Marc Laidlaw The
Marc
Laidlaw Q&A on Computer and Video Games catches up with the Valve writer
to discus the story in the Half-Life series: "Are you doing the right thing
or the wrong thing? We really like messing around with the implications of
telling you that you're doing one thing, when actually, everything else is
forcing you to do something different from that. There's irony in the game -
everybody tells you that you're a scientist, but all you're actually doing
is running around shooting stuff. All these things fall into the bucket of
Gordon Freeman..."
Warren Spector The
State
of play Q&A with Warren Spector on Computer and Video Games talks with
the designer about, well, the state of play: "Well, I'm kind of a
Johnny-one-note when it comes to game design - I'm all about giving players
control over the experience. The sooner we get rid of games that are
movie-inspired instead of pushing the unique qualities of OUR medium... the
sooner we move from puzzle-oriented design to
problem-oriented/open-ended-solution design... the sooner we stop making
linear rollercoaster rides and start making games that give players freedom
to act and to experience the consequences of their choices... the more we
move in those directions, the better, as far as I'm concerned. The nice
thing is, it seems like the market's agreeing with me. Finally!"