Crash Bandicoot Untold Story - July 24
Dave Siller
Hollywood Production value.
I have stated here that Mark Cerny loved to say we had "Hollywood" production in our developments. Crash Bandicoot enjoyed Hollywood artists and animators, Hollywood music composers and we also had Hollywood sound effects. Universal Sound provided all of the sound effects that were used in the game, and they were awesome to work with. Ron Horwitz ran that job for the original Crash Bandicoot project and they were so professional. Dan Kollmorgan and I would go there and work with them to generate all of the extensive array of sound effects that were needed. The list was compiled with discussion with the entire ND team. The game probably doubled or even tripled the amount of sound effects that were common place in video games up to that point. I have that list here somewhere, but this is another account of the creation of everyone's favorite bandicoot marsupial.
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Dave Siller
Harmony.
Great video games come from a combination of great ideas, great planning, great art, great technology, great music, great sound effects and great production,...mixed with respect and humility,...thus "Harmony"!
All things harmoniously jiving with each other and naturally more creativity flows!
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John Pickford
David,
I remember visiting you at your office on the Universal lot and the walls were covered in character & level designs for Crash Bandicoot. Although I don't think the game was officially named at that time. All these years I've wondered why you were seemingly erased from the game's official history. You've answered that now I guess.
When I was first promoted to a 'producer' type role at Software Creations, you were one of my first contacts and I think we spoke almost daily at 2pm (UK time). I'll always remember your infectious enthusiasm and positive approach, I was very nervous at the time and you were always really encouraging and you really helped to build my confidence.
I always loved talking to you about the history of videogames and you always had an insight that could only come from being there at the time (Super Mario Bros being influenced by PacLand etc.)
I'll always be grateful for the way you encouraged me (and my brother) in our own game design endeavours. Even though we were working on similar 'mascot' games around the same time (your Aero and our Plok) you were always hugely supportive. So, thanks for that and I hope you get the recognition you deserve.
Dave Siller
ohn, thank you for the kind words of support! You are a great video game designer and I always loved your work and dealing and working with you was always a pleasure. That's the way it should always be. The ND guys were so determined to claim everything for themselves and in order for them to convince Sony of their worth, they had to bury me and Charles and Joe. I suppose that is why Sony bought their Studio for 120 million. Sony would not even give me the time of day when I approached them to back a Studio venture I was proposing after leaving Capcom.
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Dave Siller
A Hollywood Studio in chaos. When I was hired to join Universal Interactive Studios, it was owned by Matsushita Electric, the largest Electronics manufacturer in the World located in Japan. It was run by the longest in place Management team in all of Hollywood, Lew Wasserman and Sid Sheinberg! It was utopia as far as I was concerned. Everything was so damn cool, everything the Studio did was classy and first rate. Soon as Crash Bandicoot was approaching completion, Matsushita sold their majority interest to the Canadian distillery Seagrams! Everything then became chaotic and all the top tier managers were fired. Sony then came into the picture and that caused even more chaos. This of course played into Rubin and Gavin's agenda and the s*** hit the fan!
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Dave Siller
Subliminal Management
Being a "Producer" in video games production at the time when Crash Bandicoot was developed was really a difficult job at best. You are too blame if it fails and you are pushed aside and easily forgotten when it HITS!!!
The best way to manage "talent" is too influence them when they are unaware! Your idea this week is their idea next week! You plant ideas in their heads like creative little seeds.... I coined a saying back in those days that is as true today as it was then.... "people love to learn but hate to be taught"....! It is a thankless job being a producer as it combines great pressure and high stress.... but if you are destined to follow this dream then it is and must be worth the obstacles that stand in your way. If you have heart then anything is possible.
Many have thanked me for training them, mentoring them or just supporting them and believing in them, but no one at Naughty Dog ever did.
