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RPGWatch - Spiderweb Software Interview

by Couchpotato, 2015-03-09 04:41:49

My next interview this week is with Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software, and was requested by Gilliatt in my suggestion thread on the RPGWatch forums.

Couchpotato: Some members  are curious about why you keep making re-makes, and why don't you use a new game engine? How would you respond to them?

Jeff Vogel: I will make an entirely new game engine in the next couple of years. It's a really tough job, though. Very time-consuming. That's why we try to really revamp things every 3 games or so.

As for remakes, well, our newest game, Avernum 2: Crystal Souls, is a rewrite of Avernum 2, which came out in 2000. That's 15 years ago. Fifteen! It doesn't run well on new machines, and we can do such a better job with the design, graphics, etc. Also, when we rewrite it, we can port it to tablets. So I think rewrites are entirely justified, and our customers agree. They sell really well.

Couchpotato: You once mentioned you can't make games as you used to can you elaborate on that statement? I  was just curious as most of your games turned out to be enjoyable.

Jeff Vogel: I just have a different brain than I did when I was 25. Back then, I was more energetic, less guarded, more willing to do crazy, off-the-wall things. I was more concerned with making neat, cool things than perfecting game balance or whatever, and that produced games a lot of my fans really love.

So when I rewrite them, I need to be respectful and leave the things the fans love the most alone.

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