Drakensang - German Interview with Guido Henkel

PC Games.de has a German interview with the legendary Guido Henkel on the upcoming Drakensang from Radon Labs. For those that don't recall, Guido co-founded Attic (the original Realms of Arkania trilogy) and was an erstwhile producer on Planescape: Torment. Guido has no direct development relationship with the game but talks about the history of the franchise and how Radon Labs contacted him two years ago to discuss Drakensang and seek feedback.
Thanks, Deutsche Weisswurst.
More information.

I guess he isnt well known outside of Germany, dunno. I think he was a great game designer, and all the RPGs he was involved he gave his personal style - great written stories. I think its quite a loss he won't be involved in any PC games anymore. I still cant believe a gifted man like him wastes his time now with cell phone games! Bah. Planescape Torment and the Realms of Arkania trilogy were real gems of roleplaying. I still hope someday he rethinks and get involved in RPGs again.

I don't think that he would ever return to the "industry" again. I also interviewed Guido some weeks earlier (he even reused the answer to the first PC Games question from our interview ) and he was quite sure about this. He does not like the commercial roadmaps that a developer has to follow in order to find a publisher or financier. Making games is not about having a vision anymore, it's more about defining a target audience, analysing the "demands of the market" and then planning a marketing campaign. In the and it's not the game designer who decides what game he wants to make, it's the economist and / or the marketing guy who give(s) the orders. There is a german collocation that I think is also known in the english-speaking countries: Too many cooks spoil the broth.

If you're interested in my interview with Henkel and capable of german, see also http://www.dsa-game.de/content/view/218/82/. He also gave some thoughts about Planescape at the end of the interview. I'm sry, but I didn't feel capable enough to translate the whole thing into english without changing the meaning of the answers too much.

Originally Posted by Avantenor
I don't think that he would ever return to the "industry" again. I also interviewed Guido some weeks earlier (he even reused the answer to the first PC Games question from our interview ) and he was quite sure about this. He does not like the commercial roadmaps that a developer has to follow in order to find a publisher or financier. Making games is not about having a vision anymore, it's more about defining a target audience, analysing the "demands of the market" and then planning a marketing campaign. In the and it's not the game designer who decides what game he wants to make, it's the economist and / or the marketing guy who give(s) the orders. There is a german collocation that I think is also known in the english-speaking countries: Too many cooks spoil the broth.

If you're interested in my interview with Henkel and capable of german, see also http://www.dsa-game.de/content/view/218/82/. He also gave some thoughts about Planescape at the end of the interview. I'm sry, but I didn't feel capable enough to translate the whole thing into english without changing the meaning of the answers too much.

I suppose we are countrymen, so yes I can read it.

Still, being in creative business myself, I know so well how hurt you can feel. But running entirely away because business is business and you cant 100% fulfill your creative vision, sorry but thats BS. If I read what he says it feels like he wants to. Artists are all a bit like queens, but wasting his life with cell phone games is SO much better. /sracasm off

Really, there is a time to take a break, but forever is just a tad too long to give up for my taste. And trust me, I had my load of shit and betrayal in the business. Go up and get back to the fight! Maybe its only 50% or heck 30% of his creative vision, but heck, doing nothing now means zero percent! I dont understand such an attitude at all, especially from a man who still has so many fans.

hmmmm, just what is he doing to make a living now anyway? ( sorry I don't read german )

He is now creating Games for Mobile-Phones.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
Guido has no direct development relationship with the game but talks about the history of the franchise and how Radon Labs contacted him two years ago to discuss Drakensang and seek feedback.

They contacted an old developer on the franchise for feedback? What're they, stupid? That's not how you're supposed to work with franchises, just ask Bethesda.

Avantenor; maybe we should run that through the translation-one-two?

All three arkania's were great. I loved the fact that the shoes would wear out, you would get sick if you didn't carry the nessary gear and even though a lot of people didn't like this, I liked the alchemy selection.

I'm looking foreward to this game even though it's real time. I hope it has close to the same feel as Guido's games.

On a side not it truly sucks that Guido is only doing mobile-phone games. Seriously his talents could be put to better use but like Aventor said it's a different world out there now. Way too many money crunchers out there making the key decisions. Like I've said a few hundred times though there is still hope as long as there are guys like CD Projekt Red out there.

Does anyone know if Drakensang will allow party based adventuring ?

Itīs a party based game.

Thanks !

Whippeee !

It will be Baldur's Gate in 3D - nothing more and (I hope) nothing less…

AFAIK a Party of 4, one character created (with nerfed Character-creation), the others joinable.