Chapter 2 Interview: Sid Meier....................
Chapter 2 Interview: Sid Meier......................
Sid Meier is certainly the most famous and well-respected Western computer
game designer, and deservedly so. In his nearly twenty years of developing
games, he has covered all manner of game designs and all types of subject
matter. He co-founded Microprose and at first focused on flight simulators,
culminating in his classicF-15 Strike EagleandF-19 Stealth Fighter. Subse-
quently, he shifted to the style of game he is better known for today, developing
such classics asPirates!,Railroad Tycoon,Covert Action, andCivilization, this
last game being one of the most universally admired game designs in the his-
tory of the form. In the late ’90s Meier founded a new company, Firaxis, where
he created the truly unique RTS wargameGettysburg!Most recently he has
continued to take on new gameplay genres with the amusing course manager
SimGolf. What strikes one most when looking back over his games is their con-
sistent level of quality and the fact that he almost never repeats himself, always
preferring to take on something new and different for his personal projects. If
anyone has a solid grasp on what makes a game a compelling experience, it is
Sid Meier.20