Mike Orlando: What do you feel Nintendo's main strengths and weaknesses are?

Brooke Burgess: It's strength IS it's weakness...it manages it's own business affairs and game creation/releases with an iron fist...this creates a tier of software and an intimacy with hardware that NO 3rd party publisher can match. So...you get the best games in the world, but you also frustrate 3rd parties, which, as we've seen, can shoot you in the foot.

Mike O. : Do you, as a potential 3rd-party feel threatened or frustrated?

Brooke B. : Not at all, because I'm not looking to release the next technical masterpiece or groundbreaking all-ages franchise catalyst. I want to tell a good story with decent control for the player...and anyone, third party or not...can do that.

Mike O. : What are your thoughts on the current state of the gaming industry?

Brooke B. : ... (thought you meant Monopoly there for a second ;))

Mike O. : Ha!

Brooke B. : Let's put it this way...all entertainment mediums are suffering for quality content right now. Most films suck. Most music licks. Most TV blows (are you sensing a theme here?) :) Games are no different...and it's a reflection of current cultural trends. All entertainment forms are. So, I'm hoping that someone (nudge, nudge, Nintendo) can resurrect that sense of wonder that games used to inspire. I haven't felt that way since Ocarina of Time :(

Mike O. : The best game of all time. It will be hard to live up to, or even come close to those standards, but not impossible for sure. In your opinion, which market is more important to a console's success : Japan, North America, or the combination of the other assorted markets such as Europe and Australia?

Brooke B. : Well, even though raw numbers would say North America, I think we can look at past trends and see that Japan is the litmus for a console's success. I don't necessarily know why (other than the fact that I think gamers/companies in Japan perceive interactive entertainment as more of an art form, so the cream tends to rise). But all you have to do is look at history...umm, except for some handhelds...and Neo Geo...and Turbo-Graf...nevermind :)

Mike O. : Finally, an inconclusive answer! If you want to live up to Nintendo's standards, you're going to have to produce more than one of those! (But wait until after this interview, of course…)

Broken Saints is located in Vancouver, Canada and there have been many rumors that Nintendo may be starting up a 'Nintendo Of Canada', specifically in British Columbia, which would be a developer. Have you heard anything surrounding this rumor?

Brooke B. : I've heard the rumblings. I can't say that I'm not excited by the idea.

Mike O. : Damn straight! For you, what is the biggest reason to develop for the Gamecube as a 3rd party, big or small?

Brooke B. : I think that you have an untapped audience of hardcore gamers...educated players who grew up with Nintendo...looking for games that will grow with them, games that were developed with the same design philosophy as internally-developed Nintendo games have always had. Right now, there are almost NO third-parties that are driven to tell compelling stories with their games. You could argue Square/Enix, but my feeling is that we've played all of their best stuff in the 8 and 16 bit eras anyway.

We're discussing platforms right now...it seems that some publishers aren't as keen on making a Nintendo-only original concept title as I am.

Mike O. : You sir, obviously have not played the Bouncer! An epic masterpiece, for sure! ;) Speaking of Square, Yamauchi has been very outspoken on his, and Nintendo's opinions of Square when it comes to the GBA. What is your stance on 'outspoken' developers like Jason Rubin, Lorne Lanning, and Denis Dyack? Is a little friendly ribbing lively and fun, or disrespectful and embarrassing?

Brooke B. : I'm all for the ribbing. I think that along with healthy corporate competition should follow a degree of frankness. I for one cannot STOMACH niceties and politics...it gives me hives. If something sucks, I say so...so why can't companies or their key representatives?

Mike O. : Because you might hurt their feelings! Alright, we've heard your opinions on the Gaming Industry, but we don't know what role you have played in it. Tell us about your first experience with the gaming community.

Brooke B. : Well...first I played games. Then I sold games (at a Microplay in North Vancouver, Canada). Then I sold some more games as a part-owner of a specialty store. One day a man came in and we chatted about game design, and how nothing today really compares to the old 2-bit days of Atari and Intellivision (I was humouring him at the time, but there was some truth in it). After a few months of discourse, it turned out that the man was a big shot at EA Canada, and he basically offered me an Assistant Producer's position on the spot. Then I did my 3 years in the trenches at EAC. :)

Mike O. : So what exactly does one do as an Assistant Producer at EA Canada?

