Space Marine Developer Interview: Jerry Edsall

This last Saturday at the Games Workshop Games Day convention I had the esteemed privilege to interview the Lead Programmer for Space Marine, Jerry Edsall!  Here is the result!


TVW:  THQ and Games Workshop both seem to give you guys at Relic a lot of creative freedom and a lot of love when it comes to working with the IP.  Do you feel that the freedom and that closeness has helped you make a really great game?

Jerry: Yeah, we work really closely [with them] to make sure that everything we make is true to the IP and really faithful to being a Space Marine, or an Ork or Chaos.  So there is a lot of trust involved in that relationship.  When we ask for stuff, they are pretty considerate of it.  They also back us up so if we do something dumb, we don't really break anything about Warhammer.

TVW:  So far, what has been your favorite part about working on the game?

Jerry: Multiplayer.  I love the multiplayer.

TVW:  And having played it thoroughly I'm sure (he grinned big at this!), do you feel like it's going to be something that can stand up to other similar Sci-Fi multi-player experiences?  Do you feel like this is something that is going to have the longevity?

Jerry: Yeah, for sure.  It's a really competitive, fun and intense game.  It has kind of an old school feel to it when you play it, it's really fast and frantic.  So yeah, I think it will definitely stand up.



TVW: If there was one weapon that you could have in the game that isn't there now for the multi-player, which would be your number one?

Jerry:  That's a tough one.  Powerfist, maybe?  There's a lot of great weapons and so many things to choose from.

Jerry Edsall, Lead Programmer
for Space Marine at Relic Games

TVW:  What's your favorite part about working at Relic?

Jerry:  I love living in Vancouver - it's a great city.  And Relic.  We love making games and we love playing Warhammer.  It's great to be able to come in to work and play an Apocalyptic game with all your co-workers because we all have 10,000 point armies sitting around.

TVW:  Lastly, if you could make a sequel to the not-yet-released Space Marine, and have the story go, let's just say in favor of the Ork army, how do you envision that going?

Jerry:  In favor of the Orks?  Haha, I play Orks so that might happen!  I can't comment on the story, the writers would kill me.  I'm just a programmer.

TVW:  So the Orks just Green Tide in and that's the end of the game?

Jerry:   Hah, that could happen.  But it's up to the writers, they work really closely with Games Workshop to make sure that we have a fantastic story.  I don't know what's going to happen next any more than you do!


Thanks Jerry!  I hope your Games Day was as fun as mine!  Having played the demo's, I am now frothing at the mouth waiting to thrust my money into your pockets!  The game looks great!


Space Marine is expected to release September 6th for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.  You can pre-order from any major retailer including Steam and THQ.com .  You can also grab the amazingly cool Collector's Edition only at THQ.com!  I got to man handle the Purity Seal that comes with the collectors, it's really quite high quality.  If there's one game this fall that won't disappoint, it's Space Marine!