Solver:	Now a question that I expect you to find a bit hard. What's your PC games Top 5?
Sirian:	All time?
Solver:	Yes.
Sirian:	Not including CivIV, where (honestly) I don't yet know where to fit it... (Among other things, CivIV still has expansion(s) yet to come, and those weigh in on its final rating). 1. System Shock (the original) 2. Descent (the original) 3. Half Life (the original) 4. Ultima VI 5. Master of Orion (the original) 6. X-Com (the original) Sorry, couldn't hold myself to just five! Note that I like originals? Original Diablo would be #7. Sequels are rarely done well. I think CivIV might be an exception, but I'm biased.
Solver:	And where would the original Civ fit?
Sirian:	You -do- like to ask tough questions, don't you? You may have a bright future with this interviewing gig. I can't honestly put the original Civ in my top ten list. That's all about the AI. There are just too many things about the CivI AI burned in to my memory as "shouldn't be done that way". That's unfair, I know, but it's how I feel. We could probably put Railroad Tycoon, Pirates (the remake or the original, take your pick!), and Covert Action on the end of the top ten list, though. And maybe, on further reflection, I'd shuffle the names around a bit. It's a tough question, though, and not a judgment against items that didn't make the list, but praise for the ones that did.
Solver:	I can't resist asking you about Half-Life, seeing it as your #3. What exactly do you consider to be great about that game?
Sirian:	Immersion, game balance, AI, and above all, the writing. Did you notice, I put shooters at the top of the list. All three.
Solver:	Yes, that came as a bit of a surprise from a CivIV developer!
Sirian:	Descent 1 action at SCL. I got two 3fers in these games (very hard to kill three enemies in a single shot!) and recorded them. That picture with the high scores (hundreds) was a brutal meat grinder, eight players jammed in to a level that is too small for two players to fight comfortably! Blood bath there! (We had other terms for it, but they are not airable at a family-friendly website!) You should try to keep in mind that I grew up on console games and arcade games. I actually set some world records on coin op[erated] video games, although getting those “recorded” is an arduous task, and one that (despite help from the owners of the machines I played on vouching for all my claims, and even having photographic evidence) still did not happen! What drew me to the [Inter]net was Descent. That was the first modern PC game played on the net in any quantity. The first multiplayer gaming platform, Kali, was designed specifically for Descent, at first, then expanded to Warcraft II and many other games. I was one of the more active members of the online Descent multiplayer community. I was a key part of two different organizations, one that favored large “anarchy” games and one that was a 1v1 ladder. I'm a twitch gamer, not a niche gamer. I was playing Half Life 2 multiplayer over the winter, while working on CivIV. Get tired of founding cities? Jump in a game and frag some folks. This may surprise you, but I find shooters to be more strategic games than “strategy” games. Not only are the tactics richer, the strategies more numerous, but you have to think FAST. These games are simpler, in a way. An entire strategy is carried out in moments, and you don't need high endurance.
Solver:	I would beg to differ, quick thinking doesn't make that strategic thinking! Or maybe I'm just saying that because I am quite horrible at Half-Life 2 multiplayer.
Sirian:	[More] Descent 1 action at SCL. I'm more of a sprinter as a multiplayer gamer, not a marathon runner. I do -very- well in shooters, but a game that takes an hour to play, or three hours? I run out of steam. The thing is... I brought a diverse range of gaming experiences to my role on CivIV. Diversity in points of view can be an asset. I could think outside the box, come at problems or issues from another angle. Half Life and System Shock were the best single player shooters I played, both giving me intense experiences and a lot of joy. Very challenging at higher settings, playing “no reloads”, just play and live with the consequences. Descent was like that, too, but I spent more time playing it multiplayer than solo.

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