Our nearly-at-E3 interview series continues, this time with Kyle Shubel, who’s Managing Producer on both LittleBigPlanet and Killzone 2. Kyle’s got a lot of good advice for those looking to break into the industry and also answers the following questions that *you* asked (Blog readers who asked the question in parentheses):
- If you get the chance, what game(s) do you most want to go hands-on with at E3 2008? (Genki-Rocket)
- Who in the industry would you most like to collaborate on a game with? (indigovenom)
- When did you know for sure that you belonged in the video game business? (Sindress)
- What kind of advice would you give those currently in college and would like to pursue a career in video game development? (Voozi)
- How often do you make technical changes to your games half-way through or late into the game development cycle based on something you’ve just seen or played from other developers? (P_tear_griffin)
- If you could say one thing to the fans of your game/series out there, what would it be? (Xanog)
Kyle is a 13+ year veteran of the game industry, currently functioning as the Managing Producer, International Software Development at Sony Computer Entertainment, Kyle has also functioned as Producer at Interplay Productions and Contraband Entertainment.
Now that you know who he is and what he’s showing at E3 – what game-related questions do you want me ask Kyle next week? Tell me below.
Tomorrow’s interview: Tsubasa Inaba (Siren: Blood Curse)
Who ever came up with LBP kicks butt…
BD only… Why? Seems like the PS community is gearing more toward online based downloads, its more green for the environment and less production costs for the manufacture…? That definitely kills the poss. beta … :(
The game’s too big to fit into a PSN Title. That’s why it’ll be retail only. And who knows? Maybe they’ll throw in a Sack-Boy. :P
@Fersis
gamespot usually streams sony e3 conference
you should check here in four days http://e3.gamespot.com/
Can you share your PSN with us Kyle? lol. Cooome on, you know you want too. :-p
im really looking foreward to LBP and KZ2 can u tell us if both will have online gameplay and how thats coming along
i have no idea why but i can see the video on the blog or the video for the July 9th interview. However, i can view the video of the blog for the tutorials of firmware 2.4. Do you guys have any answers?
@ D1balla
cause they don’t always host their own videos… this one is a link to vidder…
Hey Kyle
Thanks for the entertaining video.I was actually laughing at your turrets comment/facial expression..lol LBP is gonna be my game of the year easily and since I can’t take the open Community job you guys have open due to the distance.Will you have some sort of website interactivity with LBP?
Can we get some contests going for the fans?
Maybe give one of those Plushies away?
I have question for you kyle.
I am seriously considering starting my own development firm (starting off with PC/Mac)later in life (I am only 16 right now lol).
Can you give me any advice on certain dev tools or how to get started (unfortunately I don’t know very much about programming :()?
Thanks!
@ Kyle
idk if this was answered yet but will killzone 2 have co-op? ( i really need to know b/c me and my bro love to play shooters together.)
if u cant answer this, is news on co-op on the way? maybe e3?
keep up the good work!
love the interviews! Keep ’em coming :)
Hey thatnks for the video!
Can’t wait for both LBP and Killzone 2
Can you add me on psn, its moe24
Hey Kyle aka Viper :P just passing by to say hello.
Good to see you’re still attached to Killzone. We hope to see you in some Snipe the Dev events again :P
I have some questions on Killzone2: Many online games seem to be dumbing down their effects, and graphics for the online parts on consoles and not PCs. Do you think this will effect Killzone2s MP looks at all or will this be a new industry standard for Console games?
COD:4 on the PC has the same killer effects and models they use in the SP game in both MP, and SP, but on the Xbox360/PS3 the developers chose to cut out much of the effects that made the SP game so intense. I have seen many compaireing videos of both the PC MP, and the console MP side by side and there is a noteable difference in model detail and the number of effects going on in the consoles MP of games, then there is on PC MP games.
I know it may be hard to answer without giveing info away but it’s a growing question for many hardcore and long time Console gamers and PS3/Xbox360 fans like my self and others.
Hey thx for replying to all those comment
i dont know if you answered this but will there be a story to LBP?
Can I have a free copy of LBP please?
@Travis, actually make it 2. No pain love? lol, jks ;)
I am really looking forward to LBP, just love it. OOHHH problem is, I only know one real friend who has a PS3, doh. Anyway if Media molecule went to advertise their game, I think it would really hit people to actually buy the game! Sweet more exclusives to look forward to.
Also is LittleBig Planet going to be released worldwide on the same date? (cause I’m from Australia and we always get things last, boo hoo)
Hi Jeff!
Will Sony be planning anything big for the PSN during the week of E3? Like releasing demos,trailers and what-not?
@67/Travis
Can I have Sackboy in PAIN please?
;)
heres a game-related question for next week…
“do you think digital distribution is the future of gaming?”
Wow you guys ROCK!!! Actually taking time to reply to our posts is just bloody awesome. Keep kicking A$$!!!!!!
