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NeoGAF Interview: Tim Schafer of Double Fine Productions - QUESTIONS NEEDED

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W

WasabiKing

Member
NeoGAF will be interviewing Tim Schafer of Double Fine Productions, and we need your help. This is your chance to ask those burning questions about Tim and his accomplishments in the video game industry.

Feel free to post them here, you have until Thursday, 9/27 5:00PM. Ask one, ask many. Only the best questions chosen from an esteemed panel (think PC gamers) will be asked.

Many special thanks to Tim!

GO! GO! GO!
 
D

Date of Lies

Banned
why did he say gamecube wasn't a real console? he broke my heart :*((



F*cking amazing btw, will he ever make another point&click adventure game?
 
G

glimmerman

Member
Given the Wii is an potentially excellent console for point and click stuff, but that the base is fairly casual, what are the chances of develpment on "casual" adventures happening?
 
L

lexi

Banned
It has been parroted to death, but why exactly do you think the traditional adventure game genre (LucasArts and Sierra of old) lost so much steam? I remember the days of a release like King's Quest 6 receiving an equivalent fanfare to that of Halo 3, now it seems the majority of adventure-esque games are reserved to niche status, their praises being sung by a small group of nostalgia-fueled gamers.
 
B

Barnolde

Banned
Is it true you will be including a lock of your hair with your next game in order to make it sell better?

Seriously though:
Why do you think Psychonauts bombed? Was it the publishing snafu or the nature of the market itself?
 
T

traveler

Not Wario
Why isn't Epic Sage being developed into a full fledged game for XBL, PSN, and Wii Ware? It's GOTY material!
 
C

Corwood Rep

Member
traveler said:
Why isn't Epic Sage being developed into a full fledged game for XBL, PSN, and Wii Ware? It's GOTY material!
Click to expand...

This is a great question.

"Settle your differences in a stupid fight!! Goddamn!!"

P.S. But seriously, my question is why Psychonauts, despite being awesome and great and terrific, failed to sell anywhere.
 
M

mandiller

Member
1. Have you ever entertained the notion of working with Lucas Arts on another Monkey Island game? (also: You said previously you had different ideas where to take the story after MI 2, compared to Lucas Art's MI 3 which you weren't involved with, where did you see the story heading?)

2. What video game project are you the most proud of having being involved in?

3. What do you see in the future for the Adventure game genre?



MAKEBELIEVEQUESTION: Please work on Grim Fandango 2, please, pretty please. Best Adventure Game Ever. Buy the rights from Lucas if you have to.
 
D

Darkpen

Banned
Do you see the Wii as a viable console to make a point-and-click adventure game, and will you make one for it?

Are there plans for porting Psychonauts onto the Wii?

How much weight have you gained/lost since Psychonauts?
 
O

ohamsie

Member
Firestorm said:
The ending of Psychonauts made it seem as if there would be another game. What are your plans?
Click to expand...

This question, and also ask about viability of adventure games on the DS.
 
Tieno

Tieno

Member
Which one do you prefer PS3 or 360? Do you think 360 the bomb? Do you think Waggle is cool?

No, seriously...is writing comedy for games different than for other media? How?
 
G

Grayman

Member
Is the interview going to be in audio or text format?

I can't think of any worthwhile questions right now. I am a bad person who didn't play psychonauts.

If applicable:
Does Tim feel that games the spirit of old graphical adventures could be presented in a modern styled game production?

Someone else could probably phrase that a lot better. I mean to ask what he thinks of something like maniac mansion being wrapped in a game engine similar to (console style) adventure games so that it played like an old resident evil but without a fighting focus at all. Would a publisher be more willing to mass market that?
 
A

angelfly

Member
1. Does he think point and click adventures are due for a comeback and also if he is planning on making a new one anytime soon.

2. Is he considering making a sequel to Psychonauts.

3. What has he been playing lately

4. If he had the budget for any game he wanted what type of game would it be.

5. What does he think about traditional controls vs the wii controls.

6. Does he prefer working on consoles or PC. What are some of the pros and cons of each to him.
 
A

acidviper

Banned
Do you support the fans in asking Lucasarts to put all your amazing PC games on the DS?

Would you ever team up with Lucasarts to make a sequel?

Would you ever make a 2D adventure again?
 
jesusraz

jesusraz

Member
- Would you ever consider teaming up with old work colleagues at the likes of Autumn Moon and Telltale Games for an uber-P&C game collaboration?
 
S

Shard

XBLAnnoyance
Mr Schafer, what was it like working with Majesco and would you ever work with them again all things considered. Also on the subject, are you as the rumors say angry with the Microsoft Game Studios for dropping Psychonauts in the first place?
 
P

Pikelet

Member
Why does the carjacker outside the mansion in day of the tentacle take an infinite number of tries to open the car and still not get it when there is CLEARLY only about 20 keys?
 
C

cartoon_soldier

Member
Platformers have been declining in popularity with only a few series able to maintain good sales, so what does he think can be done to make Platformers more appealing to the mainstream?
 
