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Designer Warren Spector Has Two Games in the Works

Posted by Zonk on from the deus-ex-again dept.

Eurogamer had the chance to speak with well known game designer Warren Spector (Deus Ex, Thief) about current plans for his new studio, Junction Point. In a detailed interview, Spector discusses the studio's current slate of two titles. He also makes some bold proclamations about his future in the industry: "He now wants to shake a bit of life back into the world of games, a market he believes is still too niche and enclosed, by delivering something new and original rather than a rehash of old experiences. He'd rather 'fail spectacularly' than create another sports game or driving simulation. 'I think that most of what passes for a game, even now, just sucks. It's hard for me not to talk, but I've seen the dangers of doing that. I'm hoping that in the next couple of months we'll have something to say.'"

52 comments

  1. Deus Ex by p0tat03 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I don't mind rehashing old experiences as long as they're good ones. Hey Warren Spector, how's about a *non-crappy* sequel to Deus Ex this time?

    1. Re:Deus Ex by mikkelm · · Score: 1

      Deus Ex: Invisible War is a great example of "failing spectacularly". Please, Spector, don't put us through that again.

    2. Re:Deus Ex by OK+PC · · Score: 1

      Hopefully he's actually working on these games, rather than what he did with Invisible War where he just let Harvey Smith do what he wanted. In fact, he even encouraged Smith to do crazy things with it

      --
      Did you get that thing I sent ya?
    3. Re:Deus Ex by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey Warren Spector, how's about a *non-crappy* sequel to Deus Ex this time?

      How about you buying it next time, you cheap filthy thiefing pirate-whore?

    4. Re:Deus Ex by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Invisible War's main problem was that it was designed for Xbox.

    5. Re:Deus Ex by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      IW wasn't Spector's fault. He was opposed to "great" ideas like the unified ammo system but the team overruled him.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    6. Re:Deus Ex by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      http://planetdeusex.ru/2027/en/info/

      --
      Conservatism: The fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is your inferior is being treated as your equal.
    7. Re:Deus Ex by elh_inny · · Score: 1

      My only experience with DeusEx 2 was:
      I really enjoyed DeusEx, it's non-linear endings etc, so I really was eagerly waiting for years for a sequel. In the meantime, I've been playing all FPP games, mainly Counter Strike like crazy.
      So as soon as I started playing DeusEx 2, I sneaked like a pro, carefully aimed, and while crouching, quickly fired three consecutive shots straight in the back of the guards cranial area from a point blank distance. I've seen his brain literally getting blown out, but after a second he turned back, hit my with a prod once and incapacitated me immediately, furthermore he raised the alarm as well. I uninstalled and returned the game almost as fast.

  2. Polite way of saying "neither will ship?" by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    Designer Warren Spector Has Two Games in the Works


    Pardon me, but when I hear vaporware phrase like this, I generally think , "...but neither is expected to ship."
    1. Re:Polite way of saying "neither will ship?" by robson · · Score: 1

      Designer Warren Spector Has Two Games in the Works


      Pardon me, but when I hear vaporware phrase like this, I generally think , "...but neither is expected to ship."
      Warren Spector's record for shipping games he's announced is pretty clean. And that aside, your statement just doesn't make any sense -- it's impossible for a company to successfully work on two projects at a time?
  3. sshock3 by thhamm · · Score: 3, Interesting

    how about a 'real' system shock 3? with shodan and stuff. why do you resist 'the many', warren?

    1. Re:sshock3 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And Cyberspace!

    2. Re:sshock3 by thhamm · · Score: 1

      and blackjack. and hookers!

    3. Re:sshock3 by kalirion · · Score: 2, Funny

      how about a 'real' system shock 3? with shodan and stuff. why do you resist 'the many', warren?

      Not even The Many can compete with intellectual property laws....

    4. Re:sshock3 by LarsWestergren · · Score: 1

      how about a 'real' system shock 3? with shodan and stuff. why do you resist 'the many', warren?

      I really don't get it. Why do gamers only want sequels? Why are you so afraid to try something new? Bioshock is in essence the next SSH game anyway, why not buy that.

      Fantastic news from Warren anyway. Once you get past all the negativity, I think the PC gaming market is stronger now than in a long time. There are so many good games out right now I don't have time to play half of those I want to. I will definitely make room for those two games when they come anyway.

