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Tim Cain created Fallout in the 1990s, giving rise to one of the most beloved series in gaming. However, he has been open about how the first Fallout game was viewed as a “B Tier” project at Interplay.
So, how do you convince your coworkers to join a project that seems less promising than what else the studio is working on? It turns out that pizza and passion are all you need.
In his latest YouTube video, Cain shares tips for aspiring game developers. He encourages them to stick with genres they love. He uses Fallout as an example, explaining that free pizza got developers interested, but their passion for the game kept them involved and helped bring it to life.
Tim Cain Explains How Limitations Helped Fallout’s Development
“I gathered everyone after hours and sent an email inviting them to a conference room for pizza,” says Cain. “I didn’t realize that this limitation actually helped form a motivated and passionate team. What seemed like a limitation ended up being a great way to find an awesome team to work with.”
Cain believes that working within limitations has always benefited him and encourages other developers to do the same. This includes playing to your strengths and focusing on genres that excite you. He also created tools to speed up game development, mentioning Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura as an example. Cain’s challenge in attracting developers for Fallout meant that only those who truly believed in it joined the project.
Despite this, there were still external pressures on Fallout’s development. Cain has explained that he had to push back against Interplay’s desire for real-time combat, which was eventually changed to turn-based mechanics. If he hadn’t done that, Fallout could have felt a lot like Diablo. The canceled Fallout 3, codenamed Van Buren, would have featured real-time combat.
First Episode Air Date: April 10, 2024
Cast: Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Moises Arias, Xelia Mendes-Jones, Walton Goggins
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
First Game: Fallout
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