n-Space has been an active participant of the gaming industry for more than 15 years, creating some truly fun games in the process. In this two part interview we sat down with n-Space president Dan O' Leary and creative director Ted Newman and talked about the company's legacy, their past, present and future games, and the secrets to being a successful game development.

Part One: n-Space President Dan O' Leary

On the company…

Nintendo World Report (NWR): Can you explain our readers your role at n-Space?

Dan O' Leary (DOL): I am one of the three original founders, along with Erick Dyke and Sean Purcell. In 2008 Sean left the company to pursue other interests and we lost Erick to cancer, leaving me the only remaining partner. As such I wear many hats. My main focus these days is sales and marketing of the company and our development teams to publishers – securing development deals that keep n-Space moving forward. This involves developing game concepts and business proposals that are requested as well as directing and overseeing internal demos. I also work with studio and team leadership on our day-to-day product development efforts – interfacing with publishers, reviewing milestones, etc. Finally, I deal with a lot of what it takes to run the business – payroll, accounting, insurance, taxes, etc., etc. It’s a lot but I am blessed with a very strong group of talented and dependable people that make it easy.

NWR: n-Space has been in the business for more than 15 years. What knowledge have you gained from your experiences?

DOL: 15 years is a long time – almost half of the entire lifespan of the console game industry. In that time we’ve had many learning experiences, so this is quite a difficult question to answer. As an independent game development company, the key lesson n-Space has learned is the importance of self-reliance. It really all boils down to that.

n-Space is ultimately responsible for the games we make and we embrace that, taking as much control as we can, wherever possible. Our teams are taught to minimize all dependencies, take the lead and make the best game possible with the time and resources provided. Every project is different – team, goals, schedule, publishing partner, etc. – and this method doesn’t always work out, but it’s still the best way to keep the team focused and insulate us from changes in direction, management, storyline, schedule, etc.

NWR: What were some of the challenges n-Space faced when it first started?

DOL: Looking back, I’m very proud of what we were able to overcome as a startup. I guess the trick was that, at the time, we didn’t see the challenges, only the opportunity. We were young (25-27) and fired up, with the right combination of impervious and oblivious to the hurdles that were all around us. Erick, Sean and I were all engineers, with no formal business training, but we worked very hard, learned fast, ran a simple, low-overhead operation and hired people that shared our passion. Also, we paid experts to handle anything that pulled our focus away from development.

The biggest early challenge came about a 9 months after we started and it nearly ended the company. At that time there were two Sony-owned game publishing groups in the US: Sony Computer Entertainment of America (SCEA), the 1st Party PlayStation development group, and Sony Imagesoft, a group that had focused on developing and publishing for the 16-bit consoles and PC.

As the excitement surrounding the PlayStation launch grew, so did the tension between SCEA and Imagesoft as they both vied for control in this important new business initiative. Eventually Sony Corporate was convinced that two internal development groups was redundant and consolidated them. Our partners at SCEA found themselves out on the street, leaving the future of our title and company very much unknown. After a series of uncomfortable negotiations with Sony we decided our only real option was to look for a new publishing partner. With help from some of our new industry contacts we were able to sign a last-minute deal with GT Interactive to create TigerShark for PS1. We went on to do three more titles for GT and built relationships in that process that have lasted 15 years.

On Call of Duty Modern Warfare: Mobilized…

NWR: How hard was it to translate a high-end game like Modern Warfare into a handheld title?

DOL: When we create a Call of Duty DS title it is not our goal to translate the console experience. Instead, we do our best to make a great FPS for the system that feels authentic to the brand. We try to make something that Infinity Ward and Treyarch are impressed with, something that lives up to their expectations, along with our own. That alone is hard enough.

