My previous 13 years as a freelance writer came in handy, as did my passion for movies (closet director) and art skills (oils and acrylics). Designing games allowed me to use all the different creative skills on a single project. Exhilarating!

Q: How did you arrive at Cinemaware?

In two words: John Cutter. I met John when he was at Gamestar. I had flown out to the west coast to sell my first two game designs, a boxing game and a WWI flight combat game, and Gamestar was the sports publisher at the time. After John got over my moustache and cowboy boots, Gamestar published Star Rank Boxing (Sports Game of the Year 1986). John moved to Cinemaware and told Bob Jacob about me. Bob called and asked: "Want to do a game for Cinemaware?" I said: "Do fish swim?" He suggested a Japanese theme and I responded with Lords of the Rising Sun.

Q: How long did it take to create Lords? How big was the team?

About a year, perhaps just slightly longer. The team was relatively small. I did all the art and animation (my first attempt at art on the Amiga) and David Todd did the incredible programming (his first game!). Some programming help came from Greg Tavares and castle floorplans were done mostly by Jeff Godfrey. Bob Lindstrom also composed the wonderful music. John Cutter, of course, was the producer. That's a VERY small team compared to the teams involved these days!

Q: What was the most challenging aspect of designing Lords?

The most challenging aspect of Lords was perhaps the scope of the game. I wanted to recreate the glory and majesty of the era and there were so many things to consider. It was a true challenge for me as a new designer, especially considering the limitations of the hardware at the time.

Q: What were some of your inspirations when creating the game?

Without a doubt, Akira Kurosawa's movies were the inspiration for Lords, especially the fantastic movie, Ran. Kurosawa was a great director and visionary.

There were also many wonderful Japanese history sources, such as Secrets of the Samurai (Ratti & Westbrook) that provided me with the details I needed. I immersed myself in Japanese history and culture; I wanted to be true to the subject and the Japanese sense of honor. The Japanese are an amazing people.

Q: Are there classic films that you recommend watching to those who are interested in the subject matter?

I would recommend watching every Kurosawa movie you can get your hands on. My favorites were: Ran, Seven Samurai, Hidden Fortress, Red Beard, Kagemusha and Rashomon. I also enjoyed the American movie Shogun, based on James Clavell's (spelling?) novel, although it was very "Hollywood".

Q: Were there any features that never made it into the final game?

Yes. I usually design for more content than can possibly be implemented. The Castle Siege action was first designed from a different perspective, similar to C&C and Warcraft (angled). However, we ran out of time and the collision detection routines could just not be completed, so I redid the art from a top-down perspective. The Battle Aftermath sequence, where you're on horseback chasing down the enemy stragglers, was to include more stragglers and the enemy leader also on horseback. Again, time was our enemy. Diplomacy and politics did not get into the game as planned, either. The scene where the sliding doors revealed seated leaders was to be a more complex political sequence.

Believe it or not, I also designed a one-on-one sword fighting sequence. LOL

Even considering these missing elements, Lords is the only game I've designed that came closest to the vision I had originally intended. Cinemaware believed in their designers; I'll always be thankful for that.

Q: What are your favorite features in the game?

I love the animated silhouetted "cutscenes"...they are very effective for the overall "cost" in production. When I first designed them, I secretly had my fingers crossed that they would have the effect I wanted. They did. I am also thankful that the producer allowed the Seppuku scene to stay in the game. As for my favorite arcade sequences, I like them all. But the Castle Defense scene (using the bow from the castle window) and galloping through the battlefield cutting down the enemy stragglers are at the top of the list. The way the seasons change in the game is a neat little feature, too.

Q: Any hidden Easter eggs? or interesting bugs?

Not exactly an Easter egg, but rescuing the princess in the castle added an extra element of fun and accomplishment. There are some art goofs, such as the Home scene...I just never felt that picture was finished. Another piece of art got into the game that was the wrong "version" and was actually a placeholder graphic (I really don't want to mention which one, it's embarrassing). ;)

The only "bug" I can think of is one that occurs when you are notified of a battle about to happen, and you click to jump into the battle and control it. Sometimes it didn't allow you in and the battle went on without you. It was an interface thing.

Q: What do you think about the new game "Shogun: Total War" which seems like it draws heavily from Lords?

