The games that inspired me to become a designer.
Created by Travisdecaminada on Oct 28, 2010
Last updated: 10/28/10 at 10:02 PM
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Question 1: Why was this game important to you? Final Fantasy seven was my gateway to true RPGs, now Zelda may have been the first but it certainly didn't open my eyes to a new world, I was much to young when I played Zelda and didn't even understand what an RPG was. In the beginning I refused to play Final Fantasy Seven without playing the prequels first until I learned they have nothing to do with each other. I have never felt as emotionally attached to a game as I do to FF VII. When I look back to stories in video games I always think of FF VII as having the best. Question 2: From a Design Perspective, What made the game fun? This game taught me to accumulate power in several ways, the game is featured around combat and the only way to do well in combat situations is to gain more power. There are a multitude of ways to achieve power, one of them being the experience system which powers up your characters when they win fights. Another way is to buy new armor and weapons with money you receive from fights or finding treasure. The last way is unique in that you level up your spells with ability points, which you also earn from combat. The combination of Experience, money and, Ability points allows the player to create a fiercely powerful character and there's nothing quite as fun as destroying a boss in one round.
Question 1: Why was this game important to you? Banjo-Kazooie was important to me because my grandmother gave it to me on Christmas and that made it one of the greatest holiday breaks of elementary school. I remember searching for all of Mumbo Jumbos tokens and rushed back to him only to get turned into a washing machine, it made me laugh every time even when I saw it coming. The game was a barrel of laughs and may be one of the greatest platformers I've ever played. Question 2: From a Design Perspective, What made the game fun? This was a platforming type of game and focused mainly around exploration and jumping. I had a wonderful time looking at an obstacle and trying to figure out how to get through it. Some of the obstacles appeared impossible at first glance and could only be overcome by transforming Banjo into a different animal. Another great feature was the exploration, there were tons of secret rooms that required both skill and patience to reach and often contained valuables. I remember how great I felt when I looked at the level screen and saw I had collected all of the treasure for that world. The combination of exploration, platforming, a mix of humor as well as excellent controls made Banjo-Kazooie a grand experience for anyone. Even playing it as an adult I still laugh at the jokes and feel great when I collect all the Stop-n-Swap eggs.
Question 1: Why was this game important to you? Ocarina of Time is the defining game of my defining games it set the standards for what all games should aim for. I remember the first time I stepped out of Kokiri Forest and onto Hyrule Field. I could see Death Mountain to my right and Lake Hylia to my left. I knew these would be obstacles in my path and eagerly pursued them. Whenever I play a new game I always compare it to OoT and if I can create a game that’s just a fraction as awesome as it I would die a proud and happy man. Question 2: From a Design Perspective, What made the game fun? This game taught me that the righteous path is certainly far from the easiest. One major aspect of the game is acquiring new weapons or tools and figuring out how to use them, the first time I successfully pulled the eye from Morphea, the boss of the water temple with the longshot I felt extremely satisfied. When I used my bow to take down Phantom Ganon and watched him write around on the ground clutching his heart I was extremely proud of myself. The best part of the game is when you finally Zelda and can look back and see how the world was peaceful once again, there is no greater feeling.
Question 1: Why was this game important to you? StarFox64 was one of the first games I got to play when I first got my Nintendo 64. I vividly remember my father and I trying to one up each other’s scores, our rivalry became so intense my father almost lost his job. Apparently he was missing work to play. It was the only video game my father ever played with me and those memories are some of the greatest I have of him. Question 2: From a Design Perspective, What made the game fun? This was an action simulation type of game. The game had several planets or levels and what made the game great is that each new planet was almost perfectly balanced as far as difficulty. This gave me a great sense of achievement as I progressed and overcame increasingly difficult challenges. Another great aspect were the planets themselves, each one was beautifully designed and no planet resembled another and I was always excited to see what the next level looked like. The scenery and challenges really made this game an absolute blast.
Question 1: Why was this game important to you? The Warcraft series has had a massive impact upon my life and consumed thousands, that’s no exaggeration, hours of my life. Warcraft two in particular because it was my first experience with the franchise. The game came packed with lore and that’s what made it fun for me. Every part of the story was amazing and kept me wanting more. If in the future I design the greatest RTS in history it will be because I played Warcraft 2 as a child. Question 2: From a Design Perspective, What made the game fun? This game taught me several things including resource management, strategy, and how to carefully plan your actions. The part of the game that’s is the most fun is building a massive army and destroying your opponents like Cthulhu would to all humanity. The sensation I got when the VICTORY! Banner flashed was amazing, particularly after a long and rough battle. Just like StarFox64 challenges and overcoming them are the heart of this game and progress well throughout the main campaign and even carry over well to online scrimmages.
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