Developer Talk

valveWe’ve all got our favorite developers when it comes to video game makers. Dudes that we really look up to, respect, or perhaps want to be in the world of our favorite pastime. Whether we’ve been following them for years, or gained newfound love of them due to a recent title, we hinge on nearly everything they do and say.

For me, two of those developers would be Bungie and Valve. Valve has yet again re-solidified that position after their recent bought of TF2 blog posts in the light of the leaked “Meet The Spy” video. Seriously, they’re hilarious. Anywho, it got me thinking: if you could ask your favorite developer one question, what would it be and why?

I would probably talk to either Valve or Bungie and get their thoughts on multiplayer balance, because both of them seem so darn good at it. What about you guys?

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I write about samurai girls and space marines. Writer for Smooth Few Films. Rooster Teeth Freelancer. Author of Red vs. Blue, The Ultimate Fan Guide, out NOW!

13 thoughts on “Developer Talk”

  1. I’d ask Valve how they manage to stay above the normal company’s attitude of ‘we want your wallet’. I mean, the fact that they’re privately owned, and thus do not have a board of directors probably helps, but they still must get some pressure from time to time on their deals. For example, I wonder how EA reacted when they first heard L4D was going 1/2 off for a weekend well before its time in the bargain bin.

  2. Lol at the blog,anyhow, my question would be to Valve asking What made you want to be so nice and customer friendly? or perhaps to EA i would ask Why do you persist on making the same game over and over, updating it slightly and adding a new number to the end?

  3. Novo, EA does that cause of the money factor.

    I would demand Valve make games on the PS3. Until then, they are dead to me! DEAD!

    I would ask Square Enix about their remakes and stuff: everyone wants a sequel to Chrono Trigger that is not Chrono Cross.

    Everyone wants your old classic games on PSN or Xbox Live…it would literally shower you in money…why not???

  4. Hey Anthony, I’ll join you! We’ll force Valve at gunpoint if we have to! Well, I’d be willing to. I’d like to meet Infinity Ward and ask them a few things. I’d also like pay Kojima Productions a visit, tie Kojima to a chair and beat him until he reveals all about the next project! That’ll learn him to have cryptic messages! Bwa hahaha! Also, I’d tell him to put trophies into MGS4. Oops, I went a little off the mark there! : P

  5. I’d probably talk to Haden Blackman of LucasArts, and ask him how he keeps completely messing up Star Wars games.

    In all serious though, I’d talk to Bethesda/RockStar about the challenges of making compelling open world games, Blizzard about keeping their IPs fresh after ten years, and beg Bungie to have a sneak peek at the Halo Bible.

  6. Anthony: Bungie has done Myth, Marathon, and other games. You can read about it on Halopedia.

    My top three favorite developers are Valve, Infinity Ward, and Team Ico. Bungie comes in a close 4th, but everybody loves Bungie, so I’m gonna branch out.

    I love Valve for obvious reasons, and my question would be, “Where do you keep the secret elixir of winsauce that you sprinkle on all of your games?” because obviously only magic could make their games so perfect.

    I love Infinity Ward because of CoD4. I never played CoD1 or 2, but I hear CoD1 is coming to Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PSN, so I’ll get to play it eventually. Anyway, I’d ask IW “What do you think about when you design games? How do you come up with the cool story, intense combat, and awesome multiplayer?” Also, MODERN WARFARE 2 OMGASM!!!11111111two

    I love Team Ico because they made Shadow of the Colossus, and I want to find a copy of the original Ico so I can experience the win. I’d ask Team Ico “How do you design such incredible landscapes and battles, and create a subtle yet awesome story and environment?” because SotC had outstanding gameplay, and yet a simple story. Actually, the gameplay objective was simple, although the sixteen unique bosses made for an epic masterpiece.

  7. [quote comment=”6716″]Has Bungie done anything other than Halo?[/quote]
    Marathon comes to mind. 🙂

  8. Id want to talk to Bethesda, talk to them about Games and open source/ modding abilities. I think thats a HUGE part of Bethesda’s success, it would be great to hear their end of the story.

  9. [quote comment=”6718″][quote comment=”6716″]Has Bungie done anything other than Halo?[/quote]
    Marathon comes to mind. :)[/quote]

    See, I was asking cause I have barely heard of Marathon. For most people I would think, Marathon would NOT come to mind,lol. Thanks, though. I had forgottena bout it.

  10. I’d ask some Indie developers : “How frustrating is it to make absolutely inovative games, realize your game has potential to change the way we think about videogames, and yet be shoved into the dark by the enormous cash-flow that Console Gamers (most gamers) provide to the huge companies?”

    Lets get real, Indie console games? Almost unavailable. Unless they can really kick up the LiveArcade stuff (or whatever its called on each platform).

    When you play games like:

    World of Goo
    Braid
    And Yet It Moves
    Crayon Physics Deluxe

    And all the others that have flown under the radar, you’ve gotta wonder why so many people buy the same recycled, “updated” crap.

    Its just like Anthony said: Its because of money. But I want something NEW!

    Lets all take a moment and worship Valve (regardless of the PS3 crowd). Thier minds are truly on the cutting edge, and that’s what the industry needs.

  11. It would be sweet if Bungie and Valve once team up to make the best fps in the century!! Or Halo vs Half life or something, heh

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