Rare producer on his and Viva Pinata’s media influences
Rare Ltd.’s rather quirky title Viva Pinata has been making a lot of noise since it was released back in November. While majority of those who’ve seen and played the game gave it a thumbs up, there are a handful of “hard to please” individuals who think otherwise. Oh well, the last we look, you still can’t please everybody.
Anyway, given the nature of the game, it is always good to know the different influences tapped into by its developers. Gaming site Gamasutra managed to catch up with Rare Producer Steve Brand and have a short talk about the matter. Being on the gaming industry himself, it is logical that some of inspirations came from other games. He discussed:
My favorite games are generally those that I can pick up and enjoy in short bursts. I’ve just completed Half-Life 2: Episode 1. I’ve played through the original HL2 a few times now and still enjoy it. Lately I’ve been enjoying Saints Row, again in short bursts, and have to admit to becoming hooked on UNO over Live.
Aside from those games, Brand also shared that he can’t do without music and movies. As of now, he admitted that there is no particular favorite but his library of music includes anything between Iron Maiden“>Iron Maiden and the Horace Silver Quartet. Then, the official happily suggested folk song “For Girls who grow plump in the Night.” Moving on to movies, Brand revealed:
One of my favorite films is a low budget British film called “Withnail and I.” I tend to return to that more than any other. I also enjoy Richard Linklater’s movies, “Dazed and Confused” being a particular favorite. I prefer films that don’t rely on massive budgets and special effects to hold your interest. A strong and deep script for me is the most important thing.
Lastly, Brand shared that he has been reading the biography of John Peel, a DJ who passed away last year whom Brand referred to as influential, as well as a vampire thriller book titled “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova.
Via Gamasutra
Rare Ltd.’s rather quirky title Viva Pinata has been making a lot of noise since it was released back in November. While majority of those who’ve seen and played the game gave it a thumbs up, there are a handful of “hard to please” individuals who think otherwise. Oh well, the last we look, you still can’t please everybody.
Anyway, given the nature of the game, it is always good to know the different influences tapped into by its developers. Gaming site Gamasutra managed to catch up with Rare Producer Steve Brand and have a short talk about the matter. Being on the gaming industry himself, it is logical that some of inspirations came from other games. He discussed:
My favorite games are generally those that I can pick up and enjoy in short bursts. I’ve just completed Half-Life 2: Episode 1. I’ve played through the original HL2 a few times now and still enjoy it. Lately I’ve been enjoying Saints Row, again in short bursts, and have to admit to becoming hooked on UNO over Live.
Aside from those games, Brand also shared that he can’t do without music and movies. As of now, he admitted that there is no particular favorite but his library of music includes anything between Iron Maiden“>Iron Maiden and the Horace Silver Quartet. Then, the official happily suggested folk song “For Girls who grow plump in the Night.” Moving on to movies, Brand revealed:
One of my favorite films is a low budget British film called “Withnail and I.” I tend to return to that more than any other. I also enjoy Richard Linklater’s movies, “Dazed and Confused” being a particular favorite. I prefer films that don’t rely on massive budgets and special effects to hold your interest. A strong and deep script for me is the most important thing.
Lastly, Brand shared that he has been reading the biography of John Peel, a DJ who passed away last year whom Brand referred to as influential, as well as a vampire thriller book titled “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova.
Via Gamasutra