Ask Paradox (almost) Anything Thread (no support/tech or code questions)

[Johan]

Some dev dairies talked about the traditional "lunch Vindaloo". What's you're favourite food (a question to any Paradox staff, I guess)?

I like Indian food the best I guess.

 

[Johan]

Oh, and another question: seeing as some forumites practically collect icons, is there a limit of icons the forum software can display?

not that i know off.. Maybe its at like 65355 or something like that.

 

[Johan]

@Paradox, can I come visit on Beerday? (Is it BYOB?)

Depends

 

[Johan]

I think it's a credit to PI that the staff still have as much regular contact with the forum as they do. After the HoI3 release, I thought we would be hearing a lot less from the devs. I suppose if your work gets released to such a huge public audience, you have to be somewhat thick-skinned.

Don't get me wrong, much of the criticism was legit, but the tone was apalling.

It wasn't that fun to read the PM's and posts of "I am going to kill you if you dont fix this now" etc.

 

[podcat]

I think it's a credit to PI that the staff still have as much regular contact with the forum as they do. After the HoI3 release, I thought we would be hearing a lot less from the devs. I suppose if your work gets released to such a huge public audience, you have to be somewhat thick-skinned.

Don't get me wrong, much of the criticism was legit, but the tone was apalling.

It always helps to remember that there are a ton of people who are too busy having fun and actually playing the game too write about it on the forum. You sometimes forget this and get a bit surprised after talking to them.

 

[Johan]

3). What development environment and tools do you use? Did you create your own tools for your game engines?

Visual Studio, Ultraedit, Photoshop, Maya, EmotionFX hmm.. some more i guess.

4). How do you research what players would enjoy?

Sales number, forum comments, what we find fun ourselves. etc

 

[Johan]

Then you must PM me if you're ever in Oslo. I'll introduce you to one of Europa's finest Indian restaurants!

Actually had my first Tandoori at an Indian in Oslo back when I worked there for Funcom.. Can't recall where it was, but it was close to the station, near Langkaia

 

[Kallocain]

Some dev dairies talked about the traditional "lunch Vindaloo". What's you're favourite food (a question to any Paradox staff, I guess)?

My favourite food is pancakes. They don't serve that for lunch in a lot of restaurants though, unless it's Thursday.

 

[SolSara]

Some dev dairies talked about the traditional "lunch Vindaloo". What's you're favourite food (a question to any Paradox staff, I guess)?

Italian food. And meat.

 

[Kallocain]

Where can I buy a Paradox t-shirt?

You can't. Yet.

 

[Kallocain]

Which country, in your opinion, provides the best meat? Do you even have a preference?

I know you didn't ask me but I have been in a fantastic Argentinian restaurant in London, the meat there was the best I've ever had. I want to go to Argentina and eat meat.

 

[SolSara]

Which country, in your opinion, provides the best meat? Do you even have a preference?

Argentina. A swedish blogger in Argentina writes a lot about meat and brags about how good the meat is compared with meat from other countries. I don't know if that counts. I don't really care where the meat is from, as long as it is juicy, tender and from a known animal (cow, pig or chicken. And moose is delicious, whale isn't.)

 

[Johan]

Which game encouraged you to make these wonderful games?

Civilization probably.

 

[Susana]

Can i be then your boyfriend?

Well, since you asked so nicely. You are now my official forum boyfriend

 

[ForzaA]

My favourite food is pancakes. They don't serve that for lunch in a lot of restaurants though, unless it's Thursday.

One word: Estonia.
Okay, maybe two: Tallinn, Estonia.
Those were the best pancakes ever, and I'm saying that despite living in a pancake-loving country for all my life.

 

[Kallocain]

On these pages;
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/misc.php?do=showavatars&page=94
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/misc.php?do=showavatars&page=95
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/misc.php?do=showavatars&page=96
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/misc.php?do=showavatars&page=97
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/misc.php?do=showavatars&page=98

It says that you need a certain amount of posts, like over 10000 to get those avatars, but I have 14k posts and yet I know no way how to choose one of those?

Surely those pages cannot lie, or have all my attempts to get a custom avatar with a high post count been doomed to fail?

Are you talking about custom avatars? They used to be allowed from a certain post count, but that has been removed.
I don't see any post count other than 0 on the links you posted though?

 

[SolSara]

1) Who does your historical research? Particularly for the big things like creating a Vicky or CK scenario

2) Where's my avatar gone? I'm fairly sure its been over a year since I've seen it...

I want a little Johan stuffed toy. Something I can smack whenever a game crashes or the AI crushes me

1) The scripters (me and Brother Bean) does a lot of historical research.

2) Where you last put it ^^.

Stuffed toys? We make computer games here, not toys

 

[Kallocain]

Plz?

I would answer, but I have no idea. o

 

[Kallocain]

I read long ago that Paradox hired a historian to help with designing one of their games. Is this true?

We have two historical researchers on staff actually.

 

[Fredrik II]

I'll copy Susana as well.

Favorite beer?
Anything at hand.

What do you enjoy most about working for Paradox Interactive?
Our team

Favorite vacation spot?
Any place where you can see the ocean

Who is the company's practical joker?
Shams gets my vote with Johan or Chris as runner-up

Who wears their emotions on their sleeve for all to see?
Hmmm. Most of us do I guess, but Susana gets my vote

Who would be most likely to give me a hug should I acquire enough money to buy a plane ticket and show up on your doorstep?
Anyone in the team I guess.

Could you provide some background info on yourselves? E.g. hometown, age, education, etc etc; whatever you feel like sharing!
Hometown: Umeå
Age: 35 (36 in June)
Education: Studied International Business and Management at the Gothenburg School of Economics and Commercial Law 93-98.
Joined Paradox August 2003.
Random trivia: I used to play drums for 11 years, three years in a death metal band. I still speak some Japanese, but it is getting rusty...

What was it like being offered a job with Paradox? How exactly did it happen?
I was asked by one of the founders to join in 2003. At the time I was tired of working as a consultant, so timing was excellent.

What kind of music (if any but Falalalan) do you listen to?
Heavy: Metallica, Testament, Mustasch, In Flames, Sepultura, Audioslave
I also listen to classic Rock and Opera.