Brooke B. : Fetch coffee...cover asses...kiss said asses ;)

But seriously...

High and low-level game design, scripted sequences, dialogue generation, sound design (guiding the technicians), ADR, lots of QA, marketing tidbits, too many meetings, and e-mail, e-mail, E-MAIL.

Basically you're a jack-of-all trades.

Mike O. : Why, thank you!

Brooke B. : Sassy bastard.

Mike O. : Hey, the Canucks are out of the playoffs, what am I supposed to be, nice? Ha! Anyway, sir, do you still hold the same position at EAC or a different one?

Brooke B. : I am no longer a full-time employee of Electronic Arts Canada...no. The relationship is still a pleasant one, however, as I do contracts for them on occasion.

Mike O. : Mob contracts!!! ;) So that's why there's never any real competition in the sports genre. RUN VISUAL CONCEPTS!!! Seriously though, what sort of contracts?

Brooke B. : They primarily consider me a 'writing resource', so I'm usually hired to generate dialogue, or 'doctor' existing dialogue in specific games.

Mike O. : Any recent games our readers may have heard of?

Brooke B. : A couple, in fact. I was responsible for the original story and character creation for Bond Racing PSX (I did some mission design and dialogue as well, but a lot got discarded during the crunch to get it out the door before Xmas)...as well, I managed the entire rewrite, translation, and recording for KESSEN on PS2.

Mike O. : Interesting. Have you had a hand in developing any game(s) for the Cube yet by any chance?

Brooke B. : Umm...no comment.

Mike O. : Now that's what I'm talking about. I think you'll do just fine developing for the Cube. I heard that you were the producer on Beetle Adventure Racing. First off-dude, it was (& is) a great game! What exactly was your role? What part of B.A.R. is pure Brooke Burgess?

Brooke B. : It actually isn't that accurate, but there is SOME Brooke Burgess in there. Producer Scott Blackwood was the indomitable will behind BAR, and Art Director Scott Jackson also had a huge impact on the design of the game. I put a lot of my energy into Beetle Battle (the multi-player game, but all of us contributed to that), the front-end vibe, all the cheats/codes, but most of all my thing was SOUND (not music, as Scott B also championed this category). N64 games were traditionally considered to be sickly sounding, and no-one was eager to take on the task. I worked with an excellent sound tech at Paradigm to create a 'scape that was pretty damned immersive considering the hardware/coding limitations. Anyone who watches Broken Saints can tell you that audio plays a VITAL role in that project...and in my cinematic sensibilities.

Mike O. : Perfect, let's get to the comic. What programs are used to create a finished chapter in BS? As far as the visuals go, aside from the obvious computer effects, is the core of each episode hand drawn and scanned in, drawn on the computer or a mixture of both?

Brooke B. : Drawn in Photoshop and Painter 6 on a Wacom tablet by the inimitable Andrew West :)

Mike O. : What size is the tablet?

Brooke B. : I think it's the largest...I think something like 12X20? Don't quote me on that size though.

Mike O. : Lucky bastard! I have a 6x8 I think. Quality products for sure. ONLY AT HTTP://WWW.WACOM.COM ! Do you have anything to say about the good people over at Wacom, Brooke, or would you like to inform us about the other programs/utensils used to make a finished BS chapter?

Brooke B. : Let's move away from product whoring for now ;) Of course, we use Flash 5 authoring (thanks to the lovely folks at http://www.macromedia.com) and some Dreamweaver for the website. Sound Forge for audio. Adobe Illustrator for some stuff. Umm...Microsoft Word :)

Mike O. : Think we'll get anything for the plugs?

Brooke B. : Send your cheque or money order to...

Mike O. : I think I've already sold my soul to Satan. Speaking of the Devil, have you caught any heat for the religious overtones / spiritual aspect of Broken Saints?

Brooke B. : Not at all...In fact, most readers have been overjoyed that someone's finally taking the medium beyond cheap gore and flatulence.

Mike O. : Right. As long as you admit that Conker rocks the Cazbah, I am relieved to hear this. What is your opinion on the recent lawsuit revealed by some parents involved in the Columbine incident?

Brooke B. : Parents should try actually PARENTING. 'nuff said.

