- Platform:
- Published by:
- Developed by:
- Release Date: Oct 8, 2006
- Genre: Action
- Multiplayer: No
- Online: No
Sid Meier Q&A Continued..
-- October 9, 2006 by: David Craddock
Shack: Many are wondering, what with titles like Age of Empires appearing on handheld platforms such as the Nintendo DS, is there any chance we'll see one of your titles on a handheld?
Sid Meier: We're very interested in the handhelds. My philosophy has always been to deliver our games on whatever platforms make sense for the game. If we can make a game fun on a handheld then we'll do it.
Shack: Many in the industry are getting fed up with the PC as a gaming platform. Countless hardware conflicts, shady console ports, prices of parts such as video cards (most of them costing as much as a new console), mounds upon mounds of patches.... Heck, many feel that besides near 100% customization for things such as controls, graphics, and titles that are just easier to develop for and play on PCs such as MMOs, the PC is in second place when compared to consoles.
What, in your opinion, is the state of PC gaming?
Sid Meier: People have been declaring PC Gaming a dying breed for years now and I just don't see it happening. The consoles have definitely come on strong and gained a large share of the gaming market, but I think PC games will remain and evolve.
There is plenty of room for console gaming and PC gaming to exist and grow in the market...and the PC is still a better platform for certain games that just need a mouse and keyboard to be fun.
Shack: In the "war" against video games many in Congress seem to be waging, it has been pointed out that the "bad" video games are titles such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Doom, whereas the "good" video games (i.e., titles that Congress deems socially acceptable) are some of your titles such as Civilization IV, even though you can do things such as commit genocide. In fact, many congressmen have boasted that while they play games such as Civ4, they shun GTA and other, more violent titles.
What are your feelings on this? Are there "good" or "bad" video games, or do you feel the issue is more dependant on the maturity/mental stability level of the player(s) partaking in games such as GTA, Civ4, et cetera?
Sid Meier: I strongly believe that it's the developer/publisher's responsibility to make sure the content they deliver in games is appropriate for the intended audience, and it's the parent's responsibility to learn the ESRB rating system so they can make sure their kids are playing games that they feel are appropriate. GTA is a great game in terms of design and gameplay experience and the "M" rating indicates that it is not a game for children. Civ IV has an E-10 rating which indicates that it's intended for people 10 years and older.
As a game designer and the parent of a teenage son, I think gaming is a great form of entertainment for people of all ages (again, assuming people are playing games that are appropriate for their age). Once people have become familiar with the ESRB rating system, the same way they have the movie rating system, I think this "war" over video gaming will subside.
Shack: Do you ever wonder about the social effects your games have on society as it pertains to the individual?
Sid Meier: I'm just a guy making games so people can have fun. If there is some kind of social effect from my games it's interesting to note, but it doesn't drive my game design decisions. I do receive lots of letters and emails from folks telling me how some of my games like Civilization for instance, have effected their lives -- everything from helping them to ace a history course in high school (which is good) to causing them to become so addicted to playing that their wife left them (which is probably not so good).
Shack: Do you still personally work on prototypes for your games?
Sid Meier: Yes! Prototyping is what I most enjoy about making games. There's nothing better than starting with a blank slate, lots of ideas and a free weekend to create something fun--and not necessarily pretty--that will inspire a team to bring it to life. All of my games begin with the creation of a playable prototype (I'm not a fan of written design docs), and then we iterate (play and improve, play and improve...) on the prototype throughout the development cycle until we've created something really great to deliver to gamers.
Shack: Putting aside your various accolades, what do you feel is your greatest accomplishment in the gaming industry? It can be a game, a feature, whatever.
Sid Meier: Someone recently asked me in an interview what I think my epitaph should read. After some thought I responded: "Creator of Civilization." Civ has taken on a life of its own and it's thrilling to see how many people, from all walks of life, find enjoyment playing the game. We made the original game because it was a compelling topic (all of human history) and offered so many possibilities. And that still holds true today. It seems as though there's a never ending stream of cool ideas to bring to the Civ series--ideas that come from our team at Firaxis and the very bright and innovative Civ community.
Shack: In the same vein of questioning, what do you feel is your greatest failure?
Sid Meier: I'm sorry...not familiar with the word. I view everything as a learning opportunity and keep moving forward. If we decide to pull the plug on a game in development, it's not a failure...it's a decision to try another approach to reaching our end goal, which is always to deliver a fun game to players.
Shack: Perhaps "failure" is too extreme a word. Do you have any regrets? Anything you wish you could go back and fix or improve?
Sid Meier: No regrets. I have a wonderful life and the best job in the world. What's to regret??
Turn to the final page to learn about why Sid chose to resurrect RailRoad Tycoon, why his name's on all of his games, and just how much of a hands-on approach Mr. Meier is able to take on his projects these days.