To Mr. Inaba:
Which games, movies, and/or books have most influenced you when you began designing Siren: Blood Curse?
To Mr. Shubel:
What is the most awesomest thing you’ve seen somebody do in LittleBigPlanet so far?
kyle lil big planet is a huge game for the ps3.
will lil big planet be at the ps truck that going to be in front of Yankees stadium the nest few days.
Great interview, but i;m surprised no one has really asked this
But if you could work on any triple A title what would it be and why?
Hey i have a question.
Im thinking about getting into this business but i live in new zealand. where should i start?
New games, new games, can’t wait!!
What a friendly chap, really loved the video :-) Can’t wait for Little Big Planet. Fun thing is, I was thinking last night and asked myself a question: on which consoles from which company you find the most innovative and original games? Nintendo or Playstation, as I’m fan of both but love Playstation more. Well, I had to say, Playstation! Games like Ico, Shadow of Colossus, Loco Roco and Patapon in the past and now games like FlOw, Pixeljunk Eden and of course… Little Big Planet… All games which are in my opinion a 1000 times more innovative, creative and original than Nintendo does with its WII :-)
Oh yeah got any advice for a 31 year old female gamer in the game industry, with no dev experience at all, but of course with a huge amount of experience with games and a good, big mouth *lol*
Just curious :-D
@Travis, ey dude, we gamers deserve more of a free copy, buy yours :P
I CAN’T WATCH THESE VIDEOS VIA MY PS3!
I love the blog, and these videos. But Flash software in the browser really, really, needs to be upgraded.
@fran68
Your not alone, I’m from Australia :)
Thanks for anwsering my question Jeff !
LBP was originally planned as a PSN title. But it grew and grew and it became not only a fully fledged title, but one of the most anticipated games this year, its been touted as a system seller. What are your thoughts? How are the development dealing with this magnitude of pressure?
Thanks Kyle
@54 Brandon
Thanks for your anwser brandon
I am using Mozilla Firefox 2.x
The videos that are posted NEVER display in my browser. I have flash, silverlight, and others installed on my computer, so I’m not sure what’s going on.
Does anybody else have problems with the videos displaying?
Not on my computer no, have Firefox as installed well, but video’s from here work perfectly. Only indeed… not on the PS3, same with Gametrailers. Only sound no visuals.
@67 Travis Williams
I will go further…
can i haz litl’ big planetz ?
kyles the man!!!!!!!!!!
@Kyle Shubel
“LBP has both online multiplayer and offline multiplayer of up to 4 players on 1-4 PS3’s.”
Can I play 1 player across 4 PS3’s? haha jk, thanks for all the responses here!
@Travis,
I find it hilarious when you comment on other dev’s posts! haha nice work. Really though, it does show a deeper level of community and makes us feel like we’re at Sony or something in some weird way. Keep it up!
I love these interviews! I like getting to hear what the people who make the games love most about games… It’s just cool! :)
2 bad unlike Deb, he doesn’t answer most of ur questions.
I must say, that this series of developer questionaires is really a great way to bring the gamers in tune with the developers and can really bring together a sense of community.
Keep it up!
@ Kyle Shubel
I have noticed a few gaming sites reporting that LBP will “limit” or the customizability that user generated content will have. The problem seems to stem from fear that people will create objects in the environments that are obscene or simply copywrighted. I would ask that you PLEASE find a way to simply censor what get’s posted rather than cut back on what we can build. In other words, since we all have to click “I agree” on the licese agreement we have with any online game, then put some wording in there that says if a user posts obscene content, that it will be taken down. Repeat offenders can simply lose the ability to upload their content.
What can you tell us about this “limiting” we are hearing about to make us feel better? LBP is FAR too innovative of an experience to allow this to happen. Thank you! :)
Hey Kyle,
Will Little Big Planet have some sort of inventory system?
I would like to create a level where you can collect bombs for some massive level destruction :-)
Kyle, I never played the orginal Killzone for PS2, but I did play the demo that I got free at EB Games. What I’m saying is that if you’re going to keep anything from the original game make the way the melee system works. Every time I played that demo I thought it was so cool how realistic it was when you go up to a guy and do a melee combo that was unique with the type of weapon you use. Just thought you should know.
Awesome, thanks for putting my question up there!
And Kyle, come back to PSU, we need you to teach the newbies about how awesome Killzone 2 will be. Don’t make me say “please” with a “w”.
Is there any possibility to speak to one or two of you guys about “How to become a game developer”?
I really really love games. But in adition to tha fact that I love playing games, I’d love to know how they actually work and what progress it takes to build a game from the scretch.
But the problem is to get into it… You have to study and so on but who on earth can bare that?
I live in germany and if I want to study “game design” I would have to pay about 800€ a month to the university! 800€! That’s $1280!
IS THERE NO OTHER WAY???