Got any questions you'd want to ask Lorne Lanning?

by Dan Choi { Aug 22nd 2005 at 8:06PM }

Oddworld creator Lorne Lanning will be speaking at the meeting for the Chicago chapter of the IGDA (that is, the International Game Developers Association) on the evening of Tuesday, August 23rd (tomorrow night). He will be giving a multimedia presentation called "In a Wal-Mart world, Creative is a dirty word" concerning "the creative process, sources of inspiration, how Yoda saved his life, why the label of 'Creative' has become a liability, how game engines will change film making forever, ...why owning your own brand can be a handicap in today's marketplace, and how digital distribution is the great hope for creatives as we continue heading deeper into a brave new world of media." I will also be there, blogging the event. (If you were hoping to go, you may be sorry to learn that reservations were made for attendants well in advance. Sorry!)

What this post is for, however, is to make a small request for question suggestions. I could read as many past interviews as I want, but that wouldn't give me as much insight into the machinima and digital distribution issues that I'd surely get from our dear Joystiq readers. If possible, I hope to ask Lorne a few questions (during the likely Question & Answer session if necessary), but nothing's set in stone. (The current Oddworld web site is a bit bereft of proper contact information right now, so if anyone can get me in touch with Mr. Lanning directly, I'd certainly appreciate it.) At any rate, a concise report should be up by Wednesday morning, with or without interview. Wish me luck!

Update: Moving the report back to Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Hopefully I'll have a good picture for you then! And, yes, I did get to ask Lorne a few of your questions. Should be fun.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Zaius @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

I heard he made trips to India/Asia to talk to Animation/Production houses after breaking up the Oddworld team. Does he plan on outsourcing all his further production development to places like India and Asia? Will he do any actual production in his new location in Berkeley?

Dan Choi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

I believe he wanted to keep the all-important pre-production and conceptualization work in-house, but it couldn't hurt to ask about the current state of his outsourcing plans. That creative work may, of course, be farmed out as truly "multi-media" franchises begin to be built, but that's probably still a ways away.

BoB @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

I want to know if Oddworld: Fangus, is still in development, and if they plan to go on with the Oddworld Quintology or any future Oddworld games for that matter.

GameFam dad @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

See you there! I'm looking forward to Lorne's presentation. It would be nice to see his games get the same mainstream recognition that Keita Takahashi's do (deservedly so). Of course, Oddworld is just slightly more complex than rolling around a big sticky ball of joy, which probably explains why.

Dan Choi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Hey, GameFam dad. Nice to hear that you're going. (Considering the popularity of the local IGDA meetings lately, maybe I shouldn't be too surprised to find someone else who's going.) I'll send some personal info to the e-mail address you provided, and maybe we can hook up tomorrow. But whatever happens, I hope you enjoy the meeting!

Zaius @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

I wonder...Oddworld games have always been marked by exceptional animation quality. It seems really "odd" no pun intended that he may leave this to some company on the other side of the planet. I guess he thinks production here is too costly?

Sharpizer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

I thought Oddworld games were over and that Lanning was moving Oddworld towards TV. Or am I getting my news from a parallel universe?

Xavier @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

I'd like to know if he still has projects for "Citizen Siege", I think it could be an awesome movie since it may never be released as a game.

I'm also wondering if he's actually working on a game project right now, or if he's only making films/tv shows.

But most of all I'd like to know what he's working on now, most say it's the Abe's Oddysee movie, but no one knows for sure.

Xavier

Dan Choi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Sharpizer, internal development (perhaps the harder execution -- just the coding?) of Oddworld games may have come to an end, but Oddworld franchises may live on (or start anew) if Lanning's "multi-media" philosophy takes hold. (Think Square-Enix's Fullmetal Alchemist: concurrent cross-media games, manga, and anime.)

Kevin Parrott @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Ask him what he thinks about this multi-SKU Xbox 360 deal, and how the lack of a HDD standard might effect the creativity of games with expansive worlds.

dave @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Ask him what turned him into such a whiner-cry baby. **tears streaming down face** EA didn't advertise my game **wahhhhh** We need to adopt the film industry's financing model. **wahhhh**

Stranger's girl @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Tell me. Is there going to be ANY possibility of an Oddworld movie? I've seen movie posters of Abe's Oddysee and yet no movie has shown fer years. And another: When will Lorne start workin' on the next game? Fangus has been cancelled and I'm itchin' to figure out what the next Oddworld game'll be! :)

Umi

GBGames @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

I'll be there as well. I'm actually volunteering, so I'll probably be the guy taking names and selling t-shirts. B-)

Xavier @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

to dave,
Why do you say that?
Isn't it because of the lack of EA's promotion that the game did fail? Plus that's not the only bad thing they did to Oddworld.

Why shouldn't Lorne complain a bit?

Also Lorne's move wasn't a need but a choice.

OtakuCODE @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Simple question he won't answer:
If we live in a "Walmart world" where "Creative" is a dirty word, tell me, why haven't you been silenced yet? Why did you voluntarily abandon the Oddworld series, rather than being forced out of it?

Max the Mug @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

In case Dave hadn't noticed, Lorne has always been vocal about how the video game industry can be better in his opinion. It's a shame more people aren't willing to talk about the underbelly of the corporate gloss we're given.

I'd like to ask Lorne how he expects the trend of, as he puts it, sequel-itis, to slow when more original and high-production-value games keep failing to make it big on the market and everyone involved from developers to gamers all seem more comfortable with familiar formats.

Dan Choi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Hey GB, glad to hear you'll be there (and volunteering to help out)! I guess I'll see you when it's time to check in. Should be interesting.

dave @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

check out this link for more info on the
EA and Lanning relationship
http://www.ureader.co.uk/message/441601.aspx

David Radecky @ Dec 18th 2005 9:36PM

Dear Lorne,

As a professional Illustrator I would like to know where do you believe Oddworld is headed in the future? I understand that you have shut down your San Luis Obispo head quarters to seek out new and exciting ways to tell your stories and show your vision of the Oddworld Universe. Also When you speak of seeking out creative talents around the world it makes me excited as a creative person myself that career oppertunities are on the horizon. Will there be a chance for new creative people such as myself who are aspiring artists have an opportunity to work for you?

Thank you for your time,

Sincerely,
David Radecky