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Richard Garriott on Richard Garriott

Posted by Zonk on from the we-meet-again-lord-british dept.

bippy writes "I had a chance to shoot Richard "Lord British" Garriott a short list of questions for Kotaku. In the five question Q&A Garriott talks about his house, his favorite games and what he thinks the next big thing will be in MMOG."

7 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. doh! by BortQ · · Score: 3, Insightful
    His answer to "What is the next big thing in gaming?" are the two words Physics Simulation.

    I would have liked that answer to be fleshed out more. Unless he is trying to not give away the secrets of his next project...

    --

    A Multiplayer Strategy Game for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
    1. Re:doh! by alphaseven · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I would say physics simulation is the "current big thing". I'm guessing Garriot is talking about stuff like Havok physics, which games use to control how objects react when they're bumped into or shot or whatever. Half-Life 2 uses this a lot.

      Like before the big thing would be to make, say, a vase in a video game that was photo-realistic, reflected light the right way. Now the big deal is to have a vase that will roll around the floor realistically and will shatter into pieces when shot or dropped.

    2. Re:doh! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Like before the big thing would be to make, say, a vase in a video game that was photo-realistic, reflected light the right way.

      Now the big deal is to have a vase that will roll around the floor realistically and will shatter into pieces when shot or dropped.

      Pisses me off. I noticed this in HL2 and Vampire Bloodlines and was unimpressed and befuddled. Your character still can't meaningfully interact with the environment any more than characters could in FPS games made nearly a decade ago... but wow, all those realistic-looking cardboard boxes (and they are _everywhere_, real subtle guys) sure bounce nicely when tumbling. Progress?

  2. Where's the beef? by richcoder · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Richard never mentions MMOG once. I was excited to see what he had to say about it, and... nothing.

    This is one of those "thanks, but no thanks" interviews.

  3. what crappy questions by PaganRitual · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... his favorite games and what he thinks the next big thing will be in MMOG.

    he didnt ever actually ask what his 'favourite' game was, only the most creative one. yawn. and the question says the next big thing in 'gaming', not MMOG. which presumably is why he said physics cause i cant see a whole lot of real time physics being put into MMORPGs at the moment.

    way to waste five questions. still, i wanna see more of his house.

  4. Some REAL questions to Gariott by MikShapi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yes, the interviewer is pathetic, and the choice and wording of the questions is a waste of both gariott's time and ours.

    Why not pose some REAL questions here?
    Here's my go. Richard, if you're reading this, endulge us :-)

    1. Is single-player CRPG'ing a dead-end as far as you're concerned (and does your future lie in MMO) or do you see yourself involved in future major single-player titles?

    2. Are we going to see any future CRPG-games you are involved in with an ultima-*like* atmosphere? (never mind the brand) and are they going single-player or MMO?

    3. Are we going to see any future CRPG-games you're involved in with vast illinear worlds like Ultima 6/7 or Morrowind and are they going single-player or MMO?

    4. What's your favourite *CRPG* game you were not involved in?

    5. What's the coolest thing in the CRPG market you're looking forward to? (Other than Half-Life 2 you're obviously playing same as we all, judging by that 'physics engine' bit)

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  5. Re:Hmm.... by Haeleth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Ultima 1-7 were nothing but the same game with better animations. They had the same interaction, etc.

    I deduce you've never played any of them, or at least, not in close proximity and not recently. You certainly wouldn't say that if you'd ever compared them side by side.

    Summary: the earlier games are vastly different from Ultima 7. 1, 2, and 3 are similar to one another but far more primitive than the later games, and very different in style: 1 includes laser guns and a space-ship, while 2 is set on a recognisable Earth! 4 and 5 are the next level up; 4 is particularly innovative in its gameplay, and it's my second favourite of the series (after Serpent Isle). But they're all far less interactive, and far less story-driven, than 6 and 7.

    Were you to show 1 and 7 to someone unfamiliar with the series, they probably wouldn't guess there was any connection at all. They're about as similar as Catacomb Abyss is to Halflife 2.