ted backman of valve software

During his time at Valve, Ted has been responsible for designing and building many of the people, places and things that inhabit Black Mesa, City 17, and the outlying environments in Half-Life 1 and 2. Ted took the time to answer my questions on weapon design for first person shooters.

What work did you do prior to joining Valve?

Before joining Valve I was an art student at the University of Washington.

How important a role do you think a weapon's aesthetics have in the media/entertainment industry?

A very important role, I don't think that functional properties have much importance in the average prop managers criteria for selection.

How important a role do you think a weapon's aesthetics have in non-fictional weapon design (weapons already designed for actual use)?

Most weapons have some degree of aesthetic consideration built into them, whether the designers recognise it or not. I think most handguns and many of the newer carbines have a strong industrial design component to them.

Do you think the attention to the aesthetics of firearms has become greater or lessened over the history of weapon design?

I think there's always going to be a place for beautiful weapons, historically, by royalty and the upper class, and even now there's examples of customised weapons for wealthy enthusiasts.

What do you think of modern day weapon designs? Are there any weapons that you particularly like?

There's some great stuff out there, I love the G-36, BFG- 50, spas 12, etc. Chunky, no nonsense, simple designs.

Are their any fictional weapons that you've seen before that you particularly admire? If so, what was it you liked about it?

None spring to mind that haven't been copied to death (Bladerunner pistol, Aliens assault rifle).

Weapons are often displayed on walls as ornaments or art pieces. What do you think it is about weapon's that makes us want to put them on show?

Well, I suppose through time that some sort of weapon has hung above the mantle in many homes, historically it was probably because they were heirlooms, most likely the most expensive item in a family's home. Present day, I think it's because they're symbolic of liberty, security, etc.

What do you think is the relevant criteria to make a gun look aesthetically pleasing? Is making the weapon look aesthetically good, relevant criteria in itself?

My preference is in minimal forms that clearly show the funcion of the part. A balance in simplified forms would be my ideal set of criteria.

What criteria do you have to take in to consideration when designing a weapon for HL1 & HL2?

A player can infer a great deal about the world they're in by the weapons they find. Primarily, the gun must have interesting detail and form from the first person view, it's far too easy to choose a weapon by it's profile only to discover that it's uninteresting in the player's view.

Is there a particular process you take in designing a weapon? Presuming the idea comes first, what comes next: functionality or aesthetics?

Funcionality is first, I'd try to develop a couple key ideas that make the concept unique, then massage the forms untill they look interesting in the player's view, trying as much as possible to make modelling choices from the eye position, not an orthograpic view.

Have you ever designed a weapon (or do you often design weapons) purely for the aesthetical look first, and then applied a function to it?

No.

How long does it usually take to see a weapon from initial idea to final design?

There's no usual time, each design problem has it's own very unique set of requirements.

What software was used to create the weapons for HL1 and HL2? Were there any reasons why this software was used as opposed to other 3d applications?

All of the weapons I created for HL1 were done in 3dsMax, simply because it was available to me at the time. All of the weapons modelled for HL2 were created in XSI. Most modelling packages these days have a comparable toolset.

Do you own any weapons? If so, what is you like most about it/them? Are there any specific aesthetical qualities that you like?

I collect production knives on a very casual basis. I really like Columbia river knives, and Emerson knives. They don't try to do too much with thier designs, they're very purpose driven, and they choose materials that highlight that, but that also have a strong tactile quality to them.

What influences your designs? Do you find inspiration in all sorts of places, or simply other weapons?

I try to gather reference from as many varied sources as possible. I like to study popular firearms, since that's the visual language most people are going to understand. I try to abstract those into elements or qualities that can inform my designs in a non literal way.

Is there a weapon that you've designed that you are most proud of?

No, I don't have a favorite.

Finally, do you have any valuable tips on weapon designing?

On design in a general sense, don't get ahead of yourself, give each stage of the design process the attention it deserves without rushing to the fun parts of rendering and detail.

Thanks very much for your valuable time, I'd like to wish you luck for the future and look forward to seeing your future projects.