Kotaku
Rockstar co-founder and VP Dan Houser, notably reluctant to give long interviews, especially about himself, sat down with Variety's Ben Fritz for a 90 minute interview, and from the looks of it, nearly all is transcribed in Fritz's blog on Variety.
It's a huge talk. I can't digest it all into bullet points for you. But he delves into the origin of the 3D GTA titles, more or less saying that Take Two's 1999 acquisition of DMA (which became Rockstar, and now Rockstar North) was to answer an internal dispute of whether Grand Theft Auto could be done in 3D. We know the answer to that.
Fritz asks Houser if, at any point, the creators doubted that the level of detail put into GTA III would even matter, much less become the baseline expectation of the sandbox genre as we know it. Houser answers with a visionary's conviction:
I remember when we were talking about 60 or 80 different speaking parts, I remember it was such a big production issue, but the thing we never spoke about was, "Are people going to care about it?" Our attitude always was, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing. If they don't' like it..."He also says why third-person perspective is pretty much the standard for Rockstar games now (all of GTA, Bully, Red Dead Revolver, Max Payne, Manhunt, etc.): "Obviously both views are artificial. None of them are like your eyes. But to us the third-person view feels less artificial than the first person. That whole "blinkers on" just doesn't feel as much fun for some reason."
I agree wholeheartedly. Some first person games, I feel like I'm looking into a shoebox diorama of the world where I'm playing. Admittedly, a well rendered, often fun diorama. But it makes me wonder again why they ever did the first-person free-look in GTA III and Vice City (I will never stop complaining about that.)
There's tons more in the full interview.
Dan Houser's very extended interview about everything "Grand Theft Auto IV" and Rockstar [Variety]
Comments
He did an extended one with Edge this month which is a lot better than this one.
I don't mind first person but i couldn't find myself playing a sand box in that form. I think they are meant more for shooters or so. I don't know any other game form that uses FP other then shooters, but then again i'm dumb.
It would be cool if they had a mini game that brought them back to the original game. Over head view and stuff. Either way one more weak before this game comes out. :D
@Shindokie: Read my Messages: I think the reason they've mainly been shooters is that in first person shooting is the easiest way to interact with the environment. I'm hoping we're going to keep seeing improvements with first person games where we'll get first person platformers like Mirror's Edge, or even a puzzler like portal. Even those still inclue shooting, but they have to take it one step at a time or the games wouldn't sell.
I hope that didn't sound too pompous.
Good interview.
Although it sounds like the DLC isn't going to be out for a very, very long time.
Oblivion, to me, is unplayable in anything but first person.
sandbox genre is not meant to be played in first person, but that doesnt mean its a bad way to play, and i think it only feels "artficial" if its done wrong
hell, there you got Valve that can practically create one gem after another with FP perspective
i understand their attachment to third person, and to tell the truth i cant see them using anything else
@braagh: I agree. If you attack it from one angle then you will be able get a closer look from another so yes hopefully it will get better with time :D
@Laidbackga:
definitely. Especially for me when I have my 100% Chameleon that makes it so your character isn't rendered.
I think in 1st person it is definitely easier to provide an immersive experience and to provide a more realistic environment, although that doesn't always make for a better game.
@nottsville: i thought the dlc was coming august?? can't remember where i read that though, so i may be wildly speculating...
@bodger1:
Actually its autumn I've heard mostly. Including M$ themselves.
I wouldn't necessarily say that the first person look-around was a bad thing in GTAIII and Vice City. It was useful in examining things closeup, and catching easter eggs that may not have been so noticeable from the third-person perspective. It's better than having to carry a sniper rifle around to look at everything.
@Communist_Gamer who hates EA: @bodger1: @nottsville:
Lazlow was on the Opie and Anthony show on Friday, and I remember him saying that they were shooting for an end of summer release for DLC.
Check out the recording of the show, they give some character sound samples and its fun to listen to them play it in the background.
I can't wait for this game!
hes scarry looking
@Communist_Gamer who hates EA: The Edge article was with Sam Houser, Dan's brother. They both dislike the limelight apparently.
This was a good read. Thanks for posting!
The geek in me wishes he had gotten into the more technical stuff, but that's not his area, and it was still interesting nonetheless.
I read "long ass-interview." Real mature, Kotaku.
That's Kratos' chubby son!
Great interview. Seems really wellspoken and I agreed with the majority of what he said. I hope to hell they fight EA's takeover, I'm not sure if Dan Houser would stick around under the EA banner.
@Communist_Gamer who hates EA: Yeah Gamesradar UK has a couple of advertisements stating the DLC will come in Autumn.
What's an "Ass Interview"?
...gross
I thought it was a fascinating interview. I found myself nodding as I read it agreeing with pretty much everything he said.
I totally respect a man who just wants to keep a low profile and just makes the best games he possibly can. Admittedly he knows his game is going to sell regardless and doesn't have to overhype or market it to death.
I just wish a lot more development studios were giving the same creative freedom that Rockstar enjoys; the gaming world would be a much better place for it.
In regards to the interview I particularly liked his comment towards the end about what he thinks when he gets asked questions like "Are you brainwashing children?", his reply "How can we as adults be having this conversation when we both know that you're talking crap?", superbly put.
"...8,000 at the time sound samples. Of course now we're up to like 120,000 or 100,000. It's a different scale now."
If he's talking about GTA:San Andreas, then the new numbers are mind-blowing. One of the coolest things in GTA:SA is you could sit and listen to pedestrians and they always had something poignant to say...which is saying a lot.
Cast list (long): [imdb.com]
Quotes: [imdb.com]
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