Interview Richard Garriott Interview at GameSpy

[Mistress]

Tags: Origin Systems; Richard Garriott; Ultima VIII: Pagan

<a href="http://www.gamespy.com">GameSpy</a> have posted an <a href="http://www.gamespy.com/interviews/february03/british/">interview</a> with <b>Richard Garriott</b> a.k.a Lord British. He talks about leaving <a href="http://www.origin.ea.com/">Origin</a>, working with <a href="http://www.ncsoft.net/">NCSoft</a>, and what the hell happened with Ultima 8 and 9....
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<blockquote><b>GameSpy:</b> Sorry, but everyone wants to know -- what in the hell happened with Ultima 8 and 9?
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<b>Richard Garriott:</b> Hah! I can easily explain. If you look at Ultima 8 -- and that's my least favorite of the series -- the causes are multiple, but understandable. Look at Origin's history with Electronic Arts ... we became part of that company halfway through the development of Ultima 7. That game was the most inventive game in the series, and my favorite, and Ultima 8 wound up being the most generic and derivative.
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Ultima 7 was kind of the game's ultimate realization ... every object was useful and touchable, and the story made sense; it was the Ultima of Ultimas for me. One of the first mistakes I made starting with Ultima 8 was to let Electronic Arts convince me that it was better to ship every year on a predictable schedule then to ship a game at an unknown future date when it was actually done and ready to go out the door. It was a belief engendered by the success the company had with its sports franchises. Although these games introduced only slight technological upgrades from year to year, because everyone knew when they were coming out, it was easy for EA to market them and make big money. </blockquote>
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Spotted at <a href="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPGDot</a>

 

[Rosh]

Yup, Ultima 7 was a good jumping of the shark for Ultima and pretty much of the entire genre for quite some time.

Remember, kiddies, marketing departments are evil. I have proof.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I'm just rather shocked that GameSpy had the balls to ask that question.

 

[Spazmo]

I'm rather shocked Lord British answered honestly. That was a remarkably objective piece of journalism.

 

[Rosh]

I'm rather shocked Lord British answered honestly. That was a remarkably objective piece of journalism.

Nah, he doesn't have to worry about problems from EA, so fuck 'em and give a straight answer. After all, it was EA that basically killed Origin off.

 

[Spazmo]

Still, it's not something you see often: a big name game designer openly blasting a big company. I mean, I never saw Tim Cain posting long, angry, curse-filled rants against Interplay. And if he did, please, linkage.

 

[Rosh]

Not in a big rant, but in perhaps several, diverse things. Let's also look at his recent kick at BioWare.

 

[Deathy]

Not in a big rant, but in perhaps several, diverse things. Let's also look at his recent kick at BioWare.

Kicks, really. You see them in just about every interview now.

I wonder if he does it intentionally.

 

[TimCain]

No, not intentionally.

In every interview, I am asked how my games are different. So I compare them to other games, and of course, I want the comparison to be favorable. But don't read too much between the lines. I had fun playing BG, and I had fun playing NWN in multiplayer mode with other Troika people here on weekends on our LAN, and that's all I expect from my games: fun. I want to be entertained. For me, other considerations, like technological superiority or originality or scope, aren't really factors.

YMMV.

 

[Spazmo]

Hah! In multiplayer mode! That must mean you hate the single-player mode with the fury of a thousand suns, right? :wink:

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

By "playing multiplayer", he means gathering up everyone and mass uninstalling it.

 

[Araanor]

Come now, sir, tell us what you really think. :D

 

[Sol Invictus]

Yes Tim, come on and tell us!

 

[Ausir]

Isn't this comment a little late?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

I'm rather shocked Lord British answered honestly. That was a remarkably objective piece of journalism.

Actually, I remember reading something he did a little over a year ago on this very same subject and he covered in depth what happened to the Ultima series. I believe it was a post he did on Avault, but I am not sure. I just remember reading it is all.

 

[Volourn]

Don't put words in his mouth. We all know Mr. Cain is a closet BIO fanboy. :wink:

 

[Whipporowill]

I'm rather shocked Lord British answered honestly. That was a remarkably objective piece of journalism.

Actually, I remember reading something he did a little over a year ago on this very same subject and he covered in depth what happened to the Ultima series. I believe it was a post he did on Avault, but I am not sure. I just remember reading it is all.

Uh... dude, this IS from a year ago...

 

[HanoverF]

The Dead Walk!

 

[chrisbeddoes]

Na. It is just 10 months ago.

 

[Ausir]

That's what I call Thread Necromancy!

 

[Volourn]

Ha... I didn't even notice the dates when I posted... I say...

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Uh... dude, this IS from a year ago...

Ahh.. that would explain things then. I didn't see the date or click the link and go to the interview because I was like "WTF?! I knew about this ages ago. Man, Gamespy's really behind the times these days."

 

[Azael]

You'd think the fact that it was posted by Mistress would have tipped you off, it's been a long time since she "worked" on the site.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

You'd think the fact that it was posted by Mistress would have tipped you off, it's been a long time since she "worked" on the site.

Sadly, I didn't even pay attention to who posted it. Just saw Richard Garriott and interview and had to click. Read it and reacted. My bad.