The Cutting Edge: Computing / Technology / Innovation : Q & A : Maxis’ Braun Says Ease of Use Will Make or Break Multimedia
Want to play Mayor? Or how about God? Catering to modest fantasies such as these has made Orinda, Calif.-based Maxis Inc.--developer of best-selling simulation games such as “SimAnt,” “SimFarm” and “SimCity”--one of the hottest little companies in the burgeoning multimedia entertainment industry. And Maxis’ chairman and founder, Jeff Braun, is now making a name for himself as one of the industry’s most outspoken critics.
Braun and software designer Will Wright founded Maxis in 1987 to create a different type of computer game--one where you don’t win, lose or die in the end. The first result, “SimCity,” now has some 3 million people playing it on personal computers, Macintoshes and Nintendo systems around the world. The update to “SimCity,” “SimCity 2000,” has been a mainstay on software best-seller lists since its release last year.
All of the Maxis titles let you play the heady role of omniscient creator. Whether you’re tilling the fields in “SimFarm,” kissing up to the Queen in “SimAnt” or creating bizarre new life forms in “SimLife,” you’re the one at the controls. Your city, farm, ant colony or environment succeeds or fails as a result of the decisions you make over time. Just like in real life.
Braun is well-known in the industry for his off-the-cuff commentary on trends and products. We caught up with him last week and asked him his views on Apple, Microsoft and the harsh realities of the consumer software market.
*
Q: You’ve been around as long, if not longer, than anyone else in the multimedia industry. What do you think is the biggest problem facing it today?
A: Definitely, definitely ease of use. We keep on saying that the PC is a consumer machine, but when these people get it home, they can’t use it! PCs are so hard to use, we’re losing our credibility as an industry. We have to work on how to make this like a commodity consumer industry item like VCRs or video game machines. The PC just isn’t there yet.
*
Q: So how does the industry go about doing that?
A: For one thing, you hope Apple succeeds! It really takes that Apple (Macintosh) type of an interface. We have very few problems with Apple products in our tech support, and we have an amazing amount of problems with Microsoft Windows on a PC. I think as Windows becomes more like a Mac--which is what I hear (the next version of Windows) does--that should pretty much take care of it. But only if they start releasing new hardware that is literally plug-and-play, if they release stuff that anyone can plug in and make work. People buy these PCs expecting something from the promises, but then they get it home and can’t even get it to work. Think of how frustrating that is for people.
*
Q: As a software maker developing for several platforms, which one do you see winning? At the turn of the century, will desktop computers like PCs and Macs be dominant, or will the main multimedia machines be descendants of today’s Sega and Nintendo game systems?
A: I think right now the stable platform you can count on for the next few years is the IBM PC. I think that will remain stable for a while. Beyond that, I don’t know. But for now, we can continue our PC business without any interruption. We’re still trying to see what happens with the Sony PSX (multimedia game system). Or what to do if the Sega or the 3DO (multimedia games system) take off. We need to stay light-footed and not commit (ourselves) to any one platform, but to try to develop products that can take advantage of the strengths of all these platforms. Like 3-D. We’re putting three-dimensional graphics in our new titles, across all platforms.
*
Q: OK, but how about some soothsaying?
A: You want me to soothsay? OK then, it’s the year 2000 and Motorola owns it all. Here’s the play: Motorola buys Apple, they get the Mac, they drop the price, turn it into a commodity thing for consumers and go head-to-head against Microsoft in a big, fat way. With large, large merchandising and large, large dollars. And then they come up with a strategy of low-end (computer) consoles, like the Nintendo machine, and (hand-held computers) and notebook-type computers. The idea is to create a whole line--so it goes all the way from consoles to (hand-held computers) to laptops and to video game machines--and it’s all compatible, they’re all using the same files, all products will work on any of them. And if there’s one company that can really pull it all off, it’s Motorola.
*
Q: Then what happens to the Intel platform and Microsoft Windows?
A: I hope it dies. Because as I said, unless we do something to make it easy and make it seamless for customers, we’re going to lose a whole base of the customer. Because they’re just not going to want to be involved. But if you can put them on this cross-platform strategy, you can bring them in. If anyone can do it, it’s Motorola. Because if we’re stuck with Bill Gates and Intel, I think it’s going to be a total nightmare. I do not have any faith in Chicago or Windows 95 (the new version of Windows slated for release next year) or whatever they call it.
*
Q: Why not? Lots of other software makers sing its praises.
A: The thing I think is most depressing is that the base configuration they’ve announced is 8 megabytes of memory. And if that’s the base, you’re talking more like 12 megs to run applications and games on it. So every machine for consumers is going to cost $2,000? That is not a consumer machine. And most computers today only have 4 megabytes. So are they all going to have to upgrade just for Windows 95? I just think that’s insane. That alone just drives me nuts.
*
Q: What kind of computer do you own?
A: Um, I have a 486 clone.
*
Q: A PC with Windows? Come on!
A: Yeah, as much as I hate it. I also have a Mac, but honestly I use mostly Windows because I have to do all the business things. And all the business things are on Windows, although I hate it.
*
Q: Excepting your own, what are your favorite multimedia titles?
A: Well, right at the top is one called “Rock, Rap ‘n’ Roll.” My parents are afraid they might break the computer. But this one, I set it up and told my parents they could hit any key, make any kind of music happen, and they just went crazy. They loved it. It’s easy. And I’m just saying, now that’s a product. Then, I would have to say “Myst.” It’s the mood--the sounds, effects and the mood they create, it’s wonderful. It really provokes the emotion.
*
Q: Beyond games like “SimCity” and multimillion-dollar fighter pilot training, what are simulations good for in the real world?
A: Any kind of training. PizzaHut is putting together a simulation where the employees in their off hours get off from work and play “Sim PizzaHut.” You can literally simulate anything. You can take a problem, like traffic, and you can set up sims that ask: What if we rearrange the light pattern? What if we make them one-way streets?
Basically, simulations can help people learn about any situation in a non-linear fashion. It’s very important for education and training. And very interesting for entertainment. And politics. You can simulate the health care system, like we did with “SimHealth,” and help people make decisions about policy. You can simulate the national deficit. And you could say what’s the largest part, what if we cut out defense? What if we got rid of the CIA? You could just say what if? And it’s like a spreadsheet, where you can rework it until you get an output you find satisfactory. It’s very educational.
Jeff Braun
Age: 39
Self-description: Ex-hippie, current yuppie
Education: Perpetual student
Company: Maxis (maker of home entertainment, creativity and learning software; best known for the game “SimCity”)
When not computing: Listening to Hilton Ruiz, jazz pianist
