involve you in the game itself and have you create your own really cool mental images
based on some suggestions that we give you on the screen.
You were one of the first game designers to get your name above the title on
the box. I was curious how that came about.
Well, the way that hap-
pened goes back to
Pirates!That was the first
game that had my name
on it. In those days I was
working at Microprose
and my partner was Bill
Stealey who did the
business/marketing side
of things while I did
the development/creative
stuff. And the previous
game beforePirates!was
one of the flight simulator
games, and I said to Bill,
“Well, I’m going to work on this game about pirates.” And he said, “Pirates? Wait a min-
ute, there are no airplanes in pirates. Wait a minute, you can’t do that.” “Well, I think it’s
going to be a cool game.” And he answered, “Well, who’s going to buy a pirates game?
Maybe if we put your name on it, they’ll know that they likedF-15or whatever, and they
might give it a try. OK.” There was a real concern that there was this pirates game com-
ing out, but nobody’s going to be interested, because who wants a pirates game? People
want flight simulators. So it was to say, “Sure, you want a flight simulator, but maybe
you might want to try this pirates game because it was written by the guy who wrote
that flight simulator that you’re playing.” I guess it was branding in a very crude, early
form. It was because we were making this big switch in the type of game that I was
working on, and to try to keep that connection between the games.
So it wasn’t your lust for fame?
[laughter] No, no. Even today, fame is not a computer game thing. I think it’s good. It’s
still a pretty non-personality oriented business. I think that people remember great
games, and they know to a certain extent who’s involved. But there’s not a cult of Robin
Williams or, you know, movie stars who really have a cult of personality. I think it’s
good. Once we get the idea that we can get away with anything just because we’re who
we are, that’s not a good thing.
But that sort of confidence led toPirates!, didn’t it?
[laughter] Well, it was a good game. Had it not been a good game, that strategy would
not have worked.
36 Chapter 2: Interview: Sid Meier
F-15 Strike Eagle