11-Feb-2002 The man behind Black & White discusses the state of the game industry and his own position in it. Read this. You might learn something The man behind Black & White, a massive title that has divided opinion like no other in recent history, is always ready to discuss the state of the game industry and his own position in it. Read this. You might learn something
Peter Molyneux is one of the heavyweights of the games industry, a true pioneer that continues to shape the way we play games. He is the man responsible for classics like Theme Park, Populous, Magic Carpet and Syndicate. We talked to him about both the success and criticism of Black & White, the highs and lows of his illustrious career and his plans for the future.
Black & White provoked huge reactions, both good and bad, when it was released. What did you think of these reactions?
Peter Molyneux: Well, there was a big reaction to the number of bugs in the game. There were a few serious bugs which got through despite the testing, and it's an issue I take very, very seriously. It's a huge game and it broke my heart that these issues coloured the judgment of a lot of people. But we've fixed that now, and the reaction we've had all over the world is amazing.
The feedback we've had in the mag indicates that some people didn't enjoy it because they were expecting something completely different.
Peter: I don't think people realised what sort of game it was. All the previews in magazines couldn't quite explain what it was exactly and the game started hyping itself. People started expecting things that weren't in it. This is why we've done Creature Isles (the first expansion pack for B&W) we're giving the fan base what they want to see in the game. The plan for the sequel is to increase the god aspect of the game and let the player do more. There is a long-term plan for the story of Black & White to go on for many years. The good thing is that the massive success of the game - it has sold 1.5 million copies - means we have the chance to work on these things and improve on everything that players didn't like.
What about yourself? You've been involved in Black & White for a long time. Are you working hands-on on the sequel or moving onto another project?
Peter: Jonty Barnes is the one who is going to carry on the B&W series. I'm still going to be there helping, but we've formed a company called Black & White Limited solely to concentrate on that product. While I'll still be involved, I'm going to be working on a different game, codenamed Dimitri. All I can tell you about that at the moment is that it's not a god game.
Without giving too much away, what type of things would you like to explore in future titles?
Peter: I'm really keen on taking AI an awful lot further and making gaming worlds more real. We now have the technology to create worlds that we can recognise, not just some strange fantasy land. I'm interested in being cutting edge in physics and 3D graphics. Most people who know about the idea behind Dimitri think it's totally insane. But the thing about the games industry at the moment is that we're just on the verge of doing loads of exciting things, especially in graphics. We're approaching such realism that you won't be able to differentiate game environments from reality. We can also create proper materials, like cloth and carpets, which may sound very trivial but will have an enormous impact on how games feel.
Where do you stand on the debate about single-player stories and online multiplayer games?
Peter: If I could go back and do it again I wouldn't have released the multiplayer aspect with B&W. There is so much to the single-player game that most people ignore the multiplayer. I would rather have made the multiplayer side separately, because they're very different experiences.
Are there any other games you've seen in development that have caught your eye, that are pushing the boundaries?
Peter: Not really. The things that have really got me excited are the new graphic technologies discussed at recent developer conferences, meaning that games will be able to look much more natural. Most games have a plasticine look about them, but now we can make a face that does really look like a face, with cracks and wrinkles and spots and stubble. The best thing I've seen in a game recently is the bullet time in Max Payne. It's a great game mechanic that has turned it into quite a unique shooter.
Do you think that an obsession with graphical perfection will get in the way of gameplay?
Peter: That's always the risk. When you're developing a game it's so much sexier to work on a piece of physics or some graphics than it is on gameplay. Gameplay is the least exciting thing for a developer to do. You have to be very careful to keep focused on it and not be too distracted by the technology.
Don't some games benefit from an unreal, properly 'gamey' aesthetic?
Peter: Of course. I'm completely addicted to the original Super Mario on GameBoy. You always have to remind yourself that the mechanics of the game are the most important thing. But then again, bullet time is a mechanic which couldn't have worked without today's graphics. The challenge is to come up with original mechanics that fit modern technology.
How do you feel about all the god and strategy games that have so closely followed and expanded on your original ideas?
Peter: It's flattering. But what it tells me is what a poor job I've done, because people have taken my concepts and made better games with them. I feel I have a great responsibility because of my position. There's no excuse for the bugs in Black & White.
Bugs are usually down to the myriad combinations of hardware that gamers use all over the world. Has this had any bearing on your decision to move towards consoles? And do you see the new wave of consoles, especially the PC-like Xbox, killing off the PC?
Peter: Well, I haven't said that Dimitri isn't on the PC. When I said that about working with consoles two years ago I was talking about Project Ego (the Xbox title being developed by the Lionhead satellite studio Big Blue Box). I wasn't talking about my own future direction. The Xbox and the PC are totally different machines. Despite all the hardware similarities they are completely different because one has a joypad and one has a mouse. There are games that can never ever exist on a console, like The Sims or deep RPGs like Baldur's Gate. There will always be games that are totally groundbreaking on the PC and games that will be totally groundbreaking on the consoles.
You don't see a danger of developers dumbing down PC games so they can release them on console then? Peter: That would never work. We're doing an Xbox and PlayStation version of B&W, and it's turned out more like an RPG which you play through the creature. I've tried to faithfully port PC games in the past to consoles and it never works. It just ends up being frustrating, because a mouse can go anywhere while a joypad is more linear.
What do you think of the demise of Bullfrog, the company you founded in 1987? Peter: It is sad. It's still going to exist as a label, but Electronic Arts wanted to take it in the direction it's gone. I think the industry is poorer now there'll be no more Theme games.
Are you happy then with the Theme Park sequels? Peter: Well, you always have to say you're happy with your friends' work.
Read into that what you will. Whatever direction Peter decides to take Dimitri in, it's clear he will continue to inspire and innovate. In the meantime, you can look forward to the B&W expansion Creature Isles.
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