TheGamerDrive interview with author Drew Karpyshyn
4/1/2013
How is the writing process for a video game different from that of a novel or screenplay?
A game is a very collaborative process - as a writer, you work with a entire team of folks: other writers, artists, level designers, cinematic designers. Everyone has input, and there's a lot of give and take, but sometimes you have to compromise and sacrifice to make your stuff work with everyone else. With a novel, I have complete creative control - every decision is mine and I sink or swim on my own. However, it's also a very solitary process. There's no one to bounce ideas off of, and you don't get that sense of comraderie that you do from working with a team.
A game is a very collaborative process - as a writer, you work with a entire team of folks: other writers, artists, level designers, cinematic designers. Everyone has input, and there's a lot of give and take, but sometimes you have to compromise and sacrifice to make your stuff work with everyone else. With a novel, I have complete creative control - every decision is mine and I sink or swim on my own. However, it's also a very solitary process. There's no one to bounce ideas off of, and you don't get that sense of comraderie that you do from working with a team.
With the Darth Bane trilogy, were you given a lot of creative freedom in regards to Bane's character and story? Or was it more of LucasArts saying, "We want this, this and this. Go."
Because I was one of the first authors working in the Old Republic era, I was fortunate to have a lot of creative freedom. As long as I respected the Star Wars universe and didn't do anything stupid, like kill off Yoda's grandfather or blow up Coruscant, they let me tell the story I wanted to. However, I was also careful to respect the existing continuity that had been established in the Jedi vs Sith comics, where Bane's character first appeared. I didn't want to retcon any of that - I just wanted to build on it.
Because I was one of the first authors working in the Old Republic era, I was fortunate to have a lot of creative freedom. As long as I respected the Star Wars universe and didn't do anything stupid, like kill off Yoda's grandfather or blow up Coruscant, they let me tell the story I wanted to. However, I was also careful to respect the existing continuity that had been established in the Jedi vs Sith comics, where Bane's character first appeared. I didn't want to retcon any of that - I just wanted to build on it.
With Revan, you crafted a story that could arguably be your darkest and most tragic story to date. What made you decide to handle Revan's story the way you did?
Revan's story kind of had to be a tragedy based on what Obsidian established in KOTOR 2. While I didn't work on that game, the implications for Revan were pretty clear - he disappeared into the Unknown Regions and never returned. Obviously, something bad must have happened. Otherwise, he wouldn't have simply abandoned his friends and (potential) love interest. I think anything other than a dark and tragic tale would have felt false or had to ignore the events of KOTOR 2.
Revan's story kind of had to be a tragedy based on what Obsidian established in KOTOR 2. While I didn't work on that game, the implications for Revan were pretty clear - he disappeared into the Unknown Regions and never returned. Obviously, something bad must have happened. Otherwise, he wouldn't have simply abandoned his friends and (potential) love interest. I think anything other than a dark and tragic tale would have felt false or had to ignore the events of KOTOR 2.
Who would you say is your favorite character you've written so far?
Tough call, but I'm particularly fond of Grayson from my second and third Mass Effect novels. Something about his conflicted character really appealed to me.
Tough call, but I'm particularly fond of Grayson from my second and third Mass Effect novels. Something about his conflicted character really appealed to me.
What other specific authors influenced you?
Influences are hard to trace; everything I've ever read or watched has helped to shape my style of writing. I never set out to directly imitate or copy anyone - my style just evolved over time. Having said that, I read a lot of Stephen King, Terry Brooks and David Eddings when I was younger, and I also enjoy GRRM, Guy Gavriel Kay and Neil Gaiman.
Influences are hard to trace; everything I've ever read or watched has helped to shape my style of writing. I never set out to directly imitate or copy anyone - my style just evolved over time. Having said that, I read a lot of Stephen King, Terry Brooks and David Eddings when I was younger, and I also enjoy GRRM, Guy Gavriel Kay and Neil Gaiman.
