Developer Pop Quiz is a weekly interview series in which we ask developers from around the industry the same 10 questions and post their responses.
Josh Bridge is a man that never intended on working on video games, but just finished up one of the most anticipated video games of the year, "Dead Rising 2" for Capcom. You never know where life will take you, but Mr. Bridge has found a home working at Blue Castle Games, and this week, he's giving us a little insight into how he got there, who he is as a gamer, and what he thinks about the industry in our Developer Pop Quiz.
Name: Josh Bridge
Title: Senior Producer
Company: Blue Castle Games
Job Description: Working with the Executive Producer, I am responsible for establishing and detailing the creative vision of the game. Working closely with the development team and evaluating the game’s progress to ensure that it matches our goals.
First title worked on: "Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory"
Most recent title worked on: "Dead Rising 2"
What game has most influenced you, and why?
"Deus Ex." Beyond the level the unprecedented level of freedom, it was the first time in a game that I found myself struggling to make a decision about the consequences of characters. It was a first for me to have some sort of emotional connection with a game that went beyond the satisfaction of a shooter. I remember pausing my game and pacing around my room then talking to my girlfriend about what was going on and asking her what I should do... she of course thought I was nuts.
What are you playing right now?
"Red Dead Redemption." I love westerns and I am loving this game!
What was your first break in the games industry?
I started out as a 2D animator and didn't plan on getting into games. Lots of the TV show work was starting disappear, so I took a job at a small video game studio animating on kiddie PC games. Being a small studio there was lots of opportunity to try out different roles. Before long I found myself designing and leading teams.
What's the best advice you've ever gotten?
Don't fall in love with your babies. With anything creative, there is a piece of you that you pour into the work. It was initially difficult to let anything die since you felt so passionately about it. If it is good, it will stick. If it isn't, it will die and you have to be prepared to embrace that.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Mostly everything but video games; books and movies are big ones for me. Games tend to be an abstract of their reference. I find going to the source helps build a stronger vision as opposed to taking something from a game that is already one step removed from its source.
What's the biggest lesson you've learned about game development?
One person cannot be the sole visionary of a game. I have seen development go sideways with the team being told what is good or cool. Without buy in, the game will suffer. If the team has input in building the vision, the best ideas will sift to the top and the team will believe in it.
Who do you think will come out on top this console generation?
Still hard to say as this is one of the longest generations that we have seen. I still have to go with Nintendo, though I am starting to see the Wii coolness slowing down. Nintendo is time and time again a leader with innovation developing markets that never existed prior. Though, at the end of the day I love sitting down with my 360 or PS3.
What do you think is the biggest problem current games suffer from?
Innovation still continues to plague most games. It isn't a lack of ideas; we all have them in spades. It has more to do with risk vs. investment. Big budget games need a certain amount of predictability. Uncertainty on how the game will be received which clouds sales forecasting all work against attempting to push significant innovation. Thankfully with better distribution and more recognition than ever before, indie games are setting precedent for what is new and radically different. I wish that I had more time, as I would love to garage dev some stuff that is bouncing around my head.
What is the most important thing that has happened to gaming in the last 10 years?
Online connectivity. From the early online "Doom" matches to today with "WOW" and social gaming like "Farmville," we are seeing the genre gain mass acceptance and rapid evolution. Not just for the gameplay experience but payment structures such as micro-transactions that still get me pimping my "Mafia Wars" crew.
Where do you see gaming in 5 years?
I think that there will always be a market for core gamers; folks that want to sit in the comfort of their home and play the latest blockbuster with the most accurate controls possible. Social gaming is where the largest growth is going to occur. I can see myself running around the office trying to take pics of various stuff just to get more experience points uploaded to my persistent online doppelganger.