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Learn more about Tim Schafer than you ever wanted to

by Justin McElroy on May 18th 2011 2:30PM

Okay, you like Tim Schafer. Sure, who doesn't? But are you ready to really get inside the mastermind of Grim Fandango, Psychonauts and Brutal Legend? And we mean deep inside ... like, "cut him open with a lightsaber and sleep inside him tauntaun style" deep. If so, you'll want to watch "Tim Schafer's History of Videogames Adventure," a charming Gamespot documentary about the developer's life presented as an adventure game of sorts.

Did you know, for instance, that Lucasarts staffers were permitted to select Star Wars concept art to hang on their office walls? The video's full of all sorts of gems like that, and if you can get past how visibly uncomfortable Schafer is with talking about himself for this long, it's well worth watching.

Source: Double Fine

Tags: double-fine, gamespot, lucasarts, tim-schafer

Reader Comments (27)

Press X to Schafer.

@Insane Koala u jelly?

Anything Tim Schafer is worth a look. Host Master was one of the best games of the last few year (seriously.

@Aerothorn

Also, I haven't seen Gamespot do an interesting video since Gerstmanngate. Yay.

@Insane Koala

...if nobody knows who he is or has heard of his games, how did he (and his games) amass such a following? GOTY awards get one some attention.

@Aerothorn

every site on earth has a goty award. someone could just as easily make a list of worst games and put his games on it and you know what. it would be just as valid as a goty award

@eat it

Oh yes, the old "every opinion is equally valid" chestnut. If you believe that, why the hell do you read Joystiq?

Incidentally, I was (obviously) referring to GOTYs from major institutions of games journalism.

@Aerothorn

what are you talking about?

I read joystiq for information about games that are coming out... why else would I read it?

@eat it

It's a news and opinions blog. They don't tend to separate them - they insert opinions into news stories. If you were interested in purely news, why not simply read a straight news feed (those featured on Gamespot, Eurogamer, etc.)?

@Insane Koala
Not sure if trolling or just inside.

@original fred
*dead inside

@Aerothorn - Worst troll. Grim Fandango is one of the greatest games ever made, so deal with it.

@Aerothorn

The only reason he got some publicity was because he threw a big hissy fit when kotick screwed him over, and the fanboys just love to jump on anything that insults kotick.

also GOTY? by what site? welovecrapgames.net? you gotta be trippin balls to even consider that any of his games (especially Brutally crap legend) are decent.

without my comment there would only be 2 comments atm and probably only 15 max while other joystiq posts get over 30+ easily which again proves nobody cares about him as no1 is even going to click on this post.

@Insane Koala

I think you hit the nail on the head. I absolutely love god of war but I think David Jaffe is the same way, he had an awesome concept, and he just happened to work at a team with awesome concept artists and designers that could execute his idea and then he blew up and now he just stays relevant by ranting on a blog.

@Insane Koala

I know I shouldn't feed the trolls, but...

Grim Fandango got GOTY from Gamespot (and in 1998 this probably the most respectable gaming site). It also swept various specialty awards (best adventure game, best art, music, etc.) at a number of sites.

I take from your comment that you've played all of his games, which is a little confusing - if you hate them so much why would you play them all? And if you HAVEN'T played them all, how you can pass judgement? What, specifically, is your problem with, say, Day of the Tentacle?

@Aerothorn love me some day of the tentacle. Wish that was on steam.

@Insane Koala
They see me trollin'
They hatin'

@darkinchworm
heh
Joystiq owned that punk.

awesome stuff, i want psychonauts 2!

I know he's incredibly overrated and seems to always have super-greasy hair. Does that count?

@Red Runner

Overrated by whom?

Psychonauts 2 please!

His slavish fan boys.

@Red Runner

Well, isn't that a redudancy? Isn't EVERYONE overrated by their slavish fans? When you say that someone is "overrated," it generally implies that society at large (or, at the very least, the gaming community at large) rates them very highly...and I don't see how you can make that argument with Tim Schafer, given that (as noted) most contemporary gamers have no idea who he is.

@Red Runner Point 1 - I'm female. Point 2 - Psychonauts is the only game of his I ever played, and it was bloody good, and I really want the sequel. So, wrong on all points. :P

Can has link plz?

@DJMaxxi

Link is in the source (though, yes, they usually hyperlink it in the post).

Breaking News

Learn more about Tim Schafer than you ever wanted to

Reader Comments (27)

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:35PM EX Rock said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:38PM ShadowXOR said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:39PM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:41PM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:40PM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 18th 2011 4:15PM eat it said

Posted: May 18th 2011 4:54PM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 19th 2011 11:09AM eat it said

Posted: May 19th 2011 11:39AM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:43PM original fred said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:43PM original fred said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:48PM MatthewBlackwell said

Posted: May 18th 2011 2:55PM Insane Koala said

Posted: May 18th 2011 4:19PM eat it said

Posted: May 18th 2011 3:07PM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 18th 2011 6:04PM ApexOneder said

Posted: May 18th 2011 3:09PM darkinchworm said

Posted: May 18th 2011 8:52PM darkinchworm said

Posted: May 18th 2011 3:14PM wilkat87 said

Posted: May 18th 2011 4:16PM Red Runner said

Posted: May 18th 2011 4:55PM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 18th 2011 4:22PM HSamster said

Posted: May 18th 2011 11:09PM Red Runner said

Posted: May 19th 2011 12:53AM Aerothorn said

Posted: May 19th 2011 4:24AM HSamster said

Posted: May 18th 2011 11:34PM DJMaxxi said

Posted: May 19th 2011 11:41AM Aerothorn said

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