Mike O. : I'd comment, but I'll just get myself in trouble. People who know me already know my stance on the subject, in that what they're doing is a crock of sh- oh yeah! I wasn't going to comment. Moving on…

As you mentioned earlier, music and sound plays a large part in Broken Saints. What kind of music inspires you, and what do you and fellow BS staffers like to listen to during a long days work?

Brooke B. : I'm really inspired by the darker side of Classical music...Requiems and the like (totally OLD-school death metal :)), but really it's a case of anything that moves me emotionally. However, in the office Ian and Andrew control the flow of MP3s, and that tends to be quite the interesting spectrum covered.

Mike O. : What similarities have you encountered in making Broken Saints (the comic) that is comparable to game development?

Brooke B. : The necessity of milestones...tuning...the QA process...creative squabbles ;)

Mike O. : I see. In your opinion, what are some of the biggest problems with comics in recent years?

Brooke B. : Derivative storylines...the sense of 'been there, done that'. Sure, there are some exceptions, but other mediums are becoming so dynamic with effects tools and narrative styles that the comic industry in general can't keep up. Foil/chrome/embossed covers just don't cut the mustard.

Mike O. : What are some of your favorite comics? All time and current?

Brooke B. : 100 Bullets is cool...Smith's run on Green Arrow right now is interesting...JLA...I'm a big DC/Vertigo fan. As for older stuff, I worship the stories of Grant Morrisson, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller. Do your research, and you'll know what titles I'm talking about ;)

Mike O. : Um... I know who Big Moose is... Many people in the funnybook business have attributed the decline of comics to video games rising in popularity. The Saints are attempting to dip their feet into both pools -what are your thoughts on the matter?

Brooke B. : I think that interactive stories can definitely eat into comic sales, because they essentially tap into the same 'escapist' vein. We used to read comics because we could imagine ourselves with certain powers in certain situations...with games, we HAVE those powers in those same situations.

Mike O. : That's an interesting outlook on the situation. Moving away from reality a second, If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Brooke B. : As far as super-powers were concerned, comic-wise I'd have to go with Green Lantern! To be able to construct ANYTHING out of sheer WILLPOWER? Wow. What would I do with it...hmm...world peace, and lots of green chicks (my own personal She Hulk sounds dandy).

If you check-out my BIO at BS, you'll see the other power that I'd dig:

Karmic Gravity. Basically, this would allow the good people to fly :)

Mike O. : Sounds good to me! After Broken Saints pt.24 what next?

Brooke B. : For the first time in my life I'm not 'projecting'...that is, I'm living in the present to the greatest degree possible. Once it's done, I'm sure my next challenge will present itself.

Mike O. : As I write this, Ch. 6 is about to go live. We've met all the key characters & they're about to meet each other. What should viewers expect for the next phase of B.S.?

Brooke B. : Easy tiger...who said they're about to meet each other ;) Viewers should expect to slowly discover more about what links the four, as well as how far-reaching the implications are. Oh, and you can expect to be creeped out...A LOT.

Mike O. : Um...thanks? Seriously, I cannot wait. Alright, time for some opinions on random matters that are hopefully related enough to Nintendo that they won't be cut. What are your top 3 most forward looked to games?

Brooke B. : Zelda Cubed...duh...Starfox cubed (not Adventures)...and a three-way tie between Mario/Luigi's Mansion/Wave Race Cubed/and Super Smash Bros...oh wait...there's one more for that OTHER system: Soul Caliber 2

Mike O. : Wave Race is going to be killer for sure. What would you most like to see Nintendo announce at E3?

Brooke B. : I'd like them announce their plans for Interactive Entertainment Domination...ahem...but seriously, I'd love to hear more about their blooming ties with Namco (Soul...cough...Caliber), Sega (Sonic in SSB?!?), and Capcom (2-D figthers on the cube, dammit). I'd also kill for a BIG surprise or two - and something tells me we might get just that :)

Mike O. : I pray every night that Nintendo would sign a contract with Konami, granting Nintendo exclusitivity to Konami's big sequel. I think you know what I'm talking about. Zombies Ate My Neighbours 2 Baby!! Oh man. If you could have full creative control on an established Nintendo franchise game for the Cube, which one would you choose, and why?

Brooke B. : I know stories, and I know shooters, and I think that a slightly more mature version of Fox and the gang with communication/mulitplayer/online features, intense space/planet battles, and mind-bending bosses/effects would rule the roost.

