Interviews

Interview with Francisco “Grundislav” Gonzalez
Ben Jordan Developer

Conducted by Ryan P. Casey, August 2004

JA - How did you get your start in the gaming industry?

I wanted to create my own games ever since I started playing adventure games as a kid. Unfortunately, I never found a suitable medium in the early days. Back in like 1991 you could buy 5 1/4" floppies from bookstores, and I picked one up called "Quest Maker" which promised to be able to do everything I was looking for. Turns out it was a piece of junk, with a tiny little character that looked like a rip-off of Leisure Suit Larry and a pink square that was some kind of global flag. Oh, and a screen with a pipe. As you can probably tell, I don't remember much about it.

Then, when I was in high school, a friend gave me his unused copy of Klik and Play, and I messed around with it trying to make "adventures." I actually made some adventure games in Klik and Play first. Of course, they were even worse than they are now :)

In my first year at college I was looking on Home of the Underdogs and either found Rob Blanc or Reality on the Norm, I can't remember which I played first. Anyway, once I found the link to AGS, I downloaded it and started playing around with it, and the rest is history as they say.

JA - What did you like about creating your other projects?

The freedom to be able to do whatever I wanted and create whatever I wanted. Of course, this pretty much applies to all the stuff I've done. It's what I love most about making games, pure creative freedom.

JA - What inspired the idea of Ben Jordan?

The desire to do something original. Looking back on my released games I saw I'd put out 3 RON titles, some MAGS games, and a demo for Granny Zombiekiller, a project which I ended up canceling because it was essentially a one-joke plot. I wanted to start up a new game franchise, something I could work with for a period of time. I've always loved the idea of story arcs, especially in games, so I wanted to make a series that, once completed, when you play from start to finish, you could see how things progressed, like the main character's attitude, or just little things that seem trivial in an early game that then become important in later games.

As far as the idea of a paranormal investigator, it was just appealing. Although it's kind of cliché at this point, I wanted my idea to be different in the sense that Ben investigates paranormal phenomenon that are tied to local legends and folklore. I wanted to emphasize world travel and different cultures.

JA - What hindrances have you encountered with Ben Jordan?

The usual hindrance when I make games: puzzle design. I'm a sucker for story, and when I make games I put the most emphasis on creating an interesting plot. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to mix in logical puzzles with a coherent plot. I mean, without puzzles it's essentially just watching a pixellated movie, but at the same time, it takes you out of the story if you have to do something ridiculous like walking all over the place looking for an obscure item for a character.

I'll give you an example: In Case 1, the main thing I wanted to focus on was the fact that it was Ben's first case, and it was going to end up being more than he bargained for. The main plot point was that he befriended Ranger Rick, who in the end turned out to just want to kill the Skunk Ape for profit so he could quit his job. I wanted to have Ben trust the guy, then feel betrayed, which is why I put in the scene by the campfire. Just two guys bonding. Also, there was the effect of seeing a man killed right before his eyes. In the end, however, I thought it might be too melodramatic, so I toned it down a bit.

Of course, I wasn't really able to come up with many puzzles. Which is why the game was so short. I was able to come up with more stuff for Case 2, but I'm still working on the whole logic bit. It's very hard not to fall into the old " Bring me some water and I'll give you this knife, just because I happen to have one" scenario.

JA - What is the most positive aspect of creating the Ben Jordan games?

I have lots of fun making them, and the idea that people are playing the games and enjoying them always makes you feel good as a developer.

JA - Is the adventure genre dying out?

A tricky question. From the looks of it, yes. At least, commercially, it is. The Golden Age of the early '90s is unquestionably over, and I don't see many new adventures like the ones everyone remembers as the greats being released. However, with AGS and other engines, the genre is still alive for independent developers. Plus, there's been some great games coming out of the indie community, some that are even better quality than anything commercial nowadays. As long as there is the desire to play them and people making them, adventure games will never really die.

JA - How do you feel about games like Sam & Max 2 being cancelled?

I think it's a real shame. But enough has been said on that subject, and my opinion doesn't differ much, so we'll move on.

JA - Okay, then. What makes a solid adventure game for you?

A good story that keeps me interested, and a fun factor. There's nothing worse than getting bored playing an adventure game. You have to want to know what's going to happen, to care about your main character and any supporting characters, and just have fun throughout the experience.

JA - What would you like to see more of from developers?

More adventure games.

JA - Lucas Arts or Sierra?

Depends what I'm in the mood for. Both companies put out some real classics. Each has their distinct pros and cons, but overall I like them both.