Matt Chat 95: An Interview with Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford
“an interview with not one but two of the greatest game designers of all time”
This is only the first part of the interview. Matt states that there’s more to come and this isn’t even half of the interview. This is great to hear. I think the last time I’ve seen an interview with Paul was when they were working on Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam and they spoke to IGN and GameTrailers.
When asked about Skylanders, they mentioned that it is another example of how they blend genres. In fact, one could say they combined two entirely different forms of entertainment. I’m still going to buy this game just to experience it myself and I hope it’s successful enough for them to move closer to a project they’ll have more control over.
When Paul mentioned “giant freaky robot”, it reminded me of the Orz and their devastating space marines. He even mentions some important gameplay design elements such as asking new questions while answering old ones and defining what fun is.
For us Star Control fans, I think our most favorite part is when Paul mentions that Star Control is coming, “someday soon”.
It’s definitely a great interview. They always have something to say and it reminds me that they have a deep history in games and it’s important to have a burning passion in order to survive in the industry for this long.
Matt mentioned that he pities anyone who hasn’t read Orson Scott Card. I happen to be one of those people. :( I’ve just been so busy with personal stuff that I haven’t had time to read anything. I’ve gotta add Ender’s Game to my reading list. I remember seeing Orson’s name in a promotional card for Star Control on the Sega Genesis; I’ll post a link below.
I’d like to thank Matt for sharing this interview and Paul and Fred for providing us their wisdom. Matt has played some of Paul’s older games such as Mail Order Monsters.
Links
Matt Chat 95: Skylanders and more with Paul Reiche and Fred Ford
Star-Control.com forum discussion
Star Control Promotional Card
