Scorpia's New Tale: An Interview With One of Gaming's Most Popular Columnists
Scorpia was one of the most influential women in computer gaming long before people starting paying attention to that sort of thing. For sixteen years, she wrote adventure and role-playing game reviews for Computer Gaming World. Her column, "Scorpia’s Tale," was one of, if not THE, longest-running regular column in the short history of electronic gaming journalism. It was also by far one of the most popular columns in the industry.

Scorpia had a reputation not only for hard-hitting RPG and adventure reviews and witty commentary, but also for being a treasure-trove of game hints and clues for desperate players. In an era before walkthroughs for any game were available almost before a game’s release on the Internet, Scorpia was the number-one savior of stumped adventurers and dungeon-delvers. If you couldn’t figure out where the secret door was on level six, or how to vanquish the dragon on the Persian rug, Scorpia would come to your rescue.

I was thrilled to find out that Scorpia is back at it again, with a new venue: Scorpia’s Gaming Lair. Since she remains a treasure trove of knowledge and insight (and a sting!) of all things adventure and RPG, I jumped at the chance to pick her brain a little bit about Role-Playing Game and Adventure Game design, as well as lay to rest some mysteries surrounding her long-running column. And while I was at it, I was anxious to learn more about what she’s up to now.

Curious? Want to know the sordid history, the rumors and innuendo, the scandals of the game industry in the 1990s, and all the dark secrets of videogame journalism? So would I! She wouldn’t tell me that. But, as always, she was happy to provide hints, tips, and witty commentary which I think you’ll enjoy!


Background: In Ye Olde Beginning

Rampant Coyote: We both started gaming in an era where text adventures were about as “in” as any other kind of computer gaming, and an entire game with “high resolution graphics” could fit in less memory than a screenshot does today. How did you get sucked into computer gaming as a hobby?

Scorpia: Well, among other things, I went to a combined Apple II/TRS-80 computer show, and came out lusting for my own machine. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the future. I planned on learning to program the Apple (my computer of choice). So of course the first thing I did was to go out and buy about $100 worth of games. The road to perdition was a short one ;)


Rampant Coyote: Your column was certainly one of the most popular features of Computer Gaming World back in the day (at least among the geeky crowd I hung out with). How did you end up becoming the guru of the adventure / RPG genre at CGW?

Scorpia: I wouldn't call myself "the guru", or even "a guru". As to how I started at CGW, it was simple. One late winter night in early '83, Russ Sipe (then owner of CGW) called me into a private chat on CompuServe. He asked if I'd like to write for his magazine. I said yes, then I asked what mag it was. He said "Computer Gaming World" and I hadn't heard of it before. But I tracked down a store later that carried it. So it was just like in the movies, I was sitting there minding my own business, and someone says, "Hey kid, how'd you like to be in pictures?" ;)


Rampant Coyote: Your columns in CGW were billed as being distinctive and “often controversial.” I always wondered: what sort of controversies did you stir up?

Scorpia: I'd love to know that, too. Of course, not everyone agreed with my opinions, so maybe we could call that controversy. Or perhaps the controversy came from the game companies if the review wasn't favorable. Basically, I gave forthright opinions and let the bodies fall where they may ;)


Rampant Coyote: Your final column was (I think) April 1999. I guess all good things have to come to an end, but what brought the Scorpion’s Tale to its conclusion? Did it have anything to do with Johnny Wilson’s departure and George Jones taking over as editor-in-chief? Or the commonly held opinion in the late 90’s that roleplaying games, like adventure games, were “dead?”

Scorpia: Some people may have thought that adventures and RPGs were "dead", but I never thought so. Both genres did go into something of a decline, although the amazing success of Myst did revive the adventure segment for awhile. As to why I left, the mag didn't want my stuff any more. CGW had a new owner and new management, and presumably were going in a new direction.


Rampant Coyote: Well, I know for many of us, that was the first of many signs of the demise of the magazine. I personally felt like they were aggressively pursuing the lucrative market of 14-year-olds with Attention Deficit Disorder after that. So after that, then what? Have you been doing any game journalism between the end of your CGW column and the creation of your new website?

Scorpia: Yes and no. No, I haven't been writing for any other mags since leaving CGW. Yes, because I was writing for my site. See my answer below. [“What brought about Scorpia’s Gaming Lair?”]


Rampant Coyote: And to round out the background info… where did the moniker “Scorpia” come from?

Scorpia: Moniker? What a plebian term ;) From role-playing, naturally. After many years, I finally found a good use for my astrological sign. All I did was change the last letter to indicate female, although that did escape some people over the years. Heh.


On Adventures and Role-Playing Games

Rampant Coyote: There’s a commonly-held belief that adventure games as we knew them are now “dead,” at least as mainstream products. At one point it seemed that it was only text-adventures that had died, but now even the successor, the “point-and-click” adventures made famous by games like Monkey Island and Myst, seem to exist now only as part of gaming’s history and as lower-budget indie ventures. What led to the adventure game’s demise, and do you think any kind of comeback is possible (perhaps in a new form)?

Scorpia: Interest in adventures revived with Myst. Unfortunately, everyone wanted to do "another Myst", another biggie that would hook into the mainstream. That never happened.

