Playing Catch Up: Chris Taylor

Gamasutra has published a new "Playing Catch Up" column, this time providing us with some history about Gas Powered Games founder Chris Taylor.
Dungeon Siege was first shown to the public at E3 2000, though didn't see release until two years later. Though he notes that he felt (relieved) that game did receive positive reviews, Taylor candidly admits that he felt (disappointed that it wasn't as well received as Total Annihilation).

(I think criticism is an important part of the creative process, and you have to accept it to grow and develop professionally,) he comments. (It's painful at times, but very necessary, and ultimately makes you work harder next time. I learned that bigger isn't necessarily better, and that a smaller more focused game is better than a long playing game. We were very worried about our competition, and the huge games they were making, and sort of chomped on that red herring. In hindsight we should have just carved out our own experience, and not spent so much time looking over our shoulders at big companies with larger budgets. That's definitely not the way to make great games.)