Interview with a programmer

[vgxtreme]

I want to do an interview with a programmer of popular PlayStation and Saturn games. If you had a chance to do the same, what kind of questions would be interesting? I know the basic "What got you started in programming", "What was your favorite game"...etc. But what really interests you guys and gals?

Assume that it is someone like David Jaffe (which it isn't otherwise I already have a bunch of questions for him).

[crazyjackcsa]

kind of a strange question, but "on a programming level what does the code ie "the Game" actually look like?" also, why is it some programmers can't get things like collison detection or controls right? On a coding level, what differences are there on a good game and a bad one?

[XYXZYZ]

Do you listen to Retro Gaming Radio? Shane Monroe has a lot of fascinating interviews with classic game programmers and personalities. You've got to hear the Howard Scott Warsaw interview, it's great.

But I would ask stuff like how the "industry" part of the gaming industry weighs in on the project; what do they have to sacrifice for the interests of pleasing the corporate shareholders, the "I don't care if this feature works, just get it done by Christmas" aspect of game development.

[vgxtreme]

I have never heard of classic gaming radio. I only recently signed up here as a memeber.

Good questions. Especially about collisions. Don't the companies go through extensive beta testing to find those types of problems? What about a question addressing the disappointement about a game which was worked on but never released (the most infamous being Thrill Kill).

[XYXZYZ]

I have never heard of classic gaming radio. I only recently signed up here as a memeber.

Go to www.retrogamingradio.com, go to the archived shows, and have a blast.

And if you search by the "interview" manu, get the ones with Howard Scott Warshaw/Bill Kunkel interviews, they're great.

[fishsandwich]

I'd love to hear some technical info regarding Saturn programming versus Playstation programming. I know the POSX is simple tom program while the Saturn is difficult. I'd like to know how they a programmer worked out issues in porting and how a Saturn game could be equal and/or better than its PSX partner.

:popcorn: