USA Today has an interesting Q and A with the two founders of BioWare; Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. The interviews surrounds subjects like their recent induction into the AIAS Hall of Fame, how they ended up developing games, and personal stuff. Check out a snip below, and read the full Q & A here.
Q: Ray, I know you are an avid poker player. What do you find that has in common with game development?
A: There is a lot of nuance to it. It is fun to just sit at the table and talk to other folks. There is a story being told through what you represent with your bets and what you say and what other people say and how you interpret that. There’s a lot of math and statistics, so understanding that is an entry point, a requirement to be successful. It’s sort of a microcosm of life and business, in some ways, too. A lot of negotiation back and forth.
Q: Greg, you are a gourmet, as well as a beer and wine enthusiast. Are there parallels to game development there?
A: I like to explore my taste buds. It’s also the experience of the people and the place. Like going into a local pub and seeing 10 taps and wondering what they all taste like and trying it. And sitting down with people and chatting with them about it. That’s actually the experience I search for. In gaming, we are trying to do the same thing — create a sort of voyage of exploration. I think there are definitely some parallels there.
