Developer Interview - Rashere

This is a new feature we wanted to try on Defiance Data, getting some more communication with the development team focusing on background and environment. Something separate from the weekly development Q&As.

Let us know what you think about this format, if you would like to see more, what questions you might want answered and who should we target next?

Could you introduce yourself briefly?

I’m Travis McGeathy, known as Rashere within the game and on the forums. I’m relatively new to Trion, having been here less than a year, and even newer to Defiance, but I’ve been making games since the mid-90s. Over that time, I’ve worked on close to 30 titles, most of them online games and MMOs, though I tend to get recognized most for my stint as the Lead Designer on EverQuest.

What do you do on Defiance, job title and roles?

I’m the Lead Designer for Defiance and work closely with Trick, the Creative Lead, and Rich, the Producer, to help guide the overall direction of the game. Day-to-day, I also take care of the mechanics and system design for the game so when you see me on the forums, I’m primarily talking about the under-the-hood things that make the game tick. Especially guns, cause who doesn’t like guns?

You've been with us about half a year now, how have you settled in? How long did it take you to get caught up on the games workings?

You never get caught up on a live title. ;) MMOs are mammoth things with tons of moving parts and many nooks and crannies in the design. It took me a couple weeks to get my feet under me for the general stuff; how the tools work, wrapping my brain around what has come before, what the game is capable of doing, etc. I can safely say, though, that there’s still something new I learn about how the game works every day.

What is your typical workday like?

It varies a lot depending on the project I’m working on and where it’s at in development. At the start of a big project, like kicking off Alcatraz, there’s a lot of planning: concept creation, design discussions, coordination meetings, etc. Once we’ve decided on a direction, the concepts need to be fleshed out into full systems, which entails creating system specifications, math, excel jockeying, and coordinating with engineering and art to make sure everyone is on the same page. There’s a focus on rooting out problem areas at this phase, before we spend time on implementation, and then ongoing conversations as things are developed and additional questions come up. Once the basic systems are in place, it’s time to implement the specifics which is long hours of working in the design tools, setting up the base data, tuning, testing, bug fixing, and iteration.

Regardless of the project, though, every day also involves issue triage, bug fixing, play testing, planning for future updates, and I try to keep an eye on the forums and other avenues of feedback, particularly after something new has gone to PTS.

We've seen you tweaking weapons lately, have you tried anything that ended up amusing and is worth sharing?

Generally, the stuff I’ve tried that’s worth sharing has made its way into the game. Most recently, that’s the Northstar Blaze, a semi-auto variant on the Northstar Flare. Players will see it in the Valentine’s events as one of the Heartbreaker weapons, but I like it enough that I’ll probably add it to normal drops with Alcatraz as well.

I’ve also toyed around with making an infector shotgun, though to paraphrase Jurassic Park “…you were so preoccupied with whether or not you could that you didn't stop to think if you should.”

What is different about Defiance development from other video games you've worked on?

Every game is unique and has its own challenges, particularly as a designer, since almost every game has to create design tools from scratch so you tend to come in blind as to how to actually do work. Fortunately, the core principals of what makes a game fun are universal. When coming into a project like this, the big thing is really a matter of figuring out what the game is capable of and how to make it do what you want.

Will we ever see you guest star on the livestream?

Probably, once I have something worth talking about on the livesteam.

Have you personalised your desk? what's on it?

A little. I tend to keep my workspace pretty sparse, but I have a Munch toy (mascot from my last company), a Todd McFarlane troll statue from one of the last games I worked on, a stuffed hellbug, and small bottles aspirin, tequila, and vodka…for emergency use.

What is the part of Defiance that you most enjoy working on?

I’ve always loved working on game systems, particularly creating new ones, so I’ve been having a blast working on Cyber Rigs for Alcatraz. I can’t wait to start talking about the details and get them into the hands of players. They’re literally a game changer. Also, who wouldn’t love making guns???

If you could snap your fingers and introduce one feature with no resource constraints, what would it be?

Social trading systems: auction house, banks, etc. They’re very time consuming to make, but I’d love to have a more robust trading system in-game.

What's your favourite weapon?

Currently, the Northstar Blaze mentioned above. It’s great for crowds and is just fun to fire.

Is there any story behind your name?

It dates back to when I first joined EverQuest as a player. I rolled an Erudite, a race that has a distinctly Middle Eastern feel to it, and wanted a name that fit that culture. It followed me when I joined the team as a dev (had to change my play character’s name to stay anonymous) and has stuck with me since.

Is there any story behind your forum avatar?

I find it humorous to think of life as a video game. The sheer volume of bugs and exploits is staggering! The developers obviously don’t care about the players!! P2W!!!