Hey adventurers!

Thanks for checking out this week's MythForce interview with Eric Booker!

With over 20 years of industry experience, Eric Booker has developed and shipped many titles across a wide range of platforms and genres. With Luke Rideout, he was one of the original champions of the concept and look of MythForce. In his free time, Eric likes to watch films and read comics, usually crime or horror stories. He and his wife live in Edmonton, Alberta, along with their two cats, Domino Tinkerbelle Warpiglet Hudson and Cooper Mini May Corpsegrinder Hudson.

What games (and other media) first attracted you to game design?

I was always the kid doodling in his school books, off in his own world.

Way way back when dinosaurs walked the earth, I had my mind blown by the original animated version of The Lord of the Rings. Until then, cartoons were for kids, at least back in the UK. Animation meant Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies, and that was about it. Yet here was a film with great characters. It was dark and had real danger for the heroes.

But if I had to point to a major influence, it would be the 2000 AD comic. Judge Dredd, Slaine, ABC Warriors, and Johnny Alpha the Strontium Dog occupied my mind almost 24/7, which in turn led to a brief love affair with Games Workshop and the range of 2000 AD roleplaying games.

And of course I loved classic 80s and 90s movies such as Robocop, The Predator, Hawk the Slayer, and the granddaddy of them all, Conan the Barbarian. Aside from that, I was an arcade rat, gravitating to the fantasy and beat-em-up cabinets: Narc, Smash TV, Double Dragon, and Dragon's Lair were big influences and a drain on my pocket money.

Who are some of the artists who've inspired your work?

For me the artists and writers of 2000 AD: Simon Bisley, Jaime Hewlett, Kevin O'Neill, Pat Mills, and Garth Ennis. Stan Winston had a huge impact on my childhood, and in recent years so has the work of Guillermo del Toro. In my eyes the man is an absolute genius.

What is it about 80s fantasy animation that works so well in a video game?

To me it's a welcome change of style, tone, and pace from most games that lean hard into moody, dark, violent worlds.

What is your favorite 80s cartoon, and what do you love about it?

I don't think I can pick just one to be honest. The major influence for me was the 70s' Lord of the Rings animated movie with its adult tone and pioneering approach to animation. Then the 8os animated shows such as He Man and the Masters of the Universe, She Ra, Thundercats, and the stunning work of Don Bluth that formed a shared experience for a generation.

What's the most satisfying/challenging/unusual task you've had while working on MythForce?

As Art Director for MythForce, taking an art style that is traditionally delivered in 2D and moving that to a 3D format where the player can look in any direction, has been an incredibly challenging task.

Most satisfying has been the privilege to work with my art team, to design and build characters, worlds, and props that pay tribute to the cartoons and influence of my youth. If I get to see Rico cosplay in my future, I will be a happy man.

Which is your favorite MythForce character to play, and why?

I will always have a soft spot for Maggie. She is the first character that I worked on when I joined Beamdog and will hold a special spot in my memory.

Which villain in MythForce do you expect players to hate the most?

I would be disappointed if our players hated any of our villains. When crafting our bad guys, we tried to find some kind of connection and a form of empathy. Even Deadalus, our big bad, has some redeeming qualities.

What makes MythForce unique?

I have mainly worked with established IPs that, while high profile and fun, can be limiting. MythForce didn't come with those restrictions. As a studio and a department we had the creative freedom to build our world and brand as we saw fit, which in a world filled with sequels was a great thing to be part of.