Vince on bad publicity, consoles and Uwe Boll
HEXUS:How would you reply to someone who considers you, to put it one way, something of a less than virtuous person for making video games that they deem undesirable for society?
Vince: Get educated, learn the facts, don’t assume what you read is true. I’m proud of Running With Scissors and what we’ve accomplished with POSTAL.
Anyone who takes the time to actually research who we are, what we are about, they will learn we are not extremist, just the opposite, we believe in self expression and responsibility. It is possible to design a game for a mature audience, market it appropriately and responsibly and still make a profit.
HEXUS:Do you make games for the sheer enjoyment of it, or do you see yourself as more of an artist, using video games as a medium to push, and indeed redefine, the boundaries of what is and isn't acceptable in modern culture?
Vince: POSTAL is a parody of American society today. It’s meant to be a satire, not a dramatic piece. Designing games is an art, we’re not trying to change the world or push anybody. Culture is what you make it.
HEXUS:Given the negative / bad publicity of the Postal series so far, they have still become a cult hit amongst many PC gamers worldwide. Did you ever expect the Postal series to get so much acclaim from gamers when initially released and how has this affected your overall outlook on the content and creativity for the series?
Vince: We didn’t know what to expect. We never could have predicted the negative or positive reaction. Initially it was so overwhelming in itself, then it became the scapegoat for the entire video game industry. The irony is that it then took on a ‘cult’ like following, and has continued to this day. We are a lot like our fans, I truly believe that’s a key element in our success.
HEXUS:Are there any plans for Postal to be developed for the Xbox360 or any future console?
Vince: We’re currently designing POSTAL 3. We’d love to make it for consoles, the 360 and online. Many, many console gamers have asked for years that we bring POSTAL to the playstation and Xbox.
HEXUS:Do you agree with the essay by Henry Jenkins, MIT entitled " Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked" that basically every stereotype about video games (only girls play them, violent ones make people violent etc) are false?
Vince: This was a very interesting effort on Mr. Jenkins part. What I like most is that it tries to educate anyone who’s willing to have an open mind on the subject. No one has a monopoly on science, facts and the truth, yet in an open society like ours people can decide for themselves what they believe is right or true. The real danger is when a person, or organization makes and promotes a particular incident or opinion as fact, when in reality its their opinion.
HEXUS:Seeing as you are working to have Postal 3 made into a movie, what's your movie of 2005?
Vince: POSTAL 3 and the POSTAL movie are not dependent on each other. POSTAL 3 will be an all out effort to let the Postal Dude go where no other game character has even considered. The POSTAL movie will be about the Postal Dude, who he is and what his life is like. Not sure what you meant re 2005.
HEXUS:What do you think of the clip of a small child playing "Postal 2" featuring in famous annoying teen band The Black Eyed Peas,"Where is the love?" music video?
I laughed my ass off. Did you notice that it was a playstation and not a PC the kid was playing? Again, it was very ironic, they somehow were trying to show the evil in the world, but does anybody take them serious? I’m always amazed at so called celebrities that get political, but don’t want to apply any of the liberal restrictions to themselves.
HEXUS:What has Uwe Boll got everybody else hasn't? Or, in another sense, what's wrong with the "Hollywood feel"?
Vince: For one he’s got balls to do what he wants, and he puts his money where his mouth is. In Hollywood people put their mouths wherever they can to make a buck.
HEXUS:What PC (spec) do you use to play games?
Vince: 2.5Ghz+, 2gig ram, radeon x 1800, liquid cool
HEXUS:Can you please take our psychological test? Please give one-word answers:
HEXUS:Guns or knives?
Vince: BOMBS
HEXUS:Hip Hop or Rock?
Vince: CLASSICAL
HEXUS:Dogs or Cats?
Vince: DOGS
HEXUS:Meat pie or Vegetable pie?
Vince: MEAT
HEXUS:Boxer shorts or Y-fronts?
Vince: COCK
HEXUS:Shoes or Trainers?
Vince: BAREFOOT
HEXUS:Sony or Microsoft?
Vince: IBM
HEXUS:Euthanasia or Suffering?
Vince: SUICIDE
HEXUS:Religion or Atheism?
Vince: GOD
HEXUS:Alcohol or drugs?
Vince: REHAB
Many thanks to Vince for a great interview and to the HEXUS community for providing some great questions.
Check out the Official websitefor details of the Postal games and Postal 3, the latest offering from Running With Scissors.
