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August 2003
A
CHAT WITH THE CRITICS
 Tricia "Kazi
Wren" Harris
Part-time freelance writer based in Dallas, Texas. A
former newspaper reporter, currently writes reviews for
PC Magazine. You can check out all of her work at
MercenaryStudios.com
What's the biggest improvement you've seen in game
development over the past year?
Honestly, games
have become more accessible. You're more likely to run
into a 64-year-old gamer now than you would have only a
few years ago. Games really have tapped every
demographic. Whether it's an online game at a
subscription-gaming site, a console game, or a computer
game, people are enjoying what the industry has to
offer. It's a good thing to see.
What still needs to be improved?
I have to side with developers in general and say
the business side of the industry reeks. It's just foul.
This is a tough industry, but I've often wondered if it
wasn't unnecessarily hard. What developers go through,
the hoops they jump through to get a publishing
deal...most of it makes me sick. The relationship
between publishers and developers has to change if
everyone involved is going to survive these tough
economic times.
What was the best "sleeper" game of the past year and
what made it stand out?
Reiner Knizia's Samurai by Klear Games was a
surprise to me. I reviewed it for GameSpy's look at the
finalists in the Independent Games Festival. I couldn't
wait to get back to it once the story was finished. What
Samurai did well was hook into the basic human desire to
conquer and win. Graphically, the game is incredibly
simple. You try to gain favor with three factions in
feudal Japan in the hopes of being named supreme ruler.
I wrote the review in January but the game remains on my
computer. I still recommend it to people.
Who, in your opinion, are consistently the best game
developers and what makes them so?
Aw, Melanie, you're going to get me banned from LAN
parties! Can you ask any harder questions? Sheesh! Let's
see...I'll narrow this down to two companies I admire.
First, Blizzard Entertainment is a no-brainer in my
book. Its games are always polished before they reach
consumers, but the company spends a lot of time
improving the released product based in large part on
player feedback. That's a company that understood early
how important it was to listen to and act for the end
user.
BioWare is another company that I've found to be
consistent in their game development. When I want a game
with a rich, involving story, I'm never disappointed
with BioWare's products. With each game, the company has
shown its abilities and instincts are solid.
If you could give game developers 3 tips that might
help their games receive more critical-acclaim, what
would they be?
First, take the time to listen to player feedback
and act on that information to make your immediate game
better through patches and future games better in the
initial development phase. I understand the business
portion of the games industry, so I know this isn't
always possible even when the developer wants to "fix"
or improve an element of a game. What I'm suggesting is
do what you can afford to do, and let people know when
your resources are tapped out. Most gamers understand
you need money to keep working; give them what you can,
and then let them know why you can't support a
particular game anymore.
Second, play games. Before you send me "No shit" email,
let me explain this a bit. I know quite a few developers
who don't play games anymore. Do anything long enough
and you'll get sick to death of it. That's their
situation. They work on games day and night, and the
last thing they want to do is go home and play a game.
The downside is you get stuck in a style rut. You don't
really understand what's changing in your field, what
elements draw people in or push them away, etc. In my
"real life" I write a lot for my day job. But I read a
lot, too. I read my competition's work. I read books on
subjects that play into my career. Game developers who
stay on top of the industry will be better equipped to
help their company make better games.
Finally, pay attention to the work environment at your
company. When hiring, take in the whole package, not
just the talent displayed. These people represent you to
the outside world by posting on forums, doing
interviews, and attending game-related events. He or she
is also someone you and your team have to work with for
an extended period of time. It takes just one bad egg to
start your company on a downward spiral. Will having a
cheery work environment lead to a good review of your
game? I doubt it. But paying attention to your team mix,
dealing proactively
with the early signs of internal unrest, and encouraging
a professional working atmosphere will go a long way in
keeping your employees focused on making a great game.
It's tough to do your best work in a hostile
environment.
Next >>>
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A Chat with the Critics Link
Index:
Richard
Aihoshi
Editor In Chief
IGN Vault Network
Wagner
James Au
Writer/Designer
Embedded Journalist
Jim "Ripclaw"
Broach
CEO
Gamer's Pulse Magazine
Eric
Butcher
Editor
punchbutton
Steven
"Westlake" Carter
Reviewer
Game
Over Online Magazine Computer Games Magazine
Victor
Godinez
Staff Writer/Game Reviewer
The Dallas Morning News
Tricia "Kazi
Wren" Harris
Freelance
Dave
"Fargo" Kosak
Director of Publishing and Community
GameSpy Industries
Phil
LaRose
PC Game Guy
St. Paul Pioneer Press/
Knight Ridder Newspapers
Chuck
Osborn
Senior Editor, Features
PC Gamer
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