Fred and Dan talk with Mac Walters about his experience on Mass Effect and Jade Empire, plus his transition from his leadership at BioWare to his new studio, Worlds Untold. Mac breaks down his sci-fi inspiration, and how he approaches game writing, building a vision, and working as a team.
0:00 - Theme music
0:14 - Introductions
01:22 - Mac's path to BioWare
06:20 - Inspiration and nostalgia
09:20 - How to begin a game story
12:00 - Playing your own games
13:52 - Creative possibilities and wisdom
23:55 - Delivering on an idea
28:38 - Prototyping versus finishing
41:45 - Building a shared vision
47:23 - Distributed teams and remote work
59:14 - Individual styles and personalities
1:07:10 - Star Wars, Dune, and styles of sci-fi
1:15:28 - Sequels versus new stories
1:19:45 - Staying inspired
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