General News - Richard Garriot Interview @ The Critical Bit

The Critical Bit sent word that they interviewed Richard Garriot where they discuss his upcoming successor to Ultima Online – an MMO for mobile and social platforms tentatively called “Ultimate RPG”. Gariott also talks about his design philosophy, the challenges he’s faced with publishers, and where he thinks the game industry is going.
More information.

"Ultimate RPG" sounds exactly as humble and modest as you'd expect from Mr. Garriott .

Any way to download that? Neither found anything on the site, as RSS feed or in the code…

Using the words "social media" is all I need to hear to know that this will be pure drivel. Enjoy getting some tweens to play your junky game!


-Carn

What? No text? Maybe I'm on my "mobile platform," which I am and happen to call my phone, and I am unable to listen to an audio file, because, you know, I'm mobile and being social on a "platform," which I'm not and happen to call a huge waste of time.

The interviewer counts himself lucky to sit down with Mr. Garriot, and I count myself lucky the interviewer forced me not to masochistically subject myself to Mr. Garriot's delusions of grandeur.

It's actually an interesting interview and not just full of marketing speak. I'm not sure why people love to bash Garriot so much. Sure, I would love for him to keep making old-school single-player Ultimas like many of you, but I respect that he's doing what interests him. He's already a millionaire so I doubt that it's all about the money - he really seems passionate about following this direction.

I'm skeptical about the "Ultimate RPG" project but am willing to see what comes of it and not just write it off simply because it's targeting social / mobile platforms.

To play devil's advocate for a second - wasn't the original RPG, tabletop D&D, designed to be a social experience? Without D&D all of the single-player CRPGs we love here would have never existed.

Hey RPGwatch! This is Rob, the interviewer.

Originally Posted by Kordanor
Any way to download that? Neither found anything on the site, as RSS feed or in the code…

I just added a download link to the site. Thanks for pointing that out.

I'm sorry I didn't transcribe the interview via text, but its nearly an hour long, and I assumed that no one would want to read through that much.

This was our first real time interview. Some things went well, and some things didn't. If you have suggestions on how we can make our interviews better, please send us an email at our feedback page. We would love to hear your suggestions.

Cool, thanks!

We're talking about a guy who published one of the first CRPGs in history, influenced JRPGs with Ultima 3, showed what interactivity is with Ultima 5,6 and 7, influenced FPS-RPGs like Elders Scrolls with Ultima Underworld, increased the popularity of MMORPGs with Ultima Online and also made first TPS-RPG with Ultima 9.

In short we're talking about a guy who set the standarts for nearly every RPG styles out there. Although I'm not a fun of social games, I'm curious about this Ultimate RPG thing.

Originally Posted by CritBitRob
I'm sorry I didn't transcribe the interview via text, but its nearly an hour long, and I assumed that no one would want to read through that much. ..We would love to hear your suggestions.

That makes sense. Maybe a quick sentence in your written introduction pointing out the length would be helpful on a couple of fronts. Congrats on a big interview.

for the last 15 years, he really hasn't done ANYTHING innovative, or original. In fact, I will actively say this again to any current or future investors, B.E.W.A.R.E.

Originally Posted by Capt. Huggy Face
That makes sense. Maybe a quick sentence in your written introduction pointing out the length would be helpful on a couple of fronts. Congrats on a big interview.

I agree, it would be a good idea to explain why it isn't transcribed. That being said, several people have been asking for this, so I'm going to give it a go tonight. I may end up transcribing the entire thing, or it may just be "highlights" from the interview so its a bit more digestible.

By the way, if you folks can think of any developers you'd like to see interviewed, we're asking people to vote on our next interviewees. After the voting is done, you'll be able to submit and vote on interview questions. Here are the details.

Someone already submitted "Brian Mitsoda." I'd love to interview him!

A second for Mitsoda. If you can do it quickly, he'd probably be willing. The Kickstarter for Dead State still has almost two weeks left, and I know they want the press, though happily they just met their goal in the last 24 hours.

Quite interesting to listen.

But why americans say "you know" between every sentence ? Without them, the interview would last 10 minutes less…

Awesome, lets bash one of the pioneers of crpgs. If anything with what he has done it is at least worth a look at what he does. You guys are all pure class.

Ah.. rune_74, defender of justice. What would the oppressed of this world do without you?

Originally Posted by JDR13
Ah.. rune_74, defender of justice. What would the oppressed of this world do without you?

You know, you're such a dick. nothing good to ever add…kiss my ass.

Originally Posted by rune_74
You know, you're such a dick. nothing good to ever add…kiss my ass.

You're too sweet.

Tabula Rasa sucked

I think Tabula Raser was much of a result of "Fan Feedback" and Push from the publisher.

Leading to a product, most people deemed "ok". But which attracted not enough people who really wanted to play it in the end.

Tabula Rasa is not a genuine "Lord British Product" but has merely a "Lord British Stamp" on it.