BioWare - Facebook Friday - Christina Norman

BioWare's Christina Norman - designer of the gameplay systems in Mass Effect 2 - has been profiled at the Bioblog:

What is your average day like at the office?
The great thing about being on the gameplay team is every day there is something new and interesting to review. Whether it’s changes to our cover mechanics, or a new combat animation, a new creature, a new power, or a new programming system for weapons every single day I see something new and awesome that will likely make it into our next game. I tend to spend more time reviewing work done by others and providing feedback, but I also manage to sneak in dev time on my own features.

More information.

Hmm, not sure I would be putting my hand up for that. I am currently playing through ME2 now and for the first time ever noting down things that shit me. It is a large list.

"What does a Lead Gameplay Designer actually do?
My team builds all the gameplay systems for the Mass Effect series of games. What is a gameplay system? It’s basically anything you can do in more than one place, like fire a gun, or level up, or use a power, or enter cover. We micro-polish each of these activities until they are ridiculously fun!"

They might want to think about another brand of micro-polish, the clunky engine doesn't help though.

When you refer to your own work and workplace, using words like "awesome" and "ridiculously fun" - you're automatically telling the observant listener that you're brainwashed and will never produce anything close to what could be referred to with words like that, and have it actually be true.

Such mindless mouthpieces are bad enough in marketing, but when they're on the actual game design team - we're talking a whole new level of hopelessness for the future

So that's why Shep can't go around certain corners without deciding to climb onto things…

Maybe he was spending too much time having fun, rather than fixing things?

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Maybe he was spending too much time having fun, rather than fixing things?

Christina Norman is a bit feminine to be a male

you never know my bad…

Originally Posted by DArtagnan

Such mindless mouthpieces are bad enough in marketing, but when they're on the actual game design team - we're talking a whole new level of hopelessness for the future

Maybe the poor girl just has poor people skills (or interview skills) She is a designer after all and not a PR shill hired by the company.

Originally Posted by skavenhorde
Maybe the poor girl just has poor people skills (or interview skills) She is a designer after all and not a PR shill hired by the company.

You're probably more optimistic than I

My internet empathy is telling me she is a drone acting as a direct line to the business department, and a facilitator of the company policy that was explained to her, at various meeting, about the indisputable FACT that they're making awesome games that are ridiculously fun - no matter what a few nerdy losers are vocal about on loser-forums.

Some people just have an innate style of sensing and describing everything as "great" - and they honestly mean it so. They just have a different perception system, I guess.

Just read "Yes, Admiral !" by Michael Sheard, and you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
You're probably more optimistic than I

My internet empathy is telling me she is a drone acting as a direct line to the business department, and a facilitator of the company policy that was explained to her, at various meeting, about the indisputable FACT that they're making awesome games that are ridiculously fun - no matter what a few nerdy losers are vocal about on loser-forums.

More than likely true, but at first I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'll have news organizations, assistant teachers and teachers from others schools in my classroom at the end of this month to showcase the Smart Board. I'm scared shitless. When I get nervous I stutter. It's not a pretty sight.

I have no idea why they chose me to be one of the spokesmen, but they did and now I have to do this thing. So I have a little bit more empathy for someone who has to do these PR bits and may not have any training in being a spokesman or woman

Originally Posted by skavenhorde
Probably true, but at first I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'll have news organizations, assistant teachers and teachers from others schools in my classroom at the end of this month and I'm scared shitless. When I get nervous I stutter. It's not a pretty sight.

I have no idea why they chose me to be one of the spokesman, but they did and now I have to do this thing. So I have a little bit more empathy for someone who has to do these PR bits and may not have any training in being a spokesman or woman

You're just a nice guy - all around

On an individual level, I give people all the benefit of the doubt in the world - but they have to act in accordance with what they claim to be.

I've cut Bioware/EA all the slack I can muster - and I'm afraid I have trouble separating the individuals working there from the work they're doing, and how they speak about it.

Maybe if I met her in person