Codex Interview RPG Codex Retrospective Interview: Jon Van Caneghem on Might and Magic

[Phelot]

He was kind of vague on a few, like that MM3 island and his thoughts on MM9. Also, no questions on his racing career?

Still, my fav HoMM AND MM character is Sandro.

I wonder where that name came from?

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Sandro is a normal name, could be anyone. I'm more amused by his dog.

"Okay boys, time for a walk...Rex...Fido...Duke...Spike...wait, where's Sheltem?"

Automap and quest log is handholding? lol, ffs codex

They serve to do what you did manually before anyway, whereas the quest compass is a fucking solid wall between free-hand exploration and the game. There's a big fucking difference between giving you great utilities and playing the game for you (like the quest compass does).

I'm tempted to agree, but the difference is not that big. In the same manner a quest compass prevents you from exploring and unkillable NPCs prevent you from failing objectives, the automap and quest log also prevent you from messing up. You won't risk losing out on a reward for forgetting to write a note about a quest, and you won't have to pay much attention to your surroundings because the automap is flawlessly painting itself for you.

 

[Phelot]

SANDRO WAS NEVER A NORMAL NAME I NEED AN EXPLANATION FOR IT

EDIT:

I'm tempted to agree, but the difference is not that big. In the same manner a quest compass prevents you from exploring and unkillable NPCs prevent you from failing objectives, the automap and quest log also prevent you from messing up. You won't risk losing out on a reward for forgetting to write a note about a quest, and you won't have to pay much attention to your surroundings because the automap is flawlessly painting itself for you.

I think it can be done right. In Realms of Arkania 2, for example, the auto map fills in the basic map portion for you and perhaps points to some obvious interest points, but it is still up to you to decide what is and isn't important. I mean, in the Dwarven Pit, do I need to mess with this gnome? Should I bother sticking my hand in the hole in the wall? What about this lever? The point is, you DO still have to make critical decisions and you can still make mistakes and there isn't really any way of knowing that you're making a mistake until later on in.

I think Grunker is right, automaps can take the burden off the player when it comes to mapping an quest logging without hand holding the player too much. Just means you don't need to write shit by hand, but doesn't mean it is going to give you the proper way to max out your reward or get the best possible outcome.

 

[Wyrmlord III]

Awesome interview. Some of the answers are fascinating. "I have always wanted players to enjoy the game the way they want too and not be forced to play the way the developer wants them too" and "I like to play games not watch them" made me go all warm and fuzzy.

What is amazing is that JVC didn't transmute into a new-age version like Richard Garriott or Peter Molyneux or - let's be honest - Warren Specter. He didn't go and say, "My old stuff was only good for yesteryear; times have changed now!"

No, he shares many of the exact same tastes as us, his fans, and says exactly the same things that are on our minds.

He is what I wanted from an old-school developer - one who isn't a phony and hides what he believes or one who hasn't gone over to the dark side.

I hope Neal Hallford is the same as him when his interview comes. Crooked Bee, when can we expect the Hallford interview?

 

[mondblut]

Automap and quest log is handholding? lol, ffs codex

Didn't WoX quest logs explicitly state the coordinates of a square where a mcguffin you're sent to retrieve lies?

At very least, they explicitly stated the coordinates of a questgiver to return to afterwards. Like, you know, a giant question mark hovering over his head, rings a bell?

There's a big fucking difference between giving you great utilities and playing the game for you (like the quest compass does).

Same kind of shit, in different degrees of purity.

 

[Mrowak]

A splendid interview.

I have to say that since the transition to the next gen new forum Codex has been undergoing some substantial changes - much more much better done articles, more interviews with more prominent people, better quality control etc.

People are actually linking to our articles, you know? This would mean among other things better SEO, and thus higher popularity. For the first time since long time Codex can reclaim it's good name in the annals of cRPG history. It would be cool if we were a more prominent voice in the industry...

What?! One can still dream...

 

[made]

Awesome interview. Some of the answers are fascinating. "I have always wanted players to enjoy the game the way they want too and not be forced to play the way the developer wants them too" and "I like to play games not watch them" made me go all warm and fuzzy.

What is amazing is that JVC didn't transmute into a new-age version like Richard Garriott or Peter Molyneux or - let's be honest - Warren Specter. He didn't go and say, "My old stuff was only good for yesteryear; times have changed now!"

No, he shares many of the exact same tastes as us, his fans, and says exactly the same things that are on our minds.

He is what I wanted from an old-school developer - one who isn't a phony and hides what he believes or one who hasn't gone over to the dark side.

What's the difference? He's still making MMOs just like Garriott, and worse even, is slaving away at EA now.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I hope Neal Hallford is the same as him when his interview comes. Crooked Bee, when can we expect the Hallford interview?

I dunno, depends on when Neal answers all the questions. Can take up to few months sometimes, so yeah, no idea.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

Still, my fav HoMM AND MM character is Sandro.

I wonder where that name came from?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZIngcbZ1OU

 

[Gozma]

Yeah, in just a few months the above-the-waterline part of the Codex has gotten better to a degree I would have considered unbelievable before it happened. PLus the Kickstarter stuff... I think this is the emotion humans call hope

 

[Infinitron]

A splendid interview.

I have to say that since the transition to the next gen new forum Codex has been undergoing some substantial changes - much more much better done articles, more interviews with more prominent people, better quality control etc.

People are actually linking to our articles, you know? This would mean among other things better SEO, and thus higher popularity. For the first time since long time Codex can reclaim it's good name in the annals of cRPG history. It would be cool if we were a more prominent voice in the industry...

What?! One can still dream...