Too many reviewers have foolishly compared our CoD DS titles to the console titles, as if their readers are trying to decide "should I buy it for the 360/PS3 or the DS?" Come on. We make games that complement the nextgen products, not ports that compete against them. Our games feature unique missions, storylines, mechanics, etc. all designed exclusively for the DS' unique feature set. We work very hard to deliver the best possible CoD experience on the DS because that’s what we expect of ourselves, that's what the fans want and that’s what the brand demands.

NWR: How much did Activision influence the development of the title?

DOL: Activision is a great partner and all the titles we develop with them are very collaborative efforts. n-Space is expected to own the game design and its implementation but we work closely with Activision during pre-production to establish the game's overall direction and goals. Throughout the project we maintain almost daily e-mail communication as well as weekly scheduled calls to discuss progress / status. We deliver monthly milestone builds for which Activision provides detailed and timely feedback documents covering level design, art and technical issues. Activision is also responsible for interfacing with Infinity Ward and Treyarch to keep them informed of our progress and gather their feedback. It's a pretty typical developer-publisher relationship, but we are fortunate to work with a great team of professionals at Activision that are strong supporters of this series and do their jobs very well.

NWR: What issues did you face when creating an online heavy title for the DS?

DOL: When looking at creating an online heavy title on the DS, we have to take a few things into consideration.

The connection process is challenging. All connections for Wi-Fi on the DS are made through the Gamespy server system, so when players search for each other it takes a bit of time to get them connected, the amount of time depends on how many players are searching. This results in players waiting rather than playing. One solution we have developed to address this allows the host to create a dedicated server of sorts. Players who have exchanged friend codes with the host are able jump onto his server quickly and from there players can remain connected for as long as they wish.

Another major issue is trying to balance new features and player wishes with our internal performance goals. We strive to provide a nearly lag free multiplayer experience so we are extremely careful when adding new features to our multiplayer mix. Everything comes down to memory and packet size.

We do a lot of research on features before committing them to any particular product. Teams brainstorm wish lists for the Multiplayer experience and we look to the online communities for hints as to what they would like to see. We then come up with a short list of potentials and begin exploring those features, sticking with those features that are the most compelling in terms of "bang for your buck" and enhancing gameplay.

If we find a feature that is really cool, but don't have the proper memory budget for it, we are forced to re-evaluate our memory budget, shelve the feature for a later product, or scrap the feature altogether. In the end it all comes down to the gameplay.

NWR: If given the opportunity, would you develop a Call of Duty game for the consoles?

DOL: Of course we would be thrilled to have such an opportunity. As fans of the Call of Duty series it is a great honor to be a part of this fantastic brand and we would jump at the chance to expand our involvement with it.

On licensed games…

NWR: n-Space has worked on many licensed games in the past. How's it like working with an established franchise? Do you get to collaborate with the original creators?

DOL: It's different from project to project but we are typically one step removed from the creators who are typically involved in many licensing arrangements at the same time. Our most direct relationships have been with George and Scott at 3D Realms and Andy Hartnell and J. Scott Campbell for DangerGirl.

The biggest advantage of working with an established franchise is, of course, that you are working with an existing fanbase and mythology. This gives us a lot to work with creatively and gives baseline sales numbers that builds the business case for a better development budget. Both of these can lead to better games when put to good use.

NWR: Reception on these types of games is always mixed and poor. What are your thoughts?

DOL: There are a lot of factors involved in this assessment. Licensed games almost always have fixed end dates in order to sync up with the release of a movie, TV season, dvd release, etc. This can lead to products that are released before they are ready. There are also more constraints to work within and more dependencies to satisfy. Together, these factors can paint the developer into a corner where you are just trying to make the best of things.

Also, licensed properties have dedicated and passionate fans with their own personal expectations about the kind of game they want to play. Even a great game can get trashed by the fanbase if its not what they expected or wanted to play.

Add to this a cynical outlook from gamers that are too often burned by disappointing licensed titles and it’s easy to understand the up-hill battle these titles face.

NWR: Out of all the franchises n-Space have worked with, which proved to be the most challenging?

