Inside Game Design

 

Iain Simons has been on the ‘games scene’ for many years, writing for publications such as The New Statesman and Game Developer. In his new book, Inside Games Design, he talks to some of the legends of the industry to get ‘behind the screen’ of the some of the most well-known and loved titles.

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Here, we talk to him about everything from jobs in the industry to video games violence and all points in between.

In the UK, it’s sometimes thought that the games industry still has a slightly ‘cottage’ feel with less ‘formal’ routes into a career than in other fields. Is this because it’s newer, or is there something particularly ‘casual’ or ‘informal’ about making games?
 
I think cottage might be a particularly generous description, garage is probably more appropriate. I think it's probably unfair to describe the industry itself as cottage anymore, particularly in view of the global infrastructure which underpins it - and indeed the relative absence of the kind of independent developer community which actually began the industry (although thankfully that is experiencing a resurgence).

I agree with the formal routes comment though. I'm sure this is so much to do with 'newer' as it is to do with transience of any real definition. 'Gaming' can mean so many different things using so many different kinds of hardware and so many different kinds of creative skills - it's difficult to institutionalise a pathway into it.

Iain Simons

If the games industry does become ‘institutionalised’ and more formal, will it suffer creatively?

That's something that came up a lot in the book, actually… particularly amongst some of the smaller developers. There's a worry that a certain kind of success will necessitate a certain kind of growth. I have to say (and I think this is a problem with creative education in general) the idea that 'formal' is a concept that can't exist alongside creativity is a real problem. I guess it depends on how you want to measure success.

I think something that would really help is a better creative/critical discussion of games in the wider mainstream media. This is getting there but needs a huge confidence push from the industry to move it forward. I think the games industry, for all its carping on about being “bigger than Hollywood' in terms of revenue is still massively culturally insecure.

In terms of the creative use of technology in games, what’s the most jaw-dropping thing you’ve come across?
 
Two moments spring to mind. The first was a demo of Nintendogs a few years ago when the PR guy was demonstrating the voice recognition feature. The guy is on stage shouting at the dog on the screen, and it isn't responding. It's clear that this is a pre-release version and the thing basically doesn't work but the audience were so totally subscribed to the charm of the animation and the vocal interface that we all read the situation as the dog disobeying its owner. There are two hundred people paralysed with laughter at this 'naughty puppy', when we're actually seeing some software malfunction. The first time the game asks you to breathe into it was also special. Who would have thought a few years ago we'd be blowing into our consoles.

"Just because we've empowered everyone to be able to publish to everyone else, that doesn't come with any guarantee of quality"

The second was a really early demo of LittleBigPlanet I saw at Media Molecule. I'm not normally one to be seduced by graphical innovations, but the sheer cohesion of the look of the game was, and is, breathtaking. I suspect everyone is going to have a difficult time not buying it.

Will Web 2.0 make any difference to the production and playing of games?
 
They're two pretty different issues. User generated content is clearly a hugely valuable asset for a game publisher/developer, particularly in next-gen development where the art pipeline is notionally longer because of the demands of the technology. The notion of outsourcing part of your production out to a conscientious, volunteer workforce is clearly attractive to anyone's bottom line. For me, the problem with this remains the age old one of aggregation.

As we've seen with blogging, just because we've empowered everyone to be able to publish to everyone else, that doesn't come with any guarantee of quality. Self-selection only really works when there's a critical mass of users there participating in it. Slashdot and Digg are great for a certain kind of reader, but I'm not sure how much that cascades down to the mainstream.

Do you have any thoughts on the ‘morality issues’ surrounding some of the more violent titles appearing?

I do, and this really troubles me. Fundamentally, I default to a libertarian position, so I have problems with the outright banning of expression. The thing is, as someone who is often asked opinions about videogame culture, I'm really tired with defending the same issues. I don't think that Rockstar are irresponsible in producing Manhunt, but I think they're doing huge damage in not participating in any discussion about it.

"As independent development starts to become a real option and other media providers get more involved in game content, the definition of what a games career might actually be is getting wider. "

My speculation would be, and I've not spoken to the developers of it, that they're a bunch of really intelligent people who are trying to make an interesting, confrontational and intelligent adult piece of work. However, we never get to hear from the people who have custody of the vision of it. Rather, we get a barrage of bad-boy marketing created by a PR department who are brilliantly skilful at creating a controversy around their title. I do think the games industry has a moral failing, but it's not in the making of these titles, it's in the failure to participate in explaining them.

Are there any new technologies (on the horizon, but not yet public) that have the potential to radically change the face of gaming.

I'm sure there are, and whilst I don't know what they are I suspect they won't be created by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. I suspect the biggest leap is going to be in some kind of levelling of participation and ubiquity of platform. I guess I think the face of gaming is more likely to be changed on Facebook than on an Xbox, Playstation or Wii.

So, making games…. A good career?

Save some execrable text-adventure efforts on the Commodore 64 as a teenager, I've never made a game so I can only comment on this as a spectator. I've met people involved in gaming who have ranged from ecstatic to suicidal, like in most professions. I think what is becoming more interesting in the breadth of opportunity within it. As independent development starts to become a real option and other media providers get more involved in game content, the definition of what a games career might actually be is getting wider. 

You’ve read it. Now review it.

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