Bethesda's Todd Howard is the latest subject/target of Gamasutra's "Media Consumption" feature, where they hit up developers and industry types about their favourite things in life. Books, movies, favourite colours, whether they like walks on the beach or candlelit dinners, whether Point Break or Predator 2 was Gary Busey's best film...it's interesting stuff.

This week it's a little more interesting, because when asked about his biggest inspiration in gaming, he says Ultima before ceding that its film that's still making the biggest creative strides. Oh, except when it comes to gameplay ideas.

Overall though, I still look to other games for gameplay ideas, as it's pretty easy to pick something up that is done and out and mess with it, if it has an idea you are already thinking about. It could be any game. I even played Barbie Horse Adventure to see how their horses worked. Embarrassing, but you get my point.

Yeah, a little embarrassing, but kudos for fessing up. Having killed about 17 horses in Oblivion out of sheer frustration, that explains a lot. Then again, what do I know...BHA could well have the best in-game modelling of horse riding this industry has ever seen, I don't know, I don't ride horses. Barbie does, maybe she knows a thing or two. Luke Plunkett

Media Consumption: Bethesda's Todd Howard (Fallout 3) [Gamasutra]