Tim Schafer and Lee Petty
The mind behind Grim Fandago, Psychonauts and Broken Age joined by the mind behind Headlander
Discussion
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
Hi, I'm Tim Schafer, President of Double Fine Productions, a San Francisco based video game developer, makers of many critically acclaimed games such as Psychonauts, Brutal Legend, and more recently Broken Age.
Prior to founding Double Fine 15 years ago, I worked at LucasArts as project lead on Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle and Grim Fandango, and as a writer / assistant designer on Monkey Island 1 & 2.
With me today is Lee Petty, a Project Lead here at Double Fine who previously made Stacking, but is currently working on a 70's science fiction inspired action-platforming game called Headlander, which is is what we'd like to talk about today.
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Russ Frushtick
@russfrushtick
Hey guys, thanks for joining us! A question for each of you:
@timoflegend What's your day to day like these days? Obviously DF is much more spread out in terms of a handful of smaller projects rather than one big monster project. How hands-on are you with day to day development/writing or do you mostly oversee the teams but let them take the lead for their own individual projects?
@leepetty Do you feel the culture at DF has changed since you guys started down the road of smaller projects? Any surprising benefits/detractors? Also what's one dope thing about Headlander that hasn't really made it to the public yet?
Jake Crump
@jakecrump · Community Team with Product Hunt
Hey guys, so glad to have you here! Double Fine games always have fantastic environments. What was the inspiration for Headlander's groovy '70's space vibe?
@jakecrump I'm a big fan of 70's science fiction -- and actually of 70's art, architecture, graphic design as well. One of the reasons that I wanted to make a game set in a world influenced by that era is about how technology was perceived at the time. Computers were still kinda new. People were struggling to figure out how technology would shape our future. I guess we're still struggling with it, but looking back at the 70's take on it, it now seems so off the mark that its charming.
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
@leepetty @jakecrump Also, spandex.
@timoflegend @jakecrump Fiberglass is the spandex of the robot world. Headlander will prove this.
Bert Snow
@snowbert · VP of Design, Muzzy Lane
One of our designers has Psychonauts action figures sitting on his desk. Should we fire him, give him a raise, or steal the action figures?
@snowbert Sounds like a straight-shooter with upper-management potential written all over him.
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
@leepetty @snowbert Yeah, I like them already. Please send their email addresses to jobs@doublefine.com!
Jake Crump
@jakecrump · Community Team with Product Hunt
So it's safe to say that adventure games are officially back now right? Or better question: Did they really ever leave us?
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
@jakecrump It's safe to say that people aren't embarrassed to say they love them anymore!
RipSkateDestroy
@ripskatedestroy
My kids (and me) absolutely loved Kinect Party and Double Fine Happy Action Adventure , I think they gave me almost all the achievements... Anything similar planned for the future?
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
@ripskatedestroy Not right now, but maybe someday. I loved making those games too! So glad you like them.
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
@thomasmolby You are awesome! Thanks for coming!
hollow
@hollowleviathan
Any news for less touted Amnesia Fortnight titles, like Black Lake? Or even Jet Girl and Ghost Dog?
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
@hollowleviathan Someday we'll tell the stories of all those games...
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Tim Schafer
@timoflegend · CEO, Double Fine Productions
@timoflegend @hollowleviathan ...after the wounds have healed. (DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Ryan Hoover
@rrhoover · Founder, Product Hunt
YESSS, awesome to see @TimOfLegend and @leepetty on LIVE.
You've made some awesome things. What are you most proud of and why?