      --

      Being bitter is drinking poison and hoping someone else will die

    5. Re:sshock3 by Das+Modell · · Score: 1

      I really don't get it. Why do gamers only want sequels? Why are you so afraid to try something new?

      System Shock used to be new. By your logic nobody would have tried it because they were scared. People don't want SS3 because they have a phobia towards new games, they want SS3 because System Shock is a fantastic series and we don't get enough cyberpunk games.
    6. Re:sshock3 by thhamm · · Score: 1

      I really don't get it. Why do gamers only want sequels? Why are you so afraid to try something new?

      i'm not afraid of anything, and i will play bioshock. a real system shock sequel would be cool too.

  4. Two words by east+coast · · Score: 1

    Thief 4! (except for make it a bit more like 1 and 2 and not as much like 3)

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    1. Re:Two words by MayonakaHa · · Score: 1

      But give us another Shalebridge Cradle

    2. Re:Two words by jfodale · · Score: 1

      I guess I don't really understand why people didn't like 3. In my opinion, it was the best of the series. Instead of hopping from mission to mission, you actually got to walk around the town and explore. You had the opportunity to go mug random strangers and break into houses all while avoiding guard patrols. The "mission structure" was still intact as well, you just had to get to the starting point instead of instantly appearing there.

      --
      Waiting for Warhammer Online.
    3. Re:Two words by east+coast · · Score: 1

      I didn't mind the mission structure that much. One of the things I didn't like was the third person aspect you sometimes had to use. I felt it was awkward. I can understand where some others may not feel the same.

      Also, it just seemed that some of the overall feel of the first two was lost in the third. I don't know if it was updates to the graphics or the idea that they made it with porting it to the Xbox in mind that caused the new feel and look of the game.

      And don't get me wrong, if they make a T4 on the same engine as T3 I'm still going to buy it.

      --
      Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    4. Re:Two words by ShadowsHawk · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I must be the only PC gamer that actually enjoyed 3. I agree it suffered from consolitis, but it really wasn't a bad game. If you could accept the MANY loading points, there really wasn't too many faults with the game. Unlike a lot of thief fans, I actually appreciate the 'shine' effect. A real thief would be able to tell a gold mug from a tin mug, but I never could. The cradle still scares the crap out of me...

    5. Re:Two words by east+coast · · Score: 1

      The cradle still scares the crap out of me...

      That's what rocks about Thief, even beyond the gameplay itself. There are so many points in the game where I was simply terrified. One of my most memorable gaming moments was the first time I ran into one of the undead knights. I swear every hair on my head stood on end and I was looking over my shoulder IRL for fear. It was fantastic.

      "Join us! Join us! Join us NOW!" Great!

      --
      Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  5. Missing close tag by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Eurogamer had the chance to speak with well known game designer Warren Spector (<em>Deus Ex, <em>Thief</em>)

    That should read:

    Eurogamer had the chance to speak with well known game designer Warren Spector (<i> Deus Ex,</i> <i> Thief</i> )
    Not only is the italic <I> tag not deprecated in HTML 4.01 Strict, but abusing <em> to get a presentational effect at odds with its semantic meaning (for emphasis) is wrong. That's the same kind of abuse as using <table> for page layout instead of tabular data.
    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
    1. Re:Missing close tag by caffeinatedOnline · · Score: 1

      Holy syntax nazi Batman!

      --
      The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel...
    2. Re:Missing close tag by tsalaroth · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I learned a long time ago that stressing about other people's HTML/markup leads to ulcers.

    3. Re:Missing close tag by AKAImBatman · · Score: 4, Funny

      Leave me out of this.

      --
      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
    4. Re:Missing close tag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Slashdot says you're wrong!

    5. Re:Missing close tag by jizziknight · · Score: 1

      Agreed, unless, of course, it is a project you happen to be working on. Then it might be worth stressing over.

      OTOH, the standards may say one thing, but the browsers do another. Until there are browsers that conform completely to the standards, I won't be either. It just makes more sense to do things that actually work cross-platform than worry about conforming to the standards. If it's easier and faster (and works the same in most browsers) to lay out a page using tables, you better damn well believe I'm going to do it that way.

