Escapist Magazine has done a piece on the history of Troika and its founders, Leonard Boyarsky, Tim Cain and Jason Anderson. The entire bit is a riveting read, but here's some select choices for Fallout-fans:<blockquote>Boyarsky, Cain and Anderson's creative vision first came together at Interplay. Together, the three worked on Fallout, the critically-acclaimed, post-apocalyptic RPG that has lived on in the hearts and minds of PC gamers as a sterling example of gaming done right. Cain was credited as Producer, Boyarsky as Art Director and Anderson as a Lead Artist.
Work began on a sequel, but the three "were unable to come to an agreement with Interplay as to how our next team should be structured," says Jason Anderson. The three also ran into a lot more corporate attention after Fallout's success, Leonard Boyarsky tells me in a separate interview. Between that and Interplay's growing pains - the company's expansion was turning the culture bad - Anderson, Boyarsky and Cain struck out on their own.
Boyarsky says, "Interplay had been a great place to work, and we felt that it was losing a lot of what we felt was great about it, and that they were making a lot of bad decisions that would destroy the company. We were about five or six years early on that, but we saw the writing on the wall. If Baldur's Gate hadn't hit big, Interplay might well have imploded much earlier, but we left about a year before BG was even released."
(...)
While they might not still be working together, their collective influence has carved a deep mark into gaming. Bloodlines is a perennial resident on my hard drive, and a third Fallout is in the works at Bethesda (when I asked Boyarsky what he thought about Interplay selling the rights, he said, "It felt as if our ex wife had sold our children that she had legal custody of," but he admits to being very "possessive" of the property), which was the talk of E3 2006. Additionally, Interplay has returned from the depths and recently announced a Fallout MMOG.</blockquote>And here's a bit about where they are now:<blockquote>And now, the three have scattered in the wind. Boyarsky works in the industry, but wouldn't say where on record. Cain is also in the field, and told me (through Boyarsky): "I am staying in the industry but keeping a much lower profile than I did at Troika. Instead of talking about making games or trying to convince people to play (or publish) my games, I am doing what makes me very happy - making games." And Anderson is in Phoenix with his significant other, selling real estate, though he's "getting the itch to return" to games.</blockquote>Link: The Rise and Fall of Troika on Escapist Magazine
Spotted on RPGWatch, thanks Briosafreak.
Work began on a sequel, but the three "were unable to come to an agreement with Interplay as to how our next team should be structured," says Jason Anderson. The three also ran into a lot more corporate attention after Fallout's success, Leonard Boyarsky tells me in a separate interview. Between that and Interplay's growing pains - the company's expansion was turning the culture bad - Anderson, Boyarsky and Cain struck out on their own.
Boyarsky says, "Interplay had been a great place to work, and we felt that it was losing a lot of what we felt was great about it, and that they were making a lot of bad decisions that would destroy the company. We were about five or six years early on that, but we saw the writing on the wall. If Baldur's Gate hadn't hit big, Interplay might well have imploded much earlier, but we left about a year before BG was even released."
(...)
While they might not still be working together, their collective influence has carved a deep mark into gaming. Bloodlines is a perennial resident on my hard drive, and a third Fallout is in the works at Bethesda (when I asked Boyarsky what he thought about Interplay selling the rights, he said, "It felt as if our ex wife had sold our children that she had legal custody of," but he admits to being very "possessive" of the property), which was the talk of E3 2006. Additionally, Interplay has returned from the depths and recently announced a Fallout MMOG.</blockquote>And here's a bit about where they are now:<blockquote>And now, the three have scattered in the wind. Boyarsky works in the industry, but wouldn't say where on record. Cain is also in the field, and told me (through Boyarsky): "I am staying in the industry but keeping a much lower profile than I did at Troika. Instead of talking about making games or trying to convince people to play (or publish) my games, I am doing what makes me very happy - making games." And Anderson is in Phoenix with his significant other, selling real estate, though he's "getting the itch to return" to games.</blockquote>Link: The Rise and Fall of Troika on Escapist Magazine
Spotted on RPGWatch, thanks Briosafreak.
PPPP
to every fallout fan,
and begin anew.
