The world of game design is tough. You have to keep functionality, integrity, and entertainment value in balance for a great concoction. Now, try mixing in the imagination of a child and their wild ideas - maintaining that balance is a whole lot trickier!

Joure Visser is the developer for a game called Play With Gilbert, in which players play as cat who explores and collects fish, which has evolved for the better from his daughter's suggestions. In an interview with IndieGames.com, he talks about the challenges of designing with his daughter's requests, the bond formed over the game's development, and where Play With Gilbert will go in the future.

Play With Gilbert was a creation made by you for your daughter, and is ever-evolving with her feedback and requests. What sort of things does she ask for" How do you take these requests and translate them into your game"
Early on, I determined that my Xbox 360 controller would be the input device. The first problem I faced was creating a control scheme/layout that she was comfortable with after seeing her struggle trying to work two thumbsticks at the same time, which is a lot to ask for a kid her age. I was able to create an effective enough control scheme where the camera would turn with the character, making her be able to control Gilbert using only one thumbstick. While I wasn't a big fan, I noticed she was able to instantly move the kitty around and she started exploring. Mission accomplished!

Wha...