Last Christmas, a thoughtful friend gifted me a treasure from the past: the 1997 PC Gamer US “Holiday Extravaganza” issue. This remarkable edition spans 456 pages filled with news, reviews, interviews, and an array of retro full-page ads that transport readers back to the golden age of PC gaming in the late ’90s. At the helm was Gary Whitta, the screenwriter of Rogue One, who served as editor-in-chief during this nostalgic period. Among the highlights is his glowing 94% review of the iconic Star Wars game, Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight.
One of the standout features is an interview with the legendary game designer Warren Spector, nestled on page 66. In this conversation, Spector discusses his transition to John Romero’s Ion Storm from Looking Glass Studios, a pivotal move that would eventually lead to the creation of the acclaimed title, Deus Ex. However, the insights from Chris Norden, the lead programmer for Deus Ex, provide a fascinating counterpoint to Spector’s enthusiasm for the Quake engine. Norden reflects on the challenges they faced, stating, “As much as I respected the Quake technology, I knew at the time that there was no support.” He elaborates on the limitations of Quake, emphasizing that it was primarily a shooter engine, which posed significant hurdles for their ambitious project.
Norden’s candid remarks reveal the complexities of game development during that era. “If you wanted to make something other than an FPS, it was a lot of work, and you got no support from Id,” he recalls. The tools available were less than user-friendly, particularly for designers who lacked engineering backgrounds. He confidently asserts that choosing Unreal over Quake was a game-changer for Deus Ex, stating, “I think if we had chosen Quake, it would have been a much more difficult game to make.”
Reflections from the Past
This interview, originally published in PC Gamer Vol. 4 #12, December 1997, captures a moment in time when the industry was on the cusp of transformation. Spector’s reflections on the plug-and-play nature of Quake 2 stand in stark contrast to his experiences at Origin, where in-house development was the norm and using external code was frowned upon. Ion Storm was ahead of its time, embracing middleware solutions like Unreal, a practice that has since become standard in the industry.
The PC Gamer interviewer concluded the piece with a prudent note of caution, reminding readers that their discussion with Spector was speculative, as no game was ready for showcase at that point. It’s amusing to ponder how history might have shifted had they boldly claimed, “I think I was just told about one of the best games that will ever be made.” Such reflections not only highlight the unpredictability of game development but also celebrate the innovative spirit that defined that era.