Mike O. : And you'd give Slippy back a man's voice, right? RIGHT?? Oh Slippy, why? Sigh. Anyway, Which developers hold the most respect in your books, and why?

Brooke B. : EAD1,2,3...Yu Suzuki's teams...some of the Stamper Bros. stuff...Hideo Kojima...guys that can tell good stories in an ENGAGING way.

Mike O. : Interesting. What is your most memorable gaming moment?

Brooke B. : I have a couple...missing a third-year mass comm. theory exam so I could break 6 million on Robotron...getting to the 156th level on D&D Treasures of Tarmin for Intellivision...beating Cliffhanger the Laserdisc game (based on the Lupin anime series)...running Mario in a circle and riding Epona with Link. Ah...the memories :)

Mike O. : For me, it was watching that cutscene in Final Fantasy 8. Man. What positives do you see in the NGC's controller when compared to the Dual Shock 2 or the Xbox controller? What negatives?

Brooke B. : Well, it looks like it's modeled a little after the Virtual Boy controller...say what you will about the dearly departed Boy, but the controller just felt 'right' in your hands. I also love the 'beaner' buttons and the camera stick. Great design. Unfortunately, I still think that they threw the digital pad in as an afterthought.

Mike O. : FINALLY, someone understands my Virtual Boy comparison! Where are your babies, I want to have them!

Pick one : NES, SNES, N64, or Gamecube. Why? I guess you can throw in Virtual Boy too.

Brooke B. : SNES. Best combination of quality gaming experiences and acceptable technology levels (good sound and visuals). Of course, I haven't seen the Cube yet ;)

Mike O. : So close though... Aside from comics and gaming, do you have any other special interests or hobbies?

Brooke B. : Film nut. Travel enthusiast. Appreciator of the female form.

Mike O. : Female form? Err.. he means calligraphy, kids! Ha ha ha! Do you have any advice to people out there looking to make their own comics?

Brooke B. : Online tools make it a LOT more feasible/affordable than print publishing, and you have the opportunity to reach a MASSIVE audience....there's nothing stopping you but time and desire.

Mike O. : Alright, time for a little word association. I'll say a word, you tell me what first springs to mind...

Brooke B. : OK

Mike O. : Miyamoto.

Brooke B. : Brilliance.

Mike O. : X-Box.

Brooke B. : Hype.

Mike O. : Canada.

Brooke B. : Proud.

Mike O. : Raimi.

Brooke B. : Paranoid...that, or Sam ;)

Mike O. : Heh, NDA.

Brooke B. : Cage.

Mike O. : Nintendo.

Brooke B. : Respect.

Mike O. : Broken Saints.

Brooke B. : Me. (And Andrew! And Ian!)

Mike O. : Go teamwork!!

Brooke B. : Hahaha...Well, the 'me' meant I often feel like a Broken Saint...the three of us do...hence the title.

Mike O. : Which one rumor that you've heard that involves Nintendo excites you the most?

Brooke B. : Capcom becoming a Second Party.

Mike O. : That is an exciting prospect. Final question I'll ask. Who is going to win the Stanley Cup?

Brooke B. : GO LEAFS GO!

Mike O. : Oh wait, that wasn't my final question.

Brooke B. : Easy tiger. Meesa needs some sleep.

Mike O. : Alright. Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to the readers of Planet Gamecube in particular?

Brooke B. : Don't buy crap...your gaming dollars hold more weight than you know. By buying only compelling software, companies will get the hint to MAKE only compelling software. If we eat the slop they feed us, we'll just be fed more slop.

Mike O. : Well Brooke, I'd just like to thank you for allowing me to chat with you for not only one, but two days to fill up this massive interview. I know I speak on behalf of all of Planet Gamecube and our loyal readers when I say keep up the good work at Broken Saints.com, find a publisher, and lets see a BS Gamecube game!

Brooke B. : Thank you for letting me vent, man...Word is bond!!!

What else there to say really? PGC appreciates Brooke taking the time to rap with us and wish him and his fellow Saints the best of luck with finishing Broken Saints and bringing it to life in game form!

(Interview conducted by Mike Orlando & edited by Max Lake. Questions compiled by Max Lake, Mike Sklens, Mike Orlando & Zosha Arushan. PGC highly encourages its readers to check out Broken Saints!)