Age of Conan Lead Designer Gives A Lowdown On Game Designers

Posted Aug 4, 2006 at 7:29PM by QJ Staff Listed in: Titles, Interviews Tags: animation, Mage, NPC, Ole Herbjonsen

0

Ever thought of game designers as similar to different character job classes? According to Ole HerbjÃ¸nsen, Lead Designer from Age of Conan, those two are pretty much the same. There are different game designers that have different skills from other game designers, much like the warrior class differs from the mage class. HerbjÃ¸nsen gives us three different job classes, err.. three types of game designers:

NPC Designer: these people are in charge of the non-playable characters in the game - from monsters, to passers-by and even chickens strolling on the field. According to HerbjÃ¸nsen, the most important part of their job is to determine which monster goes where, and how strong it's gonna be. Much like a Warrior wielding his own customized hammer, the NPC designers use the "monstertool", which enables them to set specific qualities for a certain monster.

BCC Designer: HerbjÃ¸nsen says that they are called BCC Designers because they work at the Behavioral Control Center. These guys are in charge of the logistics for every character making sure that the animation is correct. Monsters can't run around and be dead at the same time, and the BCC guys make sure of that. They're also in charge of "sewing cool looking animations together, making the combat flow majestically".

Script Designers: These are the programmers slash designers. HerbjÃ¸nsen says that "it is important that the scripter is both technically skilled as well as having a keen understanding of gameplay mechanics."

In a way, game designers are parties composed of different races or job classes. And their mission? To give us a one-of-a-kind gaming experience.

2 Jumps Play World of Warcraft Offline

2 Jumps Lineage 2: Hellbound update now available for download

1 Jumps Nintendo DS' First MMORPG - Maple Story

1 Jumps Silkroad Online free client download

1 Jumps No level-up system for APB

1 Jumps Study: action games help get the job done faster, strategy games for more accuracy

1 Jumps Gravity secures license to create Ice Age MMORPG

1 Jumps Knight Online: Reign Of The Fire Drake

1 Jumps Smithsonian museum to hold The Art of Video Games Exhibit

1 Jumps Team Fortress 2 Free Weekend

Comments

No Comments, be the first to Comment

Add New Comment

You must be logged in to post comments

The QJ.net Network
Site	Feed
QJ.NET	RSS
Nintendo DS	RSS
PlayStation 3	RSS
PSP Updates	RSS
Wii	RSS
Xbox 360	RSS
MMORPG	RSS
Personal Computer Games	RSS
iPhone - iPod Touch	RSS
QJ.NET Forums	RSS

Add QJ.NET

User Favorites - December

Most Commented
Brazilian senator wants cr..	(62)
NPD Study: US kids as youn..	(44)
More Estavillo subpoenas -..	(23)
PS3 is year's best platfor..	(17)
Stevie Wonder proposes: vi..	(15)
Erik Estavillo subpoenas B..	(11)
Erik Estavillo now has his..	(10)
Wada: Final Fantasy XIV wi..	(9)
Infinity Ward pwns first a..	(9)
Study: puzzle and edutainm..	(8)
Smithsonian museum to hold..	(5)
NCsoft rolling out Christm..	(3)
OverClocked ReMix celebrat..	(3)
Valve looking at MMORPG sc..	(3)
Study: action games help g..	(2)
Watch: Guild Wars 2 'Facti..	(2)
Don't forget the other one..	(2)
New Splinter Cell: Convict..	(2)
Erik Estavillo now sues Bl..	(1)
Video: World of Warcraft F..	(1)

User Favorites - December

Top Jumps
PS3 is year's best platfor..	(70)
Brazilian senator wants cr..	(45)
Erik Estavillo subpoenas B..	(42)
OverClocked ReMix celebrat..	(37)
Study: action games help g..	(36)
More Estavillo subpoenas -..	(35)
Erik Estavillo now has his..	(33)
Stevie Wonder proposes: vi..	(29)
Wada: Final Fantasy XIV wi..	(29)
NPD Study: US kids as youn..	(26)
Play World of Warcraft Off..	(25)
World of Warcraft's Fall o..	(21)
Study: puzzle and edutainm..	(21)
Lineage 2: Hellbound updat..	(16)
Smithsonian museum to hold..	(15)
Don't forget the other one..	(14)
Team Fortress 2 Free Weeke..	(8)
Video: World of Warcraft F..	(7)
NCsoft rolling out Christm..	(6)
Erik Estavillo now sues Bl..	(6)
Star Trek Online Collector..	(6)
New Splinter Cell: Convict..	(5)
Watch: Lots of elves, orcs..	(5)
Infinity Ward pwns first a..	(5)
No level-up system for APB	(4)

Username:

Password:


Remember Me?

Forgot password
New user registration