DOL: Because of the fan factor I’d say that the Star Wars and Marvel titles have been some of our most challenging. These fans are extremely passionate and very knowledgeable about every little detail in these universes. They are also accustomed to and demand top-quality products and have very specific personal attachments to characters, storylines, conflicts, vehicles and other aspects of these great properties. We know this as well as anyone as most of the n-Space staff are themselves Star Wars and Marvel fans. It’s very difficult to make a game that makes everyone in such a diverse, well-informed and highly opinionated group happy. Our approach is to make the game we’d like to play as fans, taking into consideration all the feedback and information we can gather from past products – successes and failures. We feel a big responsibility to the fans on every game but these licenses are particularly challenging.

On recent WiiWare efforts…

NWR: Both Target Toss Pro: Bags and Carnival King were first arcade games before making their WiiWare debut. What were the challenges of converting arcade games into downloadable WiiWare titles?

DOL: These are great products and we've had a lot of fun working on them with the team at Incredible Technologies. They are accurate ports of the arcade games, based on the original code and art resources.

Logistically speaking, the biggest challenge is getting everything to fit into a download package that meets Nintendo specifications. Target Toss Pro: Bags came to us as about 4gb of data and the resulting download is just under 40mb. Lots of careful decisions need to be made about what to cut, what to keep and how to efficiently repackage assets to make that happen.

Technically, the biggest challenge is getting the feel of these games spot on with the original titles. Making a Wii Remote "throw" with the same feel as the trackball on the original cabinet, reworking the bags physics for our collision system so that they move and bounce in a similar manner, calibrating the Wii pointer to match the precise gun game play in Carnival King… these are tough things that make or break this kind of game.

NWR: Are there any plans to continue with WiiWare development?

DOL: Digital downloads are clearly an important part of the future of the game business and the Wii is one of our core competencies at n-Space, so it's likely you'll see more from us in this area. However, I wish that Nintendo would do more to promote the service, make it easier for people to use and increase the volume of sales. I believe it has tremendous untapped potential.

On game development…

NWR: Aside from differences in processing power and storage space, what challenges do you believe portable and home console platforms present to game developers, respectively?

DOL: It's all about the interface isn't it? The human interface, I mean – the controller. These days we've got touch screens and tilt controls, accelerometers and cameras. Soon we'll have real-time full body skeletal mapping, voice control, and who knows what else. n-Space has been on the leading edge of this trend, starting with prototype Wii controllers long before any announcement and creating innovative products throughout the DS lifespan. To really reach their potential, these games have to be made for the interface from the ground up, not adapted from more traditional input schemes. Getting into that mindset and creating something that isn’t gimmicky or forced is a big challenge.

NWR: What do you think is the most important factor that goes into making an enjoyable game?

DOL: The passion of the team creating it. Without that you might make a good product, but a great game requires more. Passionate teams are what give great games their soul.

NWR: Any comments for our readers who wish to develop games for a living?

DOL: Make sure it’s something you are truly passionate about. This is a tough industry to get into and it can ask a lot of the people in it. The good times are fabulous but the bad times can be downright heartbreaking. As a result, it’s an industry made up primarily of people that wouldn’t do anything else.

If that sounds like you, go for it! Pursue an appropriate education, but also take advantage of all that the internet has to offer. Hone your craft, create a portfolio, solicit feedback, improve your work, become an expert. Results matter at least as much as your credentials, so go make something. Then make more. The tools and knowledge are in easy reach, so don’t wait. Commit yourself now to a lifetime of learning and improvement. This career requires it. Take criticism. Love what you do.

NWR: Thank you Dan for taking time from your busy schedule to chat with us!

DOL: You are very welcome. Thank you for the opportunity and for the great questions. Keep up the great work on NWR!

Tune in next week when we talk with n-Space Creative Director Ted Newman about cult favorite Geist and the Wii Winter demo