News: Interview with eugene jarvis

May 18, 2007, 10:59 AM

by brandon, via eugene jarvis -
[permalink]

I finally got to interview jarvis, and quite a long interview it was. I got him to admit that Target: Terror was in fact a social statement, which I had hoped it was, and toward the end found myself trying to push him toward making more controversial games that make people think. Strange, eh? He's very honest about the arcade industry in here...saying that games actually cost $2-4 million to make nowadays (including hardware development), where I had assumed they were much cheaper. They're still cheaper than new console games, but even so. He also mentions that there's interest in returning to the console space with Xbox Live Arcade, and goes a bit through the development process of current arcade games. There's a lot in those seven pages, I think. Here's the original ending to the piece, which was edited out because it's not especially professional. I'm putting it up here because it's probably the best compliment I've ever gotten!

EJ: Brandon, it's been great talking to you. You have some great questions, and you're one of the real minds of the industry. Very inquisitive reporter.

BS: Wow, thanks, I really appreciate that!

EJ: Well it's nice to throw down some of this stuff. I love doing this (game) stuff, and I always want to do something that will push it further and further. I'm always trying to duplicate the success of Defender. It's like I'm kind of doomed to never have that level of success again, and I keep dreaming.

BS: It's possible! There aren't a lot of guys out there willing to push the envelope, and you seem like you're still ready to do it at some point. I'm still waiting to see what you come out with.

EJ: Alright, hopefully I won't disappoint you!

So yeah...I'm putting that 'great mind' comment on my tombstone. Also, we stole lots of pictures from Way of the Rodent's interview with him way back, and I want to give them an extra bit of credit for that here. WotR 4 lyfe.