E

etiolate

Banned
Why do you think the Adventure game has become an endangered species?

Have you considered licensing Psychonauts for something along the lines of an animated series?

Is there a possibility of his past collection of work appearing on something like XBLA, DS or even the Wii?

Where did the inspiration for the wacky characters in Psychonauts come from? We need more Mr Pokeylopes.

Do you think the industry is mature enough yet to handle the type of attention it is getting?

Do you think our violent culture has made the videogame public more prone to want to kill their way through an obstacle in game rather than solve a puzzle to move pass the obstacle?

What do you look to create with the protagonists within your games?
 
V

Visualante

Member
Oh freaking sweet.

Tim, you note the starting point for your projects as something highly original. Do you find it hard not to be influenced by other games and what they're doing? With this how much does the vision for your games change, or indeed become compromised through development?

Also what are your inspirations of late?
 
G

Gendal

Member
lockii said:
It has been parroted to death, but why exactly do you think the traditional adventure game genre (LucasArts and Sierra of old) lost so much steam? I remember the days of a release like King's Quest 6 receiving an equivalent fanfare to that of Halo 3, now it seems the majority of adventure-esque games are reserved to niche status, their praises being sung by a small group of nostalgia-fueled gamers.
Click to expand...
etiolate said:
Why do you think the Adventure game has become an endangered species?
Click to expand...

Tim Schafer said:
Are adventure games dead? If yes, then what killed adventure games?

Next person to ask me this gets a punch in the mouth.
Click to expand...
Let's hope this is a phone or email interview.
 
R

Rolf NB

Member
1. After seeing the sales of Psychonauts <allow thrity seconds here for crying, wiping of tears>, do you think good writing is an underappreciated art in the games industry?

2. Any statistics on the composition of the Sam & Max audience? Do adventure games capture novice gamers, or are these all folks with first-hand memories of the genre's glory days?

3. Do you envision Double-Fine to ever make another huge-budget game with more mainstream mechanics? Would that even be a smart use of your creative energy?

To clarify on #3 (if you do the interview in person and he says "Huh?"): it's basically another Psychonauts-related question. Did that not work out because more modern games with such a focus on creative/whacked out stories can't work out, and they will never try again, or is it just an issue of growing back to a size that enables them to do another similar project but with a few more lessons learned etc.
 
T

Teknopathetic

Member
Is there a possibility of an Epic fighter/saga trilogy? Seriously.

(Shamelessly stolen from Wasabi) What was the office reaction to the Jack Black rumor besides the (Awesome) Epic Fighter?

Grim Fandango is a very interesting setting (40s-50s film noir but with the world of the dead) what was the inspiration for that?

How did you feel about the fan reaction to Meat Circus level? The Milkman Conspiracy?

Did you have any Manny Calavera plushies made, and how much would it take to get that off your hands?

How do you feel about Steam and Psychonaut's performance on it?

Is piracy truly the big problem with PC gaming sales?
 
V

Visualante

Member
bcn-ron said:
1. After seeing the sales of Psychonauts <allow thrity seconds here for crying, wiping of tears>, do you think good writing is an underappreciated art in the games industry?
Click to expand...
I think the fact that consumers couldn't find it was the problem. It was hugely appreciated- just ordinary people couldn't find it on the shelves because of supply/logistics/publishing problems. I think it would be unfair to expect Tim to point the finger at an ex-business partner.
 
C

Creamium

shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuup
Where did you get the inspiration from your projects from? What has always pushed you into making your games, aka who/what are your influences?
 
R

Rolf NB

Member
Visualante said:
I think the fact that consumers couldn't find it was the problem. It was hugely appreciated- just ordinary people couldn't find it on the shelves because of supply/logistics/publishing problems. I think it would be unfair to expect Tim to point the finger at an ex-business partner.
Click to expand...
I'd hope the question can be answered without touching any of that.
It's basically asking if he believes Psychonauts was too creative as a story to be successful but without asking him directly why Psychonauts failed. I understand that this angle should be avoided.
 
P

poppin fresh

Member
Did he really sign this ?

tim_scratch.jpg
 
Tieno

Tieno

Member
Another question.
What does Bioshock's succes mean to him? (having problems to word this the right way, sorry)
 
F

Fallout-NL

Member
Teknopathetic said:
Grim Fandango is a very interesting setting (40s-50s film noir but with the world of the dead) what was the inspiration for that?
Click to expand...


I can answer that one. Casablanca.



As for a question:


Will he ever consider doing another traditional adventure game, for old time's sake?
 
6

6.8

Member
Tim, if you had the chance to be a) a flower, b) a bee, or c) a sea urchin, what would you be, and why?
 
S

SomeDude

Banned
People who say Psychonauts gameplay is bad makes me wonder if they like 3d platfomers in the first place.

The game did nothing new, but in terrms of 3d platforming is was quite good.
 
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