Yeah, in just a few months the above-the-waterline part of the Codex has gotten better to a degree I would have considered unbelievable before it happened. PLus the Kickstarter stuff... I think this is the emotion humans call hope

I believe this has a lot to do with the Codex raising those 10 grand for Wasteland 2. It gave us a lot of credibility. Money talks.

 

[Gozma]

I don't want to distribute credit that much. It's kinda like the period where VD was getting good interviews and so on, if someone is putting in real effort with real care like I guess Zed and Crooked Bee (and whoever is doing important stuff I don't know about, sorry) you can get a lot done with very little backing.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

What's the difference? He's still making MMOs just like Garriott, and worse even, is slaving away at EA now.

Well, a man needs to eat.

 

[made]

What's the difference? He's still making MMOs just like Garriott, and worse even, is slaving away at EA now.

Well, a man needs to eat.

No doubt. A man also needs to drive race cars and go to space.

 

[Infinitron]

I don't want to distribute credit that much. It's kinda like the period where VD was getting good interviews and so on, if someone is putting in real effort with real care like I guess Zed and Crooked Bee (and whoever is doing important stuff I don't know about, sorry) you can get a lot done with very little backing.

Oh definitely. Obviously credibility doesn't gain you anything if you have no nobody to follow up and take advantage of it.

 

[commie]

So no KS for Jon...a shame, but perhaps for the best. At least until the rest of this tie to EA falls through if it hasn't already.

 

[Kayerts]

His response to the question on Scorpia's MM2 review was quite funny

This interview made me look up Computer Gaming World's reviews for MM2 and MM3. Scorpia's review of MM2 is merely unflattering, but the MM3 review (not by her) is positively monocled. Check it out:

It is here that the question of ontology — of what things exist in a given universe — comes up. The ontology of MM3, the contents of its universe, includes nothing we haven't seen far too often before. How many games before this one have populated their landscapes with warlike half-orcs, magical elves (who are also, of course, excellent archers), and skulking, lock-picking thieves (here called robbers); with hit points, armor class, and alignment; and with locations bearing such names as "Serpent Wood," "Buzzard Bluff," and "Castle Greywind"?

MM3 even comes with a Silmarillion-esque backstory (which doubles as a fairly inoffensive anti-piracy device) describing the epic history of a War Among the Gods (here rendered exceptionally banal by the use of the four elements — Water, Fire, Air, Earth — as the Gods) and the subsequent intercession of some tritely benevolent meta-Gods with names like "Esoterica" and "Cosmonium."

On the other hand, there is a market for this stuff. David Eddings rewrites the same high-fantasy novel over and over again and never fails to hit the bestseller lists with it; Piers Anthony, whose work I generally admire, is in the double digits with his series of Xanth novels despite the fact that he ran out of new ideas around number six; and the folks who churn out those game-based novels for TSR Books are laughing all the way to the bank. Why should things be different with computer games? MM3 is a good game — no, an excellent game — for the people at these extremes. CRPG junkies who can never get their fill of computer D&D, and for whom familiarity is not a turn-off but a selling point, will adore MM3. People who have never played a game like this before, but who are even slightly interested, could hardly do better than starting with this one. The only people who will groan at another helping of old chestnuts, no matter how attractive the serving platter, are players somewhere in the middle: ones who have played enough run-of-the-mill CRPGs to want something different.

 

[Gozma]

The reason the Scorpia thing is funny can be found in the caves under Swamptown and Blistering Heights in MM3

 

[Grunker]

Automap and quest log is handholding? lol, ffs codex

Didn't WoX quest logs explicitly state the coordinates of a square where a mcguffin you're sent to retrieve lies?

I can't recall, but I know for a fact that VI/VII/VIII didn't.

Same kind of shit, in different degrees of purity.

Bullshit. No matter hard you try, you can't create your own quest compass. You can, however, draw a map. Ergo the quest compass provides with a "cheating" tool - the map provides you with ease-of-use.

If you're going to argue that assisting the player with banal tasks and playing the game for him is the same thing, we won't agree.

 

[mondblut]

Bullshit. No matter hard you try, you can't create your own quest compass. You can, however, draw a map. Ergo the quest compass provides with a "cheating" tool - the map provides you with ease-of-use.

If you're going to argue that assisting the player with banal tasks and playing the game for him is the same thing, we won't agree.

That's only the matter of presentation. In effect, there is no difference between putting a directional mark on a compass and putting target coordinates in a log. Both are explicit way to state "you go there, chum".

 

[Grunker]

Who said anything about target coordinates?

 

[mondblut]

Who said anything about target coordinates?

Didn't WoX quest logs explicitly state the coordinates of a square where a mcguffin you're sent to retrieve lies?

 

[Grunker]

I can't recall, but I know for a fact that VI/VII/VIII didn't.

 

[Grog]

Great interview. It almost inspires me to dig around my mom's house to see if I still have my completion certificates for MM2-5. I definitely feel like the industry lost something when the developers ceased taking the time to print some kid's name and score on a piece of paper and mail it back to them. It was silly, but that personal touch made you feel like you were really part of something rather than just some anonymous basement dweller. The Codex has the latter effect on people...

 

[Gozma]

Xeen autonotes generally record the position of the questgiver, not the quest target. So obviously you could just record the position you were standing at when you got the quest, it isn't new information.

However mondblut's original complaint where he pulled the quote out of the interview made me a little incredulous too; MM3 and then Xeen were by a huge margin the most user friendly games of that era and the "unkillable NPC" thing was just bizarre because the kind of non-monster NPCs you might see in other games like Morrowind or something don't even exist in the gameworld of the MM games - they are like an interactable object on a tile.