Interviews
(Interview) Harmonix: Daniel Sussman, Guitar Hero and Maker of Magic Moments
By Ron Ayers
Nov 10, 2006, 8 :20 am

Harmonix is one of the leading developers in the world of music-based video. Their string of hits including Guitar Hero, Karaoke Revolution, Amplitude and Frequency prompted MTV Networks to acquire the company in a deal which was finalized last week just in time for the release of Guitar Hero II. Daniel Sussman, the project leader for Guitar Hero 2 and member of Boston-area and bonus track band “The Acro-Brats,” was kind enough to take some time from eating cake and riding his “solid-gold Segway” around the office to chat about GH2, Harmonix’s and music-based gaming’s future.

EntDepot: Guitar Hero II is already done. Available in discount outlets in Arkansas everywhere. What have you been working on lately?

Daniel: We’ve been focusing on the Xbox 360 version, which we’re hoping to finish up over the next couple of months. I don’t think there’s a target shelf date for it yet, but that’s what we’re working on.

EntDepot: Are you planning on releasing GH2 for any of the other next-generation systems?

Daniel: Just the 360.

EntDepot: What are the major differences that you’re finding in developing for the Xbox 360 as opposed to the PS2?

Daniel: There’s more beef with the next-gen, specifically with the 360. You can make things look snappier. We don’t have to be as careful with respect to optimization, character venue budget, that kind of stuff. It’s kind of a Pandora’s box on the other hand. Working within the confined realm of the PS2 you really have to make decisions and think about what you’re doing and the long-term implications of everything that goes in. Like very, carefully architected project, whereas with the 360 we’re just like “Throw it in! Throw it in Throw it in!” and then at the end I’m sure it’ll explode on us and we’ll have to figure it out it.

EntDepot: In the middle of development you guys were acquired and your publisher was acquired as well correct?

Daniel: Our publisher (Red Octane) was acquired right around E3, they were acquired by Activision, and then we were acquired basically after we were done with Guitar Hero II. It didn’t really happen in the middle of the project.

EntDepot: How did that relationship start out?

Daniel: We’re a valuable company because we have a history of making games, and making games that are innovative and games that nobody else is making. As Guitar Hero burst on the scene in a fairly mass-market way, the days of music games being a niche market ended, and as such being a premier music game developer in the United States, we suddenly had value.

I don’t know the details of the business relationship with our company and MTV, but I will say that we are a valuable company especially now, and MTV obviously recognized that.

EntDepot: The acquisition is final right? Has life changed at Harmonix now that MTV has taken over?

Daniel: No, we all still ride our solid gold Segways into the office like we always did. Everything is exactly the same. The sale just went final a week ago. So I don’t think we’ve had the opportunity to watch things change.

I’m sure there will be subtle changes, all of the sudden our CEO will have a boss, which he’s never had. One of the attractive things about the deal is that we’re the only game developer that is under the MTV/Viacom umbrella, and so we’re still kind of an independent developer in a lot of respects.

EntDepot: So the five Porsches outside aren’t yours?

Daniel: No.

EntDepot: Personally, what do you hope for in a relationship with MTV in terms of making your games better?

Daniel: Well, they have a long history in music development and marketing for and to music lovers. I’m excited to work with their marketing people.  I’m also very excited to see what kind of ideas they bring to the table FOR games. I’m sure they have a wealth of market research, but it’s weirder than that, they basically shape pop culture in many ways. I’m excited to have an angle or an entry point into that sort of capability.

EntDepot: Guitar Hero II is all covers again correct?

Daniel: We have a couple of master tracks We went out and got masters for Jane’s Addiction which was an awesome experience actually being in the studio mixing that song and also Primus was a master track. All of the unlock tracks, I think there are 24 of them this time around, are actual master tracks.

EntDepot: Lets talk about the bonus tracks for a second. Obviously people love Guitar Hero; it’s a big seller. Has it had an impact on the careers of any of the bonus artists involved?

Daniel: Not materially. Every band on Guitar Hero I kind of saw their MySpace page get a pretty pointed boost, and it’s awesome to get e-mail from people all over the United States and the world. For the most part, most of the bands from Harmonix, we’re all local bands, we don’t play nationally, we work here everyday. Some of the bands, Freezepop. they actually get around the country and do different things. Graveyard BBQ the contest winners, they actually tour more than my band (The Acro-brats) and most of others on the unlock list.

So it’s definitely made an impact on the collective consciousness for these bands, but at the end of the day we still play the music that we like to play for ourselves.

EntDepot: How much control do you have over what you’re working on right now? Are you totally autonomous or does MTV have you working on My Super Sweet 16.

Daniel: First of all, I don’t think that will ever happen happen. I think one of the reasons we were attractive to MTV was that we actually have good ideas for games. We’re not just a “for-hire” developer and we never really have been. Not every game we have made has been the brainchild of our management team, but that said, we’re working on very exciting things. I can’t speak for what life we be like five years down the road, but if everything works out, I think we will continue to be making cool cutting edge music games that opening up people to music, and that the core tenet of the company doesn’t change. We’re here to give people that don’t have that music bone the sensation of playing music. Video games are an unbelievably strong and powerful format for that, and that’s what I think is attractive to MTV.

EntDepot: That’s an excellent segue. We’ve seen maracas, bongos, guitars, microphones, and people dancing. We’ve seen another side with Q Entertainment integrating music as part of their puzzle game play. Even Nintendo dabbling with music creation with Elektroplankton. Where would you like to see music gaming go next?

Daniel: That’s a tricky question. I don’t know how deep the mass market is ready to go. I think one of the appealing things about Guitar Hero was the fact that it was acceptable and was easy to get into. It was easy to comprehend for anyone whether you understand, music, or guitar, or games or whatever. You didn’t have to have knowledge of any of that stuff to get in. I think the progression will map towards games in any genre, where the first iteration is an incredibly straightforward thing, and then gradually things get more complicated until you’re adding touch to your passes, and leading receivers and 22 guys on a football field at once. I think eventually the market will be ready for a full on multiplayer band experience kind of thing, but I don’t know if anyone is ready for it yet.

EntDepot: What games are you playing right now?

Daniel: I just got my 360. I got Hitman, which I’m finding to be difficult but very well done. I’ve played a little Dead or Alive 4, which I think is a good launch title. It’s fun; it’s kind of accessible it’s pretty easy to feel good at it. I’m watching a lot of people I know play Saint’s Row which I think is a very well done game, once you get over the fact that they curse, which I can’t. I’m excited for the new Tony Hawk, I think it looks amazing. Also excited about the new Winning Eleven on the Xbox.

Links: Harmonix