      --
      Everything I say is a lie. Except that... and that... and that, and that, and that, and that... and that.
    6. Re:Missing close tag by Pope · · Score: 1

      Ah yes, but when the standards themselves are disorganized and vague, how can any browser be 100% compliant?

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    7. Re:Missing close tag by Dorceon · · Score: 1
      Slashdot's CSS renders as display: block, meaning that what you suggested would look like:

      Eurogamer had the chance to speak with well known game designer Warren Spector (

      Deus Ex,

      Thief
      )
      I claim this is a bigger problem than using <em>to emphasize things. Would you have complained if it was <cite>?
      --
      What sound do people on rollercoasters make? Hint: it's not Xbox 360.
    8. Re:Missing close tag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +1, Anal Retentive

    9. Re:Missing close tag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Consider alcoholism as a solution.

    10. Re:Missing close tag by BlueTrin · · Score: 1

      Godwin

      --
      Don't you know it is now both immoral and criminal to think beyond the next quarterly report?
  6. Emphaticism by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1
    And I screwed it up to boot:

    Eurogamer had the chance to speak with well known game designer Warren Spector (Deus Ex, Thief)
    It would be better if we could say <span class=title>Deus Ex</span> where title applies an italic style in story submissions. Generally allow Slashdot-approved class references.

    I'm only being obsessive about saying the italic tag is legal in Strict as it was a previous point of contention.
    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
    1. Re:Emphaticism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      GAH! "Deux Ex,"!

      The point was to put the comma outside of the italics!

      I'd better stop now before I make another mistake.

      (Preview, Preview, Preview!)

  7. Does anybody by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    really care about these games with the name of 1 person attached? It's not like he made the game, heck he probably didn't do much more than managerial duties. It seems like he just has ideas for games and then gets other people to actually do the work? Wow that's really hard, it's not like every person on slashdot hasn't had an idea for a game that would probably sell more copies than Deus Sucks 2.

    1. Re:Does anybody by PylonHead · · Score: 3, Informative

      Short answer: Yes.

      Long answer: This man has produced many of the best games of all time. I can remember loading the demo version of Ultima Underworld on my PC many many years ago, and being completely blown away.

      Spector is always pushing the boundaries of technology, storytelling, and interactivity.

      Ultima Underworld I and II, System Shock, Thief, and Deus Ex. I still think System Shock was one of the most immersive experiences I've ever had in a game.

      And Deus Ex 2... he was the studio head, but not the producer.

      --
      # (/.);;
      - : float -> float -> float =
    2. Re:Does anybody by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can remember loading the demo version of Ultima Underworld on my PC many many years ago, and being completely blown away.

      Since it was a demo, your sense of being blown away had probably more to do with Doug Church's programming genius than anything else. I'm not saying it wasn't a great game, it was, but the "wow" factor you describe can't really be soley attributed to Mr. Spector.

      I find it ironic that the last good game Warren Spector has done (Deus Ex) really wasn't all that next-gen. It was just a good game mechanic and a good story. That's all I want these days, but it seems to be elusive.

    3. Re:Does anybody by ShadowsHawk · · Score: 1

      I spent way too much time on UU1 in my younger days. I still have a notebook full of runes and lizard language somewhere.

    4. Re:Does anybody by PylonHead · · Score: 1


      Since it was a demo, your sense of being blown away had probably more to do with Doug Church's programming genius than anything else. I'm not saying it wasn't a great game, it was, but the "wow" factor you describe can't really be soley attributed to Mr. Spector.

      Don't get me wrong. The joy of all those games is that the programming was cutting edge, the art is amazing, the music is inspiring, the story is well written and compelling, the environments are immersive.

      It takes many skilled people to put together a game like that, and they all deserve credit.

      But you throw a bunch of skilled people like that in a room and cook for 18 months and most of the time you'll end up with a train wreck instead of a masterpiece. Warren seems to be able to pull out the masterpiece more often than not.

      --
      # (/.);;
      - : float -> float -> float =
    5. Re:Does anybody by PylonHead · · Score: 1

      Heh.. I went through a Warren Retrospective phase about a year ago. I replayed UU1, UU2, Deus Ex, and System Shock. I think I have a notebook with lizard man speak on my desk right now.

      I also went back and replayed SS2, which wasn't his production, but did a great job at capturing the feeling of the original.

