Hey adventurers!

Thanks for checking out this week's MythForce interview with Jeremy Kroeker!

Jeremy graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Software Engineering in 2016. He worked at Google for a couple years before pursuing his dream of making video games, at which point he joined Beamdog in Edmonton (near the beginning of the Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights projects). During the pandemic he's been working from home, where his cat, Bigby, stays loyally by his side, and his other cat, Figaro, occasionally graces the room with his presence. As a Technical Lead on MythForce, he implements new game features and systems, provides guidance to his fellow programmers, and ensures the long-term quality and stability of the codebase.

What games (movies, comics, other media) first attracted you to game design?

My first experience building game content was with level editors for games like Age of Empires, Unreal Tournament, Timesplitters, and Halo. I love trying to understand how players will interact with the environment and game systems.

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

I've developed much of our procedurally generated loot system. It's a great feeling when you see a monster with a powerful weapon, defeat them, and can then equip the weapon yourself. When I get a free moment, I also enjoy adding spooky easter eggs here and there.

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

Maggie. I'm always looking for clever bubble shield placements to provide cover for my team.

What's the most appealing element of a roguelite game?

The random and procedural elements of roguelites force the player to adapt their strategy based on the situation. You maybe didn't plan to play bow-wielding Maggie, but finding an epic item drop will make you reconsider.

How does the cooperative mode in MythForce compare with the solo play experience for you?

I love the cooperation (and chaos) of playing with friends, but delving into a solo dungeon with no possibility of help or revival is uniquely daunting and exhilarating.

That's all for today's interview. Tune in next week for an interview with MythForce Senior Designer Kyle Mohammed.