System Shock 1 and Warren Spector. Need some facts!!! - by JDR13
jtr7 on 9/12/2007 at 03:18
From an interview titled "The Spector at Ion Storm".
"The key thing to remember about the Underworld project and System Shock is that I often get sole credit for making those games. This is insane because those were team efforts at Looking Glass Technology, and I was the external producer for Origin. I left Origin and went to work for Looking Glass and, you know, I think my contributions to the project were substantial; but I hate it when people say Warren Spector's Underworld or Warren Spector's System Shock. That just drives me up the wall because if you want to say they are anybody's, say they are Doug Church's. Even that I think does an injustice to the teams who have made the game."
Really, all one needs to know is that he didn't craft anything in the games, but he lent his voice to that log, and--most importantly--pushed the idea through so that it made it to stores' shelves.
Myagi on 9/12/2007 at 04:01
Quote Posted by jtr7
That just drives me up the wall because if you want to say they are anybody's, say they are Doug Church's.
Thanks, that was the one. I had some faint memory that he said it more directly in some interview but wasn't sure.
Quote Posted by JDR13
I'm no expert on game development, but wouldn't a Producer normally have a pretty big impact on the project in general?
A producer's job is more about making sure everything goes as planned, keep track of what stuff to make, by who and when, coordinate stuff etc., allthough the title might get stuck on people they don't have any other good title for :) . Titles like lead designer and project director are probably the bigger influences on a game than a producer.
More specifically he was the producer working for the publisher, they are interface between the developer and the suits. They try to make sure the game that emerges is what the publisher wants, try to get some of their ideas in (both personal and in the interest of maximizing sales potential), and they also need to keep the suits happy by pimping the game to them so they keep paying (as there also was some mention of in the article).
JDR13 on 9/12/2007 at 16:50
Quote Posted by jtr7
From an interview titled "The Spector at Ion Storm".
"The key thing to remember about the Underworld project and System Shock is that I often get sole credit for making those games. This is insane because those were team efforts at Looking Glass Technology, and I was the external producer for Origin. I left Origin and went to work for Looking Glass and, you know, I think my contributions to the project were substantial; but I hate it when people say Warren Spector's Underworld or Warren Spector's System Shock. That just drives me up the wall because if you want to say they are anybody's, say they are Doug Church's. Even that I think does an injustice to the teams who have made the game."
Really, all one needs to know is that he didn't craft anything in the games, but he lent his voice to that log, and--most importantly--pushed the idea through so that it made it to stores' shelves.
That tells me all I need to know, thanks. Hey, is that interview on the web?
Mercurius on 10/12/2007 at 08:27
What exactly has Doug Church been up to post-LGS?