Then the game markets turned more towards that infamous "young male demographic", featuring sports, strategy, shooters and driving games, which continues to this day. And, of course, there is the growth in various MP games online. Most game houses now belong to one or another corporate giant.

It's only the small, independent companies that can do what they want. If another adventure game should hit it big, we might see more adventure games, but likely in the Myst copy-cat mold.


Rampant Coyote: You’ve often said (with elaborate detail) that your favorite game was Ultima IV. Is this still true? Do you have any close runners-up?

Scorpia: Yep, Ultima IV is still numero uno. The runner-up position is held by the original Fallout, which surprised me by being so good as it was. However, I can't think of anything offhand for third place, which is sad.


Rampant Coyote: What makes a great adventure game?

Scorpia: First, a good story. One that draws you in and makes you want to know more about what's happening. But it has to be logically constructed, even if a horror type, such as Barrow Hill or Scratches.

Puzzles that make sense and aren't there just to pad out the game. They should fit in with the story, and each solution should advance you a little along the plotline. The player should be able to solve every puzzle without the need for trial and error; hints and clues ought to be available in-game for all of them. NO "hunt-the-pixel" stuff, where you have to scan your mouse all over the screen to find some critical object, and no “action / adventure" stuff, either.

And the game should come to a satisfactory conclusion, and not leave you wondering about anything.


Rampant Coyote: That makes perfect sense. So moving even nearer and dearer to my heart - what makes a great roleplaying game?

Scorpia: As it is for adventures, a good story. Preferably one that does not involve "killing off Ancient Evil Foozle to save the world" (you already know, Jay, how I feel about "Ancient Evil" ;).

NPCs that have some realism to them. In particular, aspects that make you care about at least some of them (not necessarily in a romantic way). Decent dialogue that doesn't look or sound like it was written by a 14-year-old with an attitude.

Balanced combat (this is much better now than it used to be in the old games). A good mix of combat and non-combat situations.

Multiple ways to resolve some of the quests. Different endings for good and evil, if the game allows evil PCs. Opportunities for true role-playing, outside the straightjacket of D&D alignment (I've never liked the alignment system).

A rewarding ending that provides a sense of accomplishment (see "The End" for more on that).

And bring back the player-created party system! See "It's My Party" for details.


Rampant Coyote: While it wasn’t extremely common even then, many of the old-school game developers were known by name to the press and to informed gamers. Names like Richard Garriott, Ron Gilbert, Tim Schaffer, David W. Bradley, Marc Blank, Jon Van Canaghem, and Bob Bates were known to many adventure / RP gamers, in spite of the fact that they also worked with larger teams to bring their visions to market. This doesn’t seem to happen much anymore. Was knowing the names and faces behind the creations a good thing? Why is this on the decline? Are players losing interest, does the press no longer care, the publishers trying to focus attention on brands rather than creators, or is it something else entirely?

Scorpia: Excellent question. I covered some of that in my "Nostalgia" piece. Anytime you create something you care about, you put something of yourself in it. In those earlier days, JVC and Lord British and the others were more in control. Others may have had a part in the product, but something from the main person came through. That doesn't happen much these days, simply because the design teams are so large; just look in any manual at the credits. In a true team effort, the contributions become diffused. So, for that reason, individual designers no longer come to the fore. The only one I can think of that still has public attention is Sid Meier.

And yes, I think it was good that designers had "name recognition", because those were all good names and people were eager for their products. Now, it does indeed go by brand.


Room With A Grue: Scorpia’s Gaming Lair

Rampant Coyote: What brought about the creation of Scorpia’s Gaming Lair (www.scorpia.com)?

Scorpia: Well, this is the third incarnation.

After I left GEnie, I started up Scorpia's Domain on the 'net. Alas, it didn't do too well, so after awhile I revamped it as Scorpzine. That wasn't very successful, either, but then both of those were subscription sites. So then I went into hibernation for awhile (a long while, actually), but I've been at this too long. So I'm back once more, this time with the Lair.


Rampant Coyote: I only heard about it myself a few weeks ago, from a comment here on Tales of the Rampant Coyote. But I’m happy to spread the word! You seem to be building up quite an enthusiastic community on the website. What are the differences between the community there now and the community in the CompuServe days?

Scorpia: Not very much. I found that my areas on CIS and GEnie attracted what you might call "hard core gamers", who were intelligent, literate, and cared about the quality of the games they played. As you probably noticed from the comments, many of the Lair members go back to the early days of gaming. At the same time, they also play some of the new ones. Overall, I'd say that the ones coming to the site now (whether they post or not) are the type of people I've always written for, and I just wish I had more of them.


Rampant Coyote: So what are your goals goals with the new website? How do you see it in, say, two years?

Scorpia: To write honest reviews and articles of interest, make money (I should have put that first ;), and keep busy. As for two years from now, thanks, but I'm taking it one day at time right now.


Parting Shots (With Crossbows)

Rampant Coyote: So if you had the chance to give some Adventure / Roleplaying game developers out there any advice for appealing to the “Scorpia Market,” what would it be?

Scorpia: Make games that have fun, wit, and charm. Forget the eye candy. A game doesn't need cutting-edge, must-have-a-desk-top-Cray graphics to be good. Pretty pictures are nice