MechWarrior Online Developer Interview #3

It's time for another in-house developer interview on the official MechWarrior Online website, and in this latest entry we hear from Piranha Games' David Bradley, Bryan Ekman, Paul Inouye. Topics include their development experience, their daily responsibilities on MWO, what it's like to work with the MechWarrior license, and more:
MWO: How is MechWarrior different from other things you've worked on?

[DAVID] The biggest difference is that it's a lot more complex than most games. Usually there's a single player character and a handful of weapons. The BattleTech universe has hundreds of 'Mechs that could potentially make it into the game along with dozens of weapons. And not only do we have to focus on what we're launching with, but we have to constantly be thinking about the future as new 'Mechs, weapons, and other equipment are always just on the horizon.

[PAUL] The pure amount of customization options is something to behold. Whether or not we can fit all of them in is another question. It is this level of customization that makes it really a tough decision process when it comes down to what is included and what is pushed off the plate.

[BRYAN] MWO is by far the largest and most important project I have ever been involved in. The fact we control our own destinies and IP for PC and Xbox platforms, gives us the ability to push for quality and value over timeframes and rigid milestone schedules.

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MWO: Which is your favourite of the past MechWarrior games?

[DAVID] I think the only past games I've played for any significant amount of time were MechWarrior 2 and MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries back in the day. So let's go with those.

[PAUL] MechWarrior 3 tops my charts, I like the gameplay more than the rest and it was bringing us a more detailed environment and really making use of those new-fangled (texture maps!) The original MechWarrior still holds a place in my heart as well. It was the first MechWarrior and the first to immerse me into a 3D-vector based game.

[BRYAN] MechWarrior and MechWarrior 2 and the expansion packs.