Ad Personam: Chris Parker, Black Isle Studios
Sia 'Garrett' Manzari, 2003-11-28

Ad Personam is dedicated to the people behind the games: programmers, artists, musicians, directors, producers and many other professions involved in creating the stuff that fills our harddisks, lets us sleep less and eat more junk food. In each Ad Personam, we want to introduce one of these fine folks to you - and this time it is Chris Parker, Producer at Black Isle Studios. [note: By the time this interview was done, Chris was still with Black Isle Studios - in the meantime he joined Faergus Urquhart's new company Obsidian Entertainment].

Chris Parker: Chris Parker, Producer.
I started at Interplay way back in 1995 as a QA tester while I finished up my Bachelors in Chemistry. I graduated and they gave me an assistant producer job. I liked chemicals better but didn't really want to endure graduate school, so I stayed with games. I've produced a number of games from sports titles as part of Interplay's now defunct VR Sports brand all the way through Black Isle's premier PC role-playing games. My most significant titles include Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Baldur's Gate II.

RPGDot: Your favourite game, both electronical and board?

Chris Parker: How can you answer that question with just one?
Super, Super Old School - Warlords, Atari 2600
Super Old School - Mule, C64
Old School Console- Secret of Mana, SNES
Old School PC - Star Control II
Console - Metal Gear Solid
PC - System Shock II
Playing recently - Mark of Kri, Dynasty Warriors III


I don't really play board games. I do like and have played a lot of Jyhad/Vampire (the card game), D&D, and Shadowrun.

RPGDot: Your favourite movie and favourite actor & actress?

Chris Parker: I don't have a favorite actor or actress.
For favorite movies I'll just pick the old standby, Star Wars (any of the real ones).

RPGDot: Your favourite singer/band and record?

Chris Parker: Sorry, I can't do that... it would be different next week.

RPGDot: If you could do any game, regardless of money and developing time, what would it be?

Chris Parker: I'd probably make some crazy hybrid mix of Snow Crash, the Shadowrun universe, and the Way of the Sword (Musashi vol I-V). It would be a single player PC game.

RPGDot: If you'd be able to choose anyone from within the game industry to work on your dream project, who'd you put in your team?

Chris Parker: I think I'd mostly stick with the team I work with now. I know them all and we work well together. I imagine that if I put a bunch of game-bigwigs-cooks in the kitchen it would turn into a UFC free for all.

RPGDot: What character from a game or role-playing setting best describes you?

Chris Parker: I have no idea. I'll pick Harold from Fallout 2. Harold is just Harold, and Harold is special.

RPGDot: Your non-gaming hobbies?

Chris Parker: A perfect question to make my life sound pathetic... I like sports, cards, darts, and most things that involve beer.

RPGDot: Your favourite author and favourite book?

Chris Parker: The author I've probably read the most is Stephen King, but that doesn't say much since I've read a lot and he's written a lot.

Favorite book is a pretty hard category. I am particularly fond of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I think that book is an excellent exploration. I truly enjoyed the Musashi books although the serialized fashion in which they were written shows a bit at some points. It may just be that Where the Wild Things Are is the greatest book ever written and illustrated... hard to say.

RPGDot: What historical person would you like to meet and why?

Chris Parker: I don't have much desire to meet historical people. The vast majority I wouldn't even be able to talk to. Off the top of my head I'll say Chuck Yeager. I read his biography (or autobiography, I don't recall which) and that guy is a freaking stud, plain and simple.

RPGDot: Thanks for your time!