Kicking off Nordic Game 2013, Double Fine CEO Tim Schafer spoke about Inspiration Driven Development.

Taking about starting up the company in 2003, he said the main inspiration was the lack of power he had at then-employer LucasArts.

"I had no power over sequels," he said, particularly pointing out the proposed sequel to his game Full Throttle.

"I wanted to own everything I've made, which is something we managed to do, pretty much."

What you love

More importantly, in terms of how Double Fine operates, Schafer said it was all about passion.

"Stay in touch with what you love and what inspires you," he said.

"If you're not making games out of love, I wonder why you are doing it?"

This feeds through into specific projects, with Schafer saying it doesn't look to make a mobile game or a console game.

"Our games are based on great ideas that our people care about."

This involves a two-week internal pitch process - formalised in its public Amnesia Fortnights, and has seen the company shipping a lot more games.

In its first six years, it shipped 2 games. In the next four, it has shipped 10 titles.

Opening up

Talking about Broken Age, the company's Kickstarter project, he said it too had changed the way the developer works.

"I didn't like showing stuff like in-progress art in case we changed it and it annoyed fans," he said.

But now Schafer says having Kickstarter backers who are so enthusiastic about the process has made the company much more open and communicative with its fans.

Indeed, when he travels, Schafer often asks for recommendations of good metal bars - combining them with Kickstarter meet-up; something he did in Malmo this week.