughly what it would be like to have a chat conversation with a super-AI from the Cold War, this is the game for you. If such an AI existed, it would probably be a lot like K.O.M.R.A.D. Ideally, you’d also like reading, conversation, and long walks in the park. Ok, maybe not the walking part. You should also have three dollars.

Review Fix: What have you learned about yourself as a developer through this game?

Becker: I love making games for people and I’ve very proud of how KOMRAD has turned out but I never want to make another game as a solo developer again. Ever. I like collaboration. And occasionally delegation. And being able to take Sundays off. Luckily, Sentient Play has added three employees recently.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Becker: We’re looking at taking KOMRAD to more platforms and looking at more storylines for the next episode of KOMRAD.

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Becker: Disclaimer: K.O.M.R.A.D. is not a real AI. Batteries not included. Void where prohibited.