Interviews with ex-id Software peeps

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Foo
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Post by Foo »

Being principled is rarely easy. If it were, we would all stick to our guns more often.

On the other hand, often it's easier to stick to an ideal and insult the other person than it is to maintain your point gracefully.
"Maybe you have some bird ideas. Maybe that’s the best you can do."
― Terry A. Davis
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Eraser
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Post by Eraser »

chiQ wrote:I used to sell games, and so many times I had pissed off parents come in and rark me up for not selling their 13 year old a title rated as adult. There seems to be this perception amongst the pig-ignorant that if it's classified as a game it's for kids. Those parents who came to me to find out about the content of the games their kids wanted, so as to make an intelligent choice, were in the minority.
Ultimately it's the parent's choice, I'm all for that, but the parents do have to make an educated decision.
chiQ wrote: As for Steed's contribution, he may not be a big part of what made id id in the first place, but his modelling and animation skills rate. He put his stamp all over two of the Quake titles, if not the company.
True. He was (is) quite the character too. Shame they had to "let him go".
chiQ
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Post by chiQ »

Eraser wrote:Ultimately it's the parent's choice, I'm all for that, but the parents do have to make an educated decision.

True. He was (is) quite the character too. Shame they had to "let him go".
In reply to the first, yes, definitely, except where the law is all over the unfortunate retailer who sells rated games to those underage.

In reply to the second, shame for us. I'm not so sure it was a shame for him in the long run :)
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Eraser
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Post by Eraser »

chiQ wrote:In reply to the first, yes, definitely, except where the law is all over the unfortunate retailer who sells rated games to those underage.
I dunno how far the law should go in that. Quake 3 was a 15+ game here in Europe. 17+ in the US. I was 16 when I bought Quake 3. Imported it from the US, heh. So my point here is that if the US would enforce that 17+ rating then that would be sort of silly considering another, at least equally educated and professional in the matter, rating system would rate it 15+. Now who is right? IMO 15+ people could easily play Quake 3. I'd even go as far as to say people of 13 or 14 years of age could play it. So I'd say that in the end it should be the parent's decision.

I do, however, think that games shouldn't be sold directly to minors. If a child doesn't reach the rated age, then a parent should accompany the child to buy the game.
chiQ wrote:In reply to the second, shame for us. I'm not so sure it was a shame for him in the long run :)
I'm not exactly sure what he's up to now. Last things I saw from him was that dancing girl Winamp plugin from Wild Tangent and some book on character modelling that he wrote.
chiQ
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Post by chiQ »

Eraser wrote:I dunno how far the law should go in that. Quake 3 was a 15+ game here in Europe. 17+ in the US. I was 16 when I bought Quake 3. Imported it from the US, heh. So my point here is that if the US would enforce that 17+ rating then that would be sort of silly considering another, at least equally educated and professional in the matter, rating system would rate it 15+. Now who is right? IMO 15+ people could easily play Quake 3. I'd even go as far as to say people of 13 or 14 years of age could play it. So I'd say that in the end it should be the parent's decision.

I do, however, think that games shouldn't be sold directly to minors. If a child doesn't reach the rated age, then a parent should accompany the child to buy the game.

I'm not exactly sure what he's up to now. Last things I saw from him was that dancing girl Winamp plugin from Wild Tangent and some book on character modelling that he wrote.
As far as ratings go, online resellers are a different animal - they can only really work with what they know, and if you tell them you're old enough they take your word for it. I do think the rules in your own country should apply, but don't see how an online reseller can really be expected to address the issue.

Re. Steed, that was a while ago :)

He's since put out an animation book as well, gone to work at XBox, and moved on again - I won't tell you where he is now. That's for him to put about if/when he wants to.
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Eraser
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Post by Eraser »

Hey now that you are somewhat focused on this thread anyway, I remember reading not long after Steed's departure from id Software that he did some freelance modelling work for American McGee's Alice. Do you know if this is true? I couldn't find his name in the credits anywhere.
chiQ
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Post by chiQ »

I don't know if he did that or not. I heard rumours, but honestly never followed up. I'll check it out though.

Edit: I checked, and yes, he did.
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Eraser
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Post by Eraser »

cool :D
Design-wise Alice is one of the greatest games ever made IMO. Fantastic experience. Sad that he didn't receive any real credit for his work then.
diego
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Post by diego »

MKJ wrote:paul steed is where its at
... for non-coding faggots.
chiQ
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Post by chiQ »

diego wrote:... for non-coding faggots.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a non sequitur.
Mogul
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Post by Mogul »

By the way, we've got an interview with John Romero coming up at Club Fnatic soon, and Todd Hollenshead soon after that.
This line only remake is total rubbish I've ever seen!!! Fuck off!!! --CZghost
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Eraser
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Post by Eraser »

diego wrote:
MKJ wrote:paul steed is where its at
... for non-coding faggots.
you nerd! :olo:

:p
jester!
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Post by jester! »

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Eraser
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Post by Eraser »

jester! wrote:http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7315 :shrug:
:icon14:

Good read. Never knew he worked at microsoft on XBox development.
jester!
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Post by jester! »

Yeah he must have some interesting perspectives now having worked in those various roles. Wish he still worked at id really.
chiQ
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Post by chiQ »

He worked with some very cool people at ATG. I got to meet them at AGDC in 2003, which I attended as their guest, and Melbourne's Chinatown will never be the same :icon34:

I got to meet JNS on that trip too, but by that time steed and the Xbox crew had flown out.
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Eraser
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Post by Eraser »

chiQ wrote:I got to meet JNS on that trip too, but by that time steed and the Xbox crew had flown out.
Must've been scary ;)
chiQ
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Post by chiQ »

Eraser wrote:Must've been scary ;)
Oh, absolutely!
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