Saturday, June 14, 2014

Skylanders Trap Team at E3 Exclusive Interview with Executive Producer Scott Krager

Hey Everyone,

Here is an exclusive interview I got with the Executive Producer behind the Skylanders series, Scott Krager!  He was kind enough to let me take up about 10 minutes of his time and I tried to highlight a few key points, pick up on his favorite new characters, and gain insights from his perspective.

I totally apologize for the bobbing camera...I'm not a vlogger and apparently I don't make for a great tripod...Sometimes we clip a little hair, or the chin, but the audio still came thru great and that is what really matters.  I tried to stand beside the camera to get closer to him to ensure we could hear his voice...that to me is an okay trade off, lol.  If I am fortunate enough to attend next year, I think the tripod will be coming.

That said, I was able to get confirmation from him on pricing for the line up (Single Traps, Core Skylanders, and Trap Masters) and he confirmed what I learned earlier from Jin.

Scott was also kind enough to give a shout out to my Nephew (thewalkthruking) and offer up his take on his 2 favorite Sklyanders, Slam Bam and Freeze Blade!



Here is a text-based accompaniment to the interview:

E3 Scott Krager
-Senior Producer

At this point I knew what was off limits and just opted for info that could be released.  Trust me,  I asked everyone, including him, right before this interview…and then kept asking thru the evening.

His favorite Trappable Villain: Painyatta
His favorite Trapmaster: Wallop (who btw is the HEAVIEST I have ever held)
His favorite Core: Chopper (with gyro-dino-exo suit)

Price Points
-Starter Pack: $74.99
-Individual Traps: $5.99
-Core: $9.99
-Trap Masters: $14.99
--Battle edge with Skylands Most Wanted AND interaction with Traptanium Clusters
---They were referred to multiple times here and in other conversations as “guest stars”

-Tried it again, but NO INFO on Battle Packs or Adventure Packs
 -I went for info on an 8 Pack of Traps: they are considering everything
--For me an 8 Pack is highly desirable, especially since it should knock the price down some

-What does the crowd at E3 mean to you?
--He has been here since Spyro’s Adventure, and says it is one of the highlights of his 20+ year career in the industry.  He values the professional success, but enjoys seeing his kids interact with the game at his personal, family level.

-Castaways
--I knew we would get nothing info wise, but I did get confirmation that even our forgotten guys like Voodood, Ghost Roaster, Dino-Rang, and Sunburn would get jump attacks, even if they stay molded in their debut forms…I’ll take the small victory for those of you who have their favorites invested in the old cast.

-Trapped Villains
--1 Per Trap (this is absolutely how it works, not 4 per trap as so many reported early on)
--Each villain has their own theme song to add personality

-My Nephew (had to get him a shout out and Scott’s insights on his favorite)
--Slam Bam, Scott loved his concept and unique design
--Freeze Blade, Vicarious Visions came up with him and he likes the leeway the Water Element affords in ice and is very well rounded

-Trap Team October 5th
--Will we see a gradual release of info approaching launch?
---He thinks so

I had a ton of tough questions, but I sadly knew they would be met with the same guarded reply and that honestly would have made for a bad interview.  Thus, I tried to focus on the positives, get his personal favorites and take on the series development as the Executive Producer.  I couldn't pass up the chance to get my Nephew’s questions regarding his favorite Skylanders covered with a personal recap, so I opted for that as well, lol.  So, if you also like Slam Bam and Freeze Blade, you got some nice bonus content.


The assumed approach of a gradual release of info is likely correct.  I think they wanted to keep the focus on what is "New" and "Innovative" at E3, and then likely reveal some more, gradually over time.

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