Meet the Devs #6 : V

» Fri May 27, 2011 11:50 pm

With Skyrim's announcement on Saturday, we're excited to open up our latest Bethesda Game Studios' Meet The Devs thread. This thread is your opportunity to get to know the developers working on Skyrim. Should be fun as you'll run into some familiar friends, as well as plenty of new folks to the team.

Please keep in mind this thread is NOT for asking questions to the developers related to Skyrim. There will be a time to ask questions, but not yet, and not in this series of threads. Our amazing forum moderators will keep an eye on posts that aren't in line with the theme of the thread.

Just wanted to post a quick hello to everyone on the forums. Thanks for being here and keeping TES going. Yes, we read a lot of it, and have been for a long time. It's great to finally see a "V - Skyrim" section on here along with Morrowind and Oblivion. Like you, we're fans too, and we're just as excited about this game. The whole team at BGS has been giving this their all for the last several years. The next 11 months should be fun, and this is a great place for the team to hear from you. No, we can't give away info early, so don’t bait us into trouble!

Thanks again for all your support, not just now, but for the last 16 years.

todd

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1150155-meet-the-devs-5/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1149548-meet-the-devs-4/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1149314-meet-the-devs-3/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1148935-meet-the-devs-2/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1148850-meet-the-devs/

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:03 am

TAKE-AWAY
Chinese or Italian?

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:58 am

TAKE-AWAY
Chinese or Italian?

Chinese!

» Fri May 27, 2011 9:27 pm

Chinese!

Good choice.

» Fri May 27, 2011 6:04 pm

1) This is not the case at all. The entire design staff are all dedicated writers. Quest designs are developed and written in our department. The lead designer on a project sometimes provides guidelines, but it's up to each of us as designers to create the specific dialogue, plot, etc. for our quests. Programmers do not do quest implementation... but they are awesome at providing the tools we use to get the quests into the game!

2) The book writing is also done by a host of designers.

:lightbulb: Aha! So you (designers) use something like the Construction Set for implementation? Neat! In a similar vein, I thought I'd ask you a question I put to another Dev previously:

How does working on an Elder Scrolls game in such detail affect your experience of playing the retail version? Are all the quests and stuff spoiled for you, or is there still a lot that surprises/entertains you after the fact? :celebrate:

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:43 am

How does working on an Elder Scrolls game in such detail affect your experience of playing the retail version? Are all the quests and stuff spoiled for you, or is there still a lot that surprises/entertains you after the fact? :celebrate:

Excellent question! I was about to ask it myself!

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:18 am

I'd like to ask a simple question:

Do you get a copy of the game you develop for free?

I mean, heck, you've practically bathed yourself with it over the years... and maybe bring it back home to work on it some more, might as well just admit it and give you one

» Fri May 27, 2011 10:03 pm

Here at E-Dev we match you with the dev that is perfect for you based on your game genre, play-style, console, etc, looking for that special someone to nag to death over the games they help to create? Come to E-Dev where satisfaction is guaranteed. :thumbsup:

» Fri May 27, 2011 10:11 pm

:lightbulb: Aha! So you (designers) use something like the Construction Set for implementation? Neat! In a similar vein, I thought I'd ask you a question I put to another Dev previously:

How does working on an Elder Scrolls game in such detail affect your experience of playing the retail version? Are all the quests and stuff spoiled for you, or is there still a lot that surprises/entertains you after the fact? :celebrate:

We use the same editor you guys do to make the quests. That's why it's pretty cool that we release it to the public. Now, we do have code support, so when we need something specific the editor doesn't do, we can request it. But still, pretty neat stuff

Honestly, after all of the testing that I do on the games, which involves hours and hours of just adventuring in the world, I rarely sit down and play the retail product after it's been released. So many hundreds of hours are spent in the world just during my part of the process that I don't feel the need. Believe me, we play it A LOT before release. Not just our own quests, but everything!

» Fri May 27, 2011 10:57 pm

I asked this in another thread, going to ask it again:

Which editor (MW/OB/FO3/Skyrim) is you favorite? Why?

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:53 am

I'd like to ask a simple question:

Do you get a copy of the game you develop for free?

I mean, heck, you've practically bathed yourself with it over the years... and maybe bring it back home to work on it some more, might as well just admit it and give you one

The company is very generous about things like that. They take care of us very well when it comes to our games and swag and the like (yay Pete!).

» Sat May 28, 2011 12:14 am

I asked this in another thread, going to ask it again:

Which editor (MW/OB/FO3/Skyrim) is you favorite? Why?

The newer editors always get better and better. The programmers here are absolutely amazing about honing our editor and making it leaner and meaner for every game we release. So, no point in having a "favorite." Newer = better.

» Fri May 27, 2011 7:33 pm

The newer editors always get better and better. The programmers here are absolutely amazing about honing our editor and making it leaner and meaner for every game we release. So, no point in having a "favorite." Newer = better.

Heheh, now I'm excited :3 Although I do know people who prefer MW's editor over OB's for some reason.

Also, do you guys really have a lore quiz as part of the hiring process, or was socrates messing with me?

Thanks for answering all these questions, especially in the middle of a monday on what should be christmas break.

» Fri May 27, 2011 9:44 pm

How many hours are ya'll putting in a week on Skyrim? My guess would 70-80, but that seems like a hell of alot to me.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:21 am

Honestly, after all of the testing that I do on the games, which involves hours and hours of just adventuring in the world, I rarely sit down and play the retail product after it's been released. So many hundreds of hours are spent in the world just during my part of the process that I don't feel the need. Believe me, we play it A LOT before release. Not just our own quests, but everything!

:cryvaultboy:

:ninja: ::secretly withdraws resume from Bethesda archives:: :bolt:

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:58 am

The most important question known to mankind...

briasts or butt?

:chaos:

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:48 am

Heheh, now I'm excited :3 Although I do know people who prefer MW's editor over OB's for some reason.

Also, do you guys really have a lore quiz as part of the hiring process, or was socrates messing with me?

Thanks for answering all these questions, especially in the middle of a monday on what should be christmas break.

I don't believe they do a lore quiz... but I can bet that knowing your lore would increase your chances very well

» Fri May 27, 2011 10:05 pm

How many hours are ya'll putting in a week on Skyrim? My guess would 70-80, but that seems like a hell of alot to me.

Oh, it's different for everyone. Hard to say really. Some weeks contain more hours than others

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:03 am

How many programmers do you guys have there and what do they do on a daily basis?

» Sat May 28, 2011 9:16 am

:cryvaultboy:

:ninja: ::secretly withdraws resume from Bethesda archives:: :bolt:

That's just me. It would differ for anyone. I see plenty of people on Xbox Live with lots of achievement points in our games who are devs.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:17 am

The company is very generous about things like that. They take care of us very well when it comes to our games and swag and the like (yay Pete!).

Ooooh... awesome... but what do you do with a game you've pretty much known inside out?

» Sat May 28, 2011 12:00 am

That's just me. It would differ for anyone. I see plenty of people on Xbox Live with lots of achievement points in our games who are devs.

I'm just joshing. :foodndrink:

I know it would differ from person to person, which is what led me to re-ask it in the first place.

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us! :disguise:

» Sat May 28, 2011 12:59 am

Bananas or Gainomax ! ?

:drool:

» Fri May 27, 2011 11:27 pm

have you ever put something in the game that you didn't discuss with other people, you just felt like doing it at home *cough* *cough* giant mudcrab

» Fri May 27, 2011 8:59 pm

What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?

What's your favorite sci fi movie?

What's your least favorite kind of music?