Today I present to you the translation of an interview published by TGL.
BioWare is known for creating rich and expressive worlds. Right now they're turning all of their energy into the already crowded space MMO SWTOR in an attempt to create a unique experience in the Star Wars universe, but what can they offer that the competition can't? We had the opportunity to sit down with the founders of BioWare at BioWare's new hub in Galway to talk about the economy and what fans can expect from Star Wars: The Old Republic.
We begin !
The Gaming Liberty: Why Ireland? What attracted you to Ireland? And what do you think Ireland can offer compared to the UK for example?
Ray Muzyka: Well we looked in different countries and regions but Galway stood out because of its talent, experience, workforce and great university. If you think about it, the city acts as a focal point for the world, in a global concept. The people here are avid gamers, BioWare fans, this is going to be our customer service center for the world. Having access to such smart and passionate people made the choice very easy. People love to work here, they love to live here, it is a good place and it seems that there is a good quality of life as well.
TGL: It's a funny thing! Many Irish people see Canada as a good place with a good quality of life!
Greg Zeschuk: There are always people for and people against but join us in January and see how you feel! (to laugh)
RM: The government here has also given us fair and reasonable taxes and a regulatory structure that creates a good business environment for us, which is also a big bonus.
TGL: Obviously, job creation, considering the turmoil in the economy, will have an important and positive result for Ireland. What are your aspirations for this center here in Galway and what do you think the center can do for BioWare?
GZ: Currently we have 3 areas of expertise. First, it's customer service. When you play the game, if you have a problem, you can ask a GM to come and help you, talk to you and even guide you through certain parts of the game. Second, this is called " the network operations center "which is a group of key people who keep an eye on the entire network, data centers and machines. It's happening all day, between here and Austin, 24/24. They watch each server. There are also people who will correct issues, which is really cool. Finally, there are the test teams. They are QA for the game, if there is any question or any problem at all, they try to figure out what's going on, that means they keep an eye on everything.
Over time, we'll see what the game does. Maybe this is going to be a super success and if it goes well we will continue to grow.
TGL: With Wow subscribers slowing down, The Old Republic is really coming on time ...
GZ: Yeah, maybe the timing is right. There's a chance it's really huge, you know? Depending on the time that passes and the opportunities that will present themselves, we will always consider locating ourselves here for our future growth.
TGL: For SWTOR, what are your benchmarks? Did you focus your research on films? Or have you extended to books, comics or more?
RM: All of them really brought a very inspiring perspective. Knights of the Old Republic was set hundreds of years before the movies and Tales of the Jedi was the only thing in that period of time.
GZ: Yes, it was very limited ...
RM: There were six comics, from Dark Horse, so we took them as inspiration and defined the game in this general timeline. It's a moment that's really interesting with the Sith, Jedi, and Lightsabers all over the place. Everyone happens to be a hero. You can all be a Bounty Hunter, Smuggler, Soldier, Agent and there are four classes of Sith and Jedi. But yes, we did take all the inspiration. We also get a lot of feedback from LucasArts. There is a lot of collaboration, our teams are constantly in contact, we receive a lot of comments from designers, it's a very collaborative relationship.
TGL: With the history of Star Wars so deep, don't your teams feel pressured by the expectations of Star Wars fans? Or do you just focus, refine your ideas and move on with them?
GZ: We don't particularly feel any pressure from the license, it's a kind of "gift". Fan expectations are usually high when they see the BioWare logo, so the way I see it is "We're already under pressure ... what does it do a little more?" (to laugh)
TGL: Yes, it's true!
GZ: I also think that we are in a good position thanks to the real Star Wars fans in our teams. So I think that for the confrontation with the tradition, we are well equipped. We have a real passion for. We've worked on very few licensed games so I think we take from games what we really really want to work on and we feel very passionate about it. We want to make it feel as authentic as possible ...
TGL: It seems to be working. Some people here at TGL are huge fans and they really feel like a part of the Star Wars world.
GZ: Thanks! The interesting thing is, you never make everyone happy.
TGL: Never, that's true.
GZ: The scope of what we do is so huge, there are going to be loopholes on occasion. If there is a problem, we can go ahead and fix it. But because we strive to bring great added value, if we manage to adjust everything, I think it's really going to be a success.
RM: We always take feedback very seriously. One of our core values as a company is humility. For us, that means we treat the feedback from our fans and take it very seriously. We work on it and build with it. Our goal is to make a game that can surpass people's imaginations as much as possible. We have made a long-term commitment to improving the service and adding new content. We take player feedback very seriously with regard to content additions and expansions for years to come.
Those are the two main things players expect from an MMO when we did our research. They want a game that is sustained, not just at launch, but over the long term. Not only in terms of content, but also in functionality, general content, accessibility ...
TGL: Speaking of the quality of the game, the version of the game we got has sort of windows with a quiz on how to improve missions. Will the end game incorporate this? If so, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of form?
RM: What you see there is the raw data ...
TGL: So we shouldn't have canceled it ... (laughs)
GZ: Well we'll do it, a bit. We could regularly surprise players. There are a few in the game already, but the one that I find enjoyable, irritating and funny at the same time is the one that asks you "What are you doing now?"
TGL: We are dancing!
GZ: (laughs) Yes! And there is also another window: "Are you having fun" and "How would you rate the experience". All kidding aside, it's cool because it helps us get a glimpse of the game at some point.
RM: I replied "I'm busy having fun. Go away!" (Laughs)
TGL: Or: "We are talking to BioWare! See you soon!"
GZ: (laughs) It's a little more polished but the only thing I got is "WWWWWWWWWW" like he just held the W key until he got rid of the screen.
RM: (laughs) Fortunately, that doesn't appear in combat anymore.
TGL: I imagine indeed that it could be problematic.
GZ: What's cool about that is that people who like to give their opinion can really help development and suddenly help us.
TGL: Particular emphasis was placed on the contribution of cutscenes to the player experience in SWTOR. But we would like to know, from your perspective, what does the game offer more than other MMOs?
RM: Well we have the best features you would expect from an MMO. We have exceptional progression and personalization. You can really shape your avatar. We also have the exploration but the thing that makes the game special is that it sets itself in the world of Star Wars, just that is already great. We also have exciting and tactical fights, with lightsabers. Coupled with the cutscenes, it's really beautiful to watch.
What goes beyond everything is the story and that's the big difference between SWTOR and other MMOs. For those who are familiar with other BioWare games, they will be very happy with the system. Every player, every character, every NPC has a voice, and while it's subtle, it makes a huge difference. This helps to have a great sense of his missions and his involvement. One of the most common things we hear is that people have a hard time going back to their old MMO after playing SWTOR because there is a lot of involvement in everything.
Another interesting point is that there are real choices in the game. It is a hero's journey for each class, there are things that are shareable and you can also join a companion on their personal quests, even if you are from another class. But because these are personal choices, there is always a personal consequence, there is no going back. You can't just reload a save and test "What if ...". It's very exciting from a moral point of view because it has a personal impact. We found a way to integrate group combat, with group exploration, group stories, but there is still a lot of personal history involved. People didn't imagine we could do it in a space MMO, but we did!
TGL: In the end, and we know you've heard it often, what led you to create a space MMO rather than creating a new installment for Knights of the Old Republic?
GZ: Interesting. We had always wanted to make an MMO. We ended up making a Star Wars MMO and we're incredibly happy. The fans will be so surprised when they play. You can play it completely in single player mode if you want.
RM: Yes, we've found that gamers enjoy playing MMO alone 60% of the time. So, in a sense, the game is completely solo, but improvements are made by the presence of other players. At any time, you can group, play the story together or just a part, explore the world, make an instance ...
GZ: We know people are complaining, but I think if they try it they'll be stunned.
RM: Another prominent dimension of the story is the companion system. Players love companions in BioWare games, similarly companions are very powerful in SWTOR. They have unique abilities, unique actions, they comment on your actions. They are like a lens to your world. They are a big part of how we tell the story and sometimes they mirror your own actions.
TGL: It sounds nice! Thanks guys !
GZ: Thank you, it was a pleasure.
RM: Thanks.
