An Interview with Cliff Bleszinski

While most people perceive game designers as geeky, shy dudes, Epic’s flamboyant Cliff Bleszinski aka Cliffy B tells a different story. In case you didn’t know, Cliffy B was the lead designer of Gears of War. He sat down with us to discuss the game that shot him into the limelight, its transition to the PC, and about his favorite Unreal 3 game.

How was Gears of War born?

Gears had several iterations, one of which was a multiplayer experience that focused on each squad member having unique abilities. On catching our first glimpse of the then new technology in Unreal Engine 3, we knew it was ideal for us – we could do so much more by having a robust, streaming, single player campaign along with compelling co-op play and a great (but intimate) multiplayer experience to top it off.

Would you be interested in making a sequel in the first place, or would you rather concentrate on newer projects?

Sorry but I can’t talk about that.

How’s the PC version working out so far?

The PC version has worked out wonderfully for us because seeing the universe that was so well realized on the 360 at a much higher rendering quality makes it all seem brand new.

The PC version of Gears of War ships with some cool stuff like exclusive levels, boss fights, multiplayer maps etc. Aren’t you afraid of annoying the Xbox 360 community by doing so?

Simply put, we wanted to make sure that there were significant reasons for PC gamers to acquire Gears on their system. In addition to this, porting the new content back to the 360 would have involved significant work as Unreal Engine 3 has continued to evolve over the year since we shipped the title on Xbox 360.

Is a Gears of War movie happening? If it does, who would you cast as the Gears (Fenix, Dom, Cole Train and Baird)?

We’re still working on the film, so I’m not making any announcements at this point. I would hope that when the time comes to decide on the cast, the director and the studio will pick actors who are charismatic and can sell each soldier’s quirks.

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Until now we’ve seen the Unreal 3 engine being used in action games predominantly. Any idea why this is so?

Unreal Engine 3 is being used for all kinds of games, including sports games, racing games, RPGs and so much more. This week Chair Entertainment released an Xbox Live Arcade title called UnderTow, a side-scrolling shooter that appears to be the highest-rated XBLA game thus far including IGN’s Xbox Live Arcade Game of E3. There are other XBLA and PlayStation Network games in development using Unreal Engine 3 as well.

Mass Effect and Bioshock are excellent example of some shooter/RPG/adventure hybrid games that have released this year. The deep conversation and dialog system in Mass Effect and the great genetic upgrade system in Bioshock are game design elements that push the boundaries of what is buildable in our tech. We provide the canvas and paints, whereas developers provide the vision, creativity, and innovation.

Out of all the game using the Unreal 3 engine (besides Gears of War and UT3), which is your favorite and why?

I’m yet to dig into Mass Effect so for now I’ll have to go with Bioshock. I loved that game through and through from start to finish; it’s a masterpiece! I’ve always loved themes of genetic manipulation and art deco architecture. Put it all underwater with guns and a compelling narrative, and it’s most certainly my kind of game.

If there’s one game out there you could remake using the Unreal 3 engine, which one would it be?

I’d kill to see a Zelda-style game created in Unreal Engine 3.

If not for the gaming industry, where would you be working?

I would probably be a screenwriter or in marketing somewhere.

A lot of our readers are avid Gears of War whores and they play nothing but Gears 24x7. Would you like to test your skillz against theirs?

I’d love to but unfortunately I’m not allowed to play against our fans that often. I usually crush them in competitions, which greatly discourages them and sends them into depression! (kidding)

What’s next for Epic after UT3?

To be announced!

What’s your take on the Indian gaming scene? Any plans of visiting?

I’m thrilled to see our games played in India! I would love to come visit and take a tour.