Game Industry Legends: Sid MeierIf you ask game developers to name some of the most influential games for them, chances are Civilization will be one of them. So it shouldn't be a surprise that Sid Meier is greatly respected among designers. His games include famous titles like F-15 Strike Eagle, Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and a host of other simulation and strategy games. Currently, he works as Director of Creative Development for Firaxis Games, the company he co-founded in 1996. Recognized around the world as “The father of Computer Gaming”, Sid was featured in the 2008 Guinness World Records Book for the most videogame awards received in the history of the industry. He has been a game designer for more than 30 years.
IndustryGamers: What year did your first game project ship?
Sid Meier: My first job out of college was in the late 1970s. I was a programmer at General Instrument in Hunt Valley, Maryland, which is where I met Bill Stealey (former MicroProse partner). We worked together there and one day while we were attending a business conference, we decided to play a flight-sim arcade game during one of the breaks. Bill was impressed that I kept winning and I told him it was because I could tell what the AI was going to do each time. Bill challenged me to design a better game in two weeks and that’s how MicroProse got started with the first video game. I had a big part in designing and programming Spitfire Ace, which shipped in 1982.
IG: How big was that first game development team, and how big was the budget?
SM: Bill and I started MicroProse Software in 1980. It was a dream come true to start MicroProse and to make video games for a living. Our earliest games had a team of one! It’s amazing how much we’ve evolved since then. I still feel it’s the best job in the world and every day I’m thankful that I get to make games.
IG: What are the biggest changes in the game industry you've seen? How does that compare to budgets and team sizes with the games you're doing now?
SM: The industry has definitely changed from a business standpoint. Most games are much more expensive to make now than when I started in the early 1980s. Back then, we could make a game in our garage with three people and now it typically takes a team of at least 30-50 people and a lot of money to make a great game. There is also far more competition, more gaming platforms and a constant influx of new games for players to choose from.
IG: How have these changes affected game design? Are the changes positive, or negative, or something of both?
SM: Creatively, we’re still faced with the same fun challenges we had in the past and that’s to make a really cool and engaging game experience for the targeted platform.
IG: Do you think consoles as we know them are doomed? Will there be a successful new console generation in the next few years, or is the industry about to undergo a fundamental change?
SM: I don’t think consoles as we know them are doomed but I do think the gaming world will continue to grow and expand to innovative platforms that will deliver new experiences to players from all walks of life. And all of these fun ways to play games will coexist so that those of us who love to play games will have plenty of great options available wherever and whenever we want to play.
IG: What's the most important platform of the future, and why?
SM: I think now is one of the most exciting times to be a game designer. As far as which platform is most important, my guess is as good as yours but we’ve seen social network games and mobile games grow drastically in the past few years. Also, there are new opportunities for smaller Indie developers to make and distribute games so we’re seeing a wider variety of games on all kinds of cool devices, which is great for the whole industry.
IG: How do you think social and mobile games are changing the industry?
SM: Social and mobile games as well as games on Facebook have become an exciting new place to play games. There are hundreds of millions of people on Facebook and it looks like they’re going to stay around for a while. The good news for all of us is that there are many different ways to play games today and all of them can happily exist together, so I don’t see a reason to predict the end of social games any time soon.
IG: Are games getting smarter, more ambitious artistically, or are the pressures of massive budgets forcing less risk-taking?
SM: We’ve seen games go both ways, but I like the direction many Indie games have been going. They have been successful at carving their own path and finding a place for themselves in the industry, which is something I think all designers can learn from.
IG: Have the game industry's changes have over the past 30 years surprised you or disappointed you? In what ways?
SM: I’ve been very impressed with where games have gone in the past 30 years. Technology has improved and grown with games through the years, making the games of today unimaginable 30 years ago. Also, there are games available for every type of gamer, from kid’s games to shooters to turn-based strategy games. There really is something out there for everyone to enjoy.
IG: Are games getting any better at engaging players emotionally? Will we ever see games that have the emotional impact of a good film?
SM: Yes, I think that is possible. Many developers have been focusing on creating a stronger narrative in games and have been successful at telling impactful stories through their games. It’s just a matter of time before games resonate with players in the same way that movies resonate with viewers.
IG: What's your prediction for the next 10 or 20 years for the game industry? Artistically, technically, and financially? Is gaming really going to become as ubiquitous a medium as television?
SM: I’ve always claimed that games will someday take over the world and from where things sit today, that seems to be happening. Artistically, games will continue to improve and become more life-like and technically we’ve already seen games advance to levels we wouldn’t have dreamed of when I started making games more than 30 years ago. I’d like to think games will continue to grow and become a larger form of entertainment. Already, we’ve seen games infiltrate the social space, on smartphones and social networks, so it only seems natural that that progression will continue into the future.
IG: What can you tell us about your next project? How do you feel about it right now?
SM: I can tell you I’m busy working on something, and will give you more details as soon as the time is right.