      --
      # (/.);;
      - : float -> float -> float =
  8. Tied by the traditions of the past by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

    Slashdot's CSS renders <i> as display: block
    You are right about that, and what the final result would look like. Still, that's a pretty bad rule to change an inline tag into a block. Surely its better to reserve such things to class rules, not tag rules. It's probably why many submissions I've seen on the Firehose have looked similarly broken.

    My guess is that, since "From the article:" sections were historically wrapped with the italic tag, the redesigner decided that they needed to be called out better, so to work with old submissions decided to get the appearance he wanted by repurposing the I tag rather than risk converting all the old articles from Is to BLOCKQUOTEs or DIVs. In fact, as I recall it was a requirement of the redesign contest to work with the site as written not require database conversion.

    And thus are we tied by the traditions of the past, however misguided.

    Unfortunately, it would be nigh impossible to get submitters to use <i class=italic> for traditional italic</i>.

    Oh well. At the very least, make sure tags get closed in submissions before going live.
    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  9. Comparing EA to The Many by T-Kir · · Score: 1

    Resisting 'the many'... why that almost sounds like Electronic Arts,.. erm, EA(tm). I mean they gobble up coders and studios like resources, only for them to be destroyed and absorbed into the 'greater biological mechanism'.

    Back to SS3 though, I just wonder how well EA Redwood Shores will do with it! I mean, Irrational and Warren Spector are known for their depth in immersion and storytelling, and I'd rather have them be able to do it. But anyway, I'll just have to wait until Bioshock comes out in the mean time.

    --
    Are you local? There's nothing for you here!
    1. Re:Comparing EA to The Many by ChristianBaekkelund · · Score: 1
      they gobble up coders and studios like resources, only for them to be destroyed and absorbed into the 'greater biological mechanism'.

      And you get this information from where?

  10. Polite way of saying "eventually will ship?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The same was said about Prey, and it shipped...eventually.

  11. Detailed? by kidterra · · Score: 1

    This qualifies as a detailed interview? This is a two minute bump segment for PR, with no real information.
    Wake me up when he startes NAMING the IPs he's working with and detailing gameplay mechanics, please.

    --
    man i wish i was you
  12. Hey Warren: Less Talk, More Rock. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Here's to hoping that Warren ignores his publicist and spends the same amount of energy he spent talking in interviews about Deus Ex 2 and it's "emergent" gameplay on actually making the game fun.

    Mr. Spector- don't tell me you're gonna rock me. Just rock me.

  13. HI! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just so you're aware,

    NO ONE CARES.

    Thank you.

    1. Re:HI! by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

      Just so you're aware,

      NO ONE CARES.

      Thank you.
      Really? It looks to me like someone cared enough to put in the missing </em> tag.
      --
      Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  14. The answers you need by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    Warren Spector's record for shipping games he's announced is pretty clean.


    I'm not picking on Warren - I'm still not sure who he is or what he does. (I suppose I could read TFA, or even the stuff beneath the headline, but that's too much work.)

    It's just that when a PR piece like this pops out, you generally want it to say something like "X has just shipped (buy it now) and Y is just around the corner (plan to buy it next year)." The "plan to buy 2 things next year" thing in this PR piece is a strange marketing message. Think "AIDA"...

    And that aside, your statement just doesn't make any sense -- it's impossible for a company to successfully work on two projects at a time?


    Your mistake here is company!=designer. Sure, a company can work on multiple projects, but I doubt a single designer can work part-time on two completely separate new games and ensure both are top shelf. (If he is, he's likely just lending a brand name to the project or otherwise off-shoring the actual design work.)
    1. Re:The answers you need by robson · · Score: 1

      I'm not picking on Warren - I'm still not sure who he is or what he does. (I suppose I could read TFA, or even the stuff beneath the headline, but that's too much work.)

      I don't even know how to respond to this. :D

      Your mistake here is company!=designer. Sure, a company can work on multiple projects, but I doubt a single designer can work part-time on two completely separate new games and ensure both are top shelf. (If he is, he's likely just lending a brand name to the project or otherwise off-shoring the actual design work.)

      Except that he runs the studio; he's qualified to speak for the studio. He's run studios before while providing creative direction on multiple titles, with the aforementioned clean record of shipping them.

      Bah! *throws hands above head* I give up, heh.