You've said that your upcoming Children of Fire is being intended as a trilogy, unlike many fantasy series that seem to just keep going. Was this a way of limiting yourself during your first original series or was a trilogy just a perfect fit for your story?
I like to plan my stories out in detail before hand; I'm not one of those authors who likes to start writing just to see where my ideas go - I want a map before I start the journey. Because of that, I have a pretty solid idea of what I want to say and how long it's going to take to say it. For The Chaos Born series, of which Children of Fire is the first book, I know how long the story is going to be. It just happens to be a trilogy in this case, but I didn't specifically set out to make it that way.
I like to plan my stories out in detail before hand; I'm not one of those authors who likes to start writing just to see where my ideas go - I want a map before I start the journey. Because of that, I have a pretty solid idea of what I want to say and how long it's going to take to say it. For The Chaos Born series, of which Children of Fire is the first book, I know how long the story is going to be. It just happens to be a trilogy in this case, but I didn't specifically set out to make it that way.
Last month, the rumor mill passed around one that had you pegged as the screenwriter for a Knights of the Old Republic film. Since then, you've said that you weren't involved; however, should that ever come to fruition, any preferences for who would play Revan, Bastila and Malak?
I'm not a big fan of pre-casting things. Doing that makes it more likely that I'd object to someone else if they didn't match my personal pick, and I don't like to prejudge or close off options like that.
I'm not a big fan of pre-casting things. Doing that makes it more likely that I'd object to someone else if they didn't match my personal pick, and I don't like to prejudge or close off options like that.
Reading the publisher description for Children of Fire, I couldn't help but think that you would've had a ball writing for BioWare's other major series, Dragon Age. What are your thoughts on that series?
I didn't work much on Dragon Age - at the time I was concentrating on Mass Effect. I think the team did a great job with the story, and - like all fantasy - it's easy to find superficial similarities to the DA universe and my own world. But I've been working on Children of Fire for over a decade off and on, and it's my baby... I think working on a fantasy series like DA would have been tough, because I wouldn't want to use my best ideas in the game when I could save them for my novel. So it's probably better that I wasn't involved.
I didn't work much on Dragon Age - at the time I was concentrating on Mass Effect. I think the team did a great job with the story, and - like all fantasy - it's easy to find superficial similarities to the DA universe and my own world. But I've been working on Children of Fire for over a decade off and on, and it's my baby... I think working on a fantasy series like DA would have been tough, because I wouldn't want to use my best ideas in the game when I could save them for my novel. So it's probably better that I wasn't involved.
Is it a freeing feeling to finally be able to create from scratch with Children of Fire, as opposed to working within renowned universes and writing already well-known characters?
I enjoyed my time in the Star Wars and Mass Effect universes, and I'm grateful for the opportunity and exposure they gave me. And I still enjoy those franchises; it's possible I'll return to them at some point. But for now it's exciting to be working on something that is all mine.
I enjoyed my time in the Star Wars and Mass Effect universes, and I'm grateful for the opportunity and exposure they gave me. And I still enjoy those franchises; it's possible I'll return to them at some point. But for now it's exciting to be working on something that is all mine.
So, is Drew Karpyshyn going to be a force to be reckoned with only in fantasy or will he try his luck with any other genres down the road?
I have a lot of other ideas I want to tackle. Some are fantasy, some are sci-fi, some are horror and some don't fall into any of those genres. Hopefully I'll be successful enough to try other things without getting typecast, and with each new project I'll just have to see where I'm at and what publishers are interested in from me at the time.
I have a lot of other ideas I want to tackle. Some are fantasy, some are sci-fi, some are horror and some don't fall into any of those genres. Hopefully I'll be successful enough to try other things without getting typecast, and with each new project I'll just have to see where I'm at and what publishers are interested in from me at the time.
A huge thanks to Drew for taking the time to answer our questions. Check out his novels on his website and keep an eye out for the first book in his Chaos Born trilogy, Children of Fire, coming this fall!