Interview Gamasutra Talks With Jason Anderson

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Tags: InXile Entertainment; Jason Anderson

Jason seems quite the popular fellow now, as Gamasutra secured <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22801">an interview</a> with him, talking mainly about his new job, his experiences with both Fallout and Troika, and what he thinks of Bethesda's Fallout 3.<blockquote>I basically bring all my experience from Troika and all the games we did there were RPGs. When they tapped me and asked if I'd be interested in coming over, it was a perfect fit. Working on an RPG is the thing I really know how to do. Before that, I was involved with the project V13 at Interplay. But definitely, we're going to be doing an RPG. I don't know to say whether it would be in line with Fallout.
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But games became much more demanding with the amount of content and their sophistication. That was kind of a growing pain, and Troika was right in the middle of that. For example, I took on a lot of different responsibilities -- art, design, running the company -- and I think in the end that was detrimental to the company.
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I want to get back to RPGs that are very story-driven and character-driven. Personally, I've never gotten out of [single-player] RPGs. There was the short stint working on the MMO for the past year, but that was pretty much it. I've always been about RPGs and RPG design. Even before Interplay I was a big RPG player.
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<b>Did you leave that project because of internal factors, or simply because inXile seemed better for you?</b>
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The future of the -- well, I don't know if I want to go there. [inXile] was a more stable opportunity. I wasn't even in the process of looking when this opportunity arose. It was a perfect fit.</blockquote>Interesting enough, especially his comment on Interplay's "stability". Also;<blockquote>I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. In some ways I really felt they captured the Fallout feeling, and other things were somewhat expected than what I expected from a Fallout game. That being said, I definitely understand that these things take on a life of their own. All in all, I felt it was really good. I liked it.</blockquote>Guess what that's in regards to?
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.nma-fallout.com/">No Mutants Allowed</A>

 

[Jedi_Learner]

Fallout 3 is a true sequel. One of the original Fallout developers likes it!

 

[Ausir]

It's the third or so original developer now, actually.

 

[MetalCraze]

It's the third or so original developer now, actually.

Hmm? Only Cain and Anderson said they like F3. I remember Boyarsky saying something bad about Beth effort - and it was in response to Bethesda saying how Diablo3 is outdated because it isn't first person. Guess only one of Troika has dignity.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

It's the third or so original developer now, actually.

Hmm? Only Cain and Anderson said they like F3. I remember Boyarsky saying something bad about Beth effort - and it was in response to Bethesda saying how Diablo3 is outdated because it isn't first person. Guess only one of Troika has dignity.

Not so much they don't have dignity, as much as the fact that the game industry is pretty much like a Appalachian redneck community in that it's incestuous as fuck all. Slamming someone's game could be bad seeing as you may end up bought out by that company or applying for a job there. If anything, the rather abrupt and out of the blue transfer of Anderson to inXile is evidence of this.

 

[Ausir]

Hmm? Only Cain and Anderson said they like F3.

I wasn't talking about the big names, but about Jesse Heinig and Brian Freyermuth. Also FO1 designers, but less prominent ones.

 

[Fat Dragon]

I remember Boyarsky saying something bad about Beth effort - and it was in response to Bethesda saying how Diablo3 is outdated because it isn't first person. Guess only one of Troika has dignity.

Yep, that was Ashley Cheng but the FPS comment was directed at Starcraft 2, not Diablo 3. No idea if Leon actually said anything in response.
http://blizzardguru.com/2008/07/bethsof ... -diablo-3/

 

[MetalCraze]

Hmm? Only Cain and Anderson said they like F3.

I wasn't talking about the big names, but about Jesse Heinig and Brian Freyermuth. Also FO1 designers, but less prominent ones.

I was talking about the ones I remembered saying that.
It is only the latter part of my comment that was directed towards actual Troika.

Not so much they don't have dignity, as much as the fact that the game industry is pretty much like a Appalachian redneck community in that it's incestuous as fuck all. Slamming someone's game could be bad seeing as you may end up bought out by that company or applying for a job there. If anything, the rather abrupt and out of the blue transfer of Anderson to inXile is evidence of this.

Speaking of which there was no point in working for Interplay at all to begin with. I just don't understand what prevented Jason from getting a normal job in the first place - with his "omg one of the best evar rpg creators" rep and all - Cain and Boyarsky found nice jobs pretty fast.

As for the first part of the comment that didn't stop Bethesda from slamming games that aren't first person shooters - even those that are still in development.

I remember Boyarsky saying something bad about Beth effort - and it was in response to Bethesda saying how Diablo3 is outdated because it isn't first person. Guess only one of Troika has dignity.

Yep, that was Ashley Cheng but the FPS comment was directed at Starcraft 2, not Diablo 3. No idea if Leon actually said anything in response.
http://blizzardguru.com/2008/07/bethsof ... -diablo-3/

He was talking about "conservative design" in both games and then gave a stupid example of how you can ruin SC2 with first-person mode. So logically he was kicking D3 there too.
Plus as we know "conservative" in Bethhype means "lack of first person mode"

 

[Tardvapor]

Guess only one of Troika has dignity.

Yeh either that, or those who create for a living aren't so quick to publicly slam the works of others in their field.

Or maybe not everyone in the world is in a constant cycle of masturbating and then running to a forum on the internet to say "masturbation sucks"