EA Talks with Tim Schafer about the Making of Brutal Legend

Tim Schafer, the President of Double Fine Productions and mastermind behind the upcoming game Brütal Legend, took a few minutes out of what we can only imagine being a crazy schedule before the game showcases at E3 in a couple weeks to sit with us and discuss the game.   Read this Q&A to get inside Tim's mind to learn the origin of the game.

EA: What was the concept behind the creation of a game like Brütal Legend?

Tim Schafer: To create a world of six-legged mastodons and chrome volcanoes where anything can happen, and then give the player a double-sided broad-axe and let them go nuts in it. I also wanted an excuse for me to meet all of my heroes from the world of Heavy Metal.

EA:  Jack Black stars in the game as Eddie. Was he always the vision behind the character or did that come during the game development process?

TS: He was always an inspiration for the character, but I never dreamed we'd actually get him. When he said yes to the project I was excited, not just because we were getting his voice. I was excited because he liked the game so much. I felt that if Jack Black liked what we were doing, then we must be on the right track.

EA: Who were some of the musical influences in making the game?

TS: At the start of the project my main inspirations were the classic metal bands that I grew up with: Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Motörhead. But filling out the soundtrack required a lot of research, and I ended up getting an education in metal. Now we have all metal genres represented; both old stuff and new bands.

EA: The game has a very unique visual look. What was the reasoning behind this look and feel to the Brütal Legend?

TS: We were inspired by the work of artists like Frank Frazetta, and his dramatic, epic, brutal images. And also the artwork from great album covers. The great thing about heavy metal and hard rock album covers is that anything goes. As long as it looks cool. That's a rule we've stuck to when making the game as well.

EA: As people play the Brütal Legend game at E3, what's the one feeling you want them to come away with?

TS: "Holy crap. I have been waiting for this game all my life, and I didn't even know it!"