Gas Powered Guru Revs Up to Pull Off ‘Dungeon Siege’

Chris Taylor of Gas Powered Games could very well be called a modern-day Houdini. As the man behind revolutionary real-time strategy bestseller “Total Annihilation,” this forward thinker raised the bar for an entire genre. Now he has countless expectations to live up to in his proverbial second coming, “Dungeon Siege,” Microsoft’s new 3-D fantasy extravaganza for the PC. But can lightning strike twice for this computer wizard? Quite possibly, says the crystal ball.

Q: What are the qualities a visionary game designer must possess?

A: I would say it’s important to understand state-of-the-art gaming technology, but know the difference between something that looks good and plays good . . . to understand that video games are for entertainment and not a sugarcoated IQ test. Lastly, it doesn’t hurt to have a sense of humor about this whole business of making video games because it really is quite a ridiculous job.

Q: Violence seems a common theme in your titles. Why?

A: In a modern PC game, whether it’s role-playing or strategy, you still need a way of removing your opponents’ pieces from the board as each battle is resolved. I like to think that those who invented the game of chess would have appreciated the detailed visuals used in the way we are removing pieces from the board today.

Q: How do you plan on breathing new life into an aging genre?

A: We start out [in “Dungeon Siege”] by immersing the player in a gigantic and continuous 3-D world. . . . This means that loading screens are a thing of the past. We use a skill-based class system so that the player has the freedom to develop their characters any way they like. The player may also choose to have up to eight characters in the party, in any combination of skills, and this includes pack mules to haul the massive amounts of loot the player may discover deep in the dungeons. We also did a lot of smaller, fun things, like including the ability to get a full refund on bad purchases. . . . No more buyers’ remorse! And something we have always wanted in an RPG [role-playing game], the ability to sip only as much healing potion as is required. (We jokingly call this sipping technology here in the office.)

Q: What was the motivation for toning down the stats and cranking up the action in “Dungeon Siege?”

A: We focused the game on what we consider to be the most entertaining aspects: exploration and combat. We present the player with the most important decisions, the ones that have the largest impact on how the experience plays out. I think the first RPGs had a heavy stat focus because that is what the early computers could do really well. With graphics technology improving at an astounding rate, it only makes sense that we convert all of those stats into their exciting visual counterparts.

Q: Is a full 3-D engine really necessary for a title whose concept can be summed up in three words: hack and slash?

A: Oh, yeah, definitely. I wouldn’t be caught dead hacking and slashing through a world this rich and fantastic-looking in 2-D. . . . Friends would laugh and point.

Q: Say you found a ring of wishes. What three things would you ask for?

A: First, more time, so we could pack more stuff into “Dungeon Siege.” Second, a retractable roof on my office so I would get to see the sun a little more. Third, a briefcase with a billion dollars in it. . . . It never hurts to have a little extra spending money. You asked!

Q: What’s the biggest perk of working on a fantasy title?

A: It’s the same perk as any title: working with the awesome, talented people.

Q: Did you model any characters after friends/enemies?

A: Oh, sure, but I’ll never tell.

Q: What does the ultimate dungeon come with?

A: A fantastic shrine that glows with the answers to questions like this one.

Q: Since team members are encouraged to keep their heads in the clouds, how does any work get done?

A: We try to think of this job as fun. That way we are never at work, and so it follows logically that no work is ever done. Simple.

Q: Which in-game creature would co-workers most equate you with?

A: Probably the Krug grunt. I get enough attention as it is without being equated to something big and powerful. . . . I need to be kept in my place.

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Scott Steinberg is a freelance writer specializing in video games.