We store cookies, you can get more info from our privacy policy.

The Hal Barwood Transcript

by Michael Cole - February 4, 2001, 9:35 pm EST

TYP brings us info straight out of LucasArts.

TYP: Hey! This is Michael Cole, AKA “The Younger Plumber,” and I’m talking with Hal Barwood of Lucas Arts…

Hal Barwood: Hey! It’s nice to meet you!

TYP: All right, um…. Just a few questions! First of all, what exactly do you do?

HB: I’m a game designer, a writer, and a project leader at Lucas Arts.

TYP: OK. And you’ve worked on games like The Infernal Machine, is that right?

HB: Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine is my latest game.

TYP: Um… Now I noticed you talked about Zelda in your speech--Majora’s Mask--uh… You have anything going on with Nintendo?

HB: Well, we do thing for Nintendo platforms, but we don’t have any formal arrangement with them, in the larger sense… I’m a big fan of, uh, Miyamoto, heh, and a disappointed fan when it comes to Majora’s Mask, unfortunately.

TYP: Well, um…. Everyone knows you are close to Factor 5. Are you working on anything with them?

HB: Uh… I’m not sure.

TYP: You’re not sure?

HB: We have worked with them in the past on several projects, and, uh, and there are some guys of ours over in their company, and some of their guys over where we are, so it is possible.

TYP: Have you seen the GameCube at all?

HB: …Yes I have.

TYP: What are you’re impressions of it?

HB: Uh, I think it is a very powerful, interesting machine.

TYP: K… Nice to work for?

HB: Um, by all accounts, um, I used to be a programmer, but I’m not really that up on my Matrix transforms. I understand it’s a very straightforward machine to program, and I think the disastrously terrible controller on the N64, they’ve at least got a good human interface, so it might be pretty cool!

TYP: What can we expect at E3?

HB: . . .

TYP: I mean, I know you can’t give us specifics but are—

HB: You’re not gonna see anything from me. I’m gonna conceal it for as long as possible. I’m working on a new game, and I can’t talk about it, and I’m certainly not gonna show anything at E3. Um, I’m not sure what we’ll—well, Lucas Arts is putting up this year at E3. I’m sure we’ll have something there, but I’m trying to think if there’s anything we haven’t announced now that is likely to be announced between here and E3, and the truth is I’m not sure that’s true this year for us… We might announce one that I can think of, but I can’t tell you what it is, of course

TYP: Well, we’ll be looking forward to—

HB: We’re always there, but as you know, if you’ve ever been to E3 and tracked us down, we’re never on the floor. We’re in some booth somewhere in the middle of nowhere, because we don’t see the point of taking a big position at E3, so instead, we just kinda go in the closet.

TYP:: What are your views about all these consoles coming out in this next generation? I mean there’s Xbox, there’s PlayStation 2, and GameCube.

HB: As Mao said, “Let a hundred flowers bloom,” you know, so… I think it’s great! And, of course, what I’m working on will be for one or more of them.

TYP: OK, well, thanks! That’s all there is!

HB: OK, sure!

TYP:: Thank you!

After the interview, I had a brief chat with Mr. Barwood. He stated that he hated the N64 controller because of the flimsy analog stick and "3-armed monster" design. He quickly added that the GC's stick felt just like Sony's Dual Shock and that the new controller was very comfortable. He had trouble remembering if the secondary "C-stick" was spring-loaded or not, but finally decided that the latest version he had tried was (although not quite sure of himself). Lucas Arts is focusing on the "other two" consoles, but GC support is hardly out of the question. When asked about his thoughts on GC, he has "high hopes" but states, "they could be higher." Let's just hope his uncertainty is unfounded!

Share + Bookmark





Related Content

Got a news tip? Send it in!
Advertisement
Advertisement