Today we would like to introduce you to Star Citizen’s newest Designer, Blake Yates! When it comes to design, Blake is a jack-of-all-trades with a background to match. You can learn more about him and find out what he’s working on for the game on Friday’s all-new Wingman’s Hangar.
How did you get started in the game industry? My start was in kindergarten where I was drawling these stick figure battles. I think a lot of people in the industry did this. I remember I didn’t have access to D&D books, but I understood the concept and started making up my own rules. In middle school I would mess around with games that I made on graph paper instead of paying attention in reading class. In high school I made a couple of (kinda like board) games that my friends enjoyed. I tried to be practical in college and really got away from games for a while, but I ended up going to the Guildhall and got into the industry as a level designer.
What projects have you worked on? Have you worked with Chris Roberts before? I worked with a small studio in Dallas on a few projects, but I have never worked with CR before. I have been playing CR games since my family’s first computer. I messed up several computers trying to get enough EMS to run the extra features on Wing Commander or running mem-maker and ram-doubler.
What are you doing for Cloud Imperium? Right now I am doing a bit of everything. From high level game design to placing decals in levels to scripting. Also, I’m looking around this office and I don’t think we work for Cloud Imperium anymore. I’m pretty sure we have been acquired by the Triangle Shirtwaist Company.
What are you most excited to see in Star Citizen/Squadron 42? I think we have a shot at paying off some of the things people envisioned when they first started imagining playing in a world with lots of other people before there was such a word as mmo. Nobody imagined playing in these static worlds where things just reset and nullify everything you do in the game. I also like that we have set up our world as a land of opportunity, but also a very brittle world. When the Western Roman Empire fell, it was an opportunity for as many people as it was a tragedy for. A lot of other games have tried to exert heavy control over the universe and story of the game. I think our game has the opportunity to be driven by players as they find order and opportunity in a changing world.
What are you playing right now? Not a ton. I’m playing a bit of Card Hunter on the recommendation of Pete. It is really fast paced but still feels like a D&D miniatures battle. The difficulty has not reached the level I am hoping for yet, but I’m told it gets much harder later. I’m also playing a Civilization/Go hybrid that a friend of mine named Alex Kutsenok made called Bronze and helping him test his new game that has not come out yet called Red Thief. I really like his games because I always have to have a plan to win his levels. I can never just go through his stages on autopilot. I’m also eagerly awaiting the new Total War so I can download it and then totally never have time to play it.