Q&A with Dan. . .  Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, what got you into games, how you got started making games as a career and what you do at Day 1 Studios or LucasArts?
| I got into games as a kid thanks to a next door neighbor with a ColecoVision.Years of “wasting time on games” as my parent put it, led to jobs in film VFX and commercials. Luckily, I got a chance to be a cinematic director for James Bond: Nightfire, and I have been working in games ever since. |
| Walk us through a typical day – as a programmer, artist, designer, producer or other function what are you focused on accomplishing during most days?
| A typical day on Fracture is very busy. Most days start with a morning meeting to set the priorities with the other leads. Our primary goal is to make sure we are keeping the team fed with tasks that are focused on making the game fun.We brainstorm tactics, enemy types, weapons, engagements and a host of other game related ideas, and then set about getting them into the game. The rest of the day is spent clearing problems: making sure assets are built and run properly, levels run well, lighting is not killing performance, the art is looking great, game play designs are well crafted, cinemas and scripted events look good, VO is accurate, and the game is fun. It’s a full day. |
| What about Fracture excites you most as a developer? What do you think will excite Fracture fans most when they get to play it for the first time?
One of the most exciting things we have seen in the development of Fracture is the effect playing Fracture has on players of other games. It’s very interesting to watch someone who works all day on Fracture pick up another game that they previously enjoyed and try to terrain deform by accident. We have seen this a number of times and it’s always amazing to watch. They try to deform the ground and when they can’t, they feel as if something is missing. That’s when you know you have something.
As for what the fans will get excited about? It’s got to be the sheer variety of tactics the game offers. The player has unprecedented control of the ground they traverse and the tactics they use on the enemies they face. If a player likes to rush the enemy they can vault on mounds and gain the advantage of height.If they prefer to be stealthy they can trench down and dig around the target. Enemy forces can be stopped, blocked, herded, crushed or launched off cliff tops. As a developer that array of possibilities is just plain cool to design for, and as player it’s a lot of fun. |
| What is your favorite Fracture weapon or ability? Why?
My favorite Weapon has to be the black widow.It’s ranged, explosive, triggered, deadly, and shoots multiple rounds. How can you not like that? If they named a sandwich after it I’d eat it every day.
As for abilities I think it’s the TD jump.Once you master the technique it becomes a very powerful tool against enemy AI or in Multiplayer matches. |
| What’s your favorite game of all time? Why?
Wow that’s a tough question. I would have to answer it in two ways.
- The game I can play the most and never get tired of (still to this day): Battlefield 1942 - 2142
- The game I played for the longest time but no longer play:Star Craft
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| What’s your favorite action game of all time? Why? (If you picked an action game for the question above, feel free to highlight another action title you really enjoyed)
| I really enjoyed Far Cry. Visually it was top shelf, and the game play was a lot of fun. I had a buddy who loved to play those games as a sniper and it was great to see where the cheap @&%$# was hiding thanks to the scope glint. |
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