Looks awesome! I hope they're able to pull off the massive battle scenes in 3D. I know they are using 2D sprites for the units, and the absence of lots of trees should keep the frame rate tolerable. I wish them success with that product. I will definitely buy it when it comes out.

Q: Can you give us a good story back from the Cinemaware days?

I remember sitting with a bunch of Cinemaware people on Bob Jacob's living room floor helping stuff the company's first releases into their packaging. It was so personal and fun. I also remember how kind Bob and his wife Phyllis had been to me when I first moved to California and going through a divorce. Their help was above and beyond the call of a publisher.

Q: What lessons did you learn there?

Too many to list, but Patience, Understanding and Professionalism come to mind immediately. Patience to sustain enthusiasm through many months of production. Understanding of why certain changes must be made and how all the parts of a game come together as one. And Professionalism: watching other talented people in action and learning how to operate as a team, with respect for every individual involved.

Q: What do you do today?

I'm still designing games and editing game scripts, as well as writing movie scripts. At the moment I am working for Larry Holland (Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, Star Wars X-Wing Alliance) at Totally Games. Since 1984 I had been a freelance game designer and consultant, so for me to be an employee is very telling. Working at TG has the same kind of personal charm as the early Cinemaware days.

Q: How did your experience at Cinemaware influence your philosophies about game design and production?

My personal style of design (or at least my favorite style) was a perfect match with Cinemaware's style. It was a natural union. Philosophically, my beliefs that success can derive from a fun experience were reinforced. And I learned never to lose touch with the consumer or childhood dreams. However, I was a complete idiot when it came to the production process. Cinemaware was my first crash course in the details of game production.

Q: What is your favorite game of all time? What is your favorite Cinemaware game?

Seven Cities of Gold (Ozark Software). The Three Stooges.

Q: What are your thoughts about the current state of the game industry?

I think the PC game industry better get its act together or the consoles are going to roll right over it. After all these years, we still deal with unfriendly interfaces, hardware nightmares and an obscene reliance on patches. We've also formed the bad habit of designing for ourselves and seem to forget that we are in this business to entertain as many people as possible. We get caught up in a continual technological pissing contest at the cost of gameplay and a wider audience (high hardware specs). Advancement in technology is great, but too many titles with shallow gameplay are released requiring hot hardware just to show off some new programming accomplishment or special effect. More quality titles should be made using reliable, known technology that will work on more machines. If a distinction between game technology research and game entertainment production is defined and budgeted sensibly, we will be much better off.

The future? Massively multi-player games, such as EverQuest and Asheron's Call, will evolve into a major entertainment industry....big time.

Q: In your opinion, has the fact that games have gotten larger and more complex made them better?

Not at all. I have played both simple and large, complex games that were awesome. I've also played some of both that sucked. It is a matter of including whatever is necessary to provide the intended experience...nothing more, nothing less.

Q: What developers or publishers do you respect the most?

Impressions, Blizzard, Activision and Gathering of Developers.

Q: What advice would you give to young folks today who are considering a career in the videogame industry?

I would suggest they learn as much as they can about the game development process. So many positions require multiple skills, especially game design. The Internet holds lots of information on this business. Also, play a lot of games and analyze them in detail. If a particular game hooks you....discover why.

And never give up...the industry can always use fresh minds.

Q: What do you think about the latest news of Amino Development acquiring the rights to the Amiga from Gateway? Do you think the Amiga can be resurrected?

If the Amiga is to ever again be a major player, it must focus on what it always did best: video, desktop publishing, sound and games. I can also see Amiga technology being merged into consoles. It'll be interesting to watch.

Q: How influential do you think Cinemaware was?

Cinemaware was probably the most influential publisher in the history of computer games. Their style of entertainment is timeless. Cinemaware knew what fun was.

Q: What would you like to see from Cinemaware in the future?

A remake of all their titles, but not to the point of requiring a high spec machine to run them. There are so many themes that would benefit from the Cinemaware approach, too. The idea of new Cinemaware titles on the market is very exciting.

Q: Is there anything you'd like to say to the fans of Cinemaware?

Yes: "Thanks!" Cinemaware fans have been the most faithful and appreciative folks I've ever run into. Their responses to our efforts have not only been emotionally rewarding, but also have helped make us better developers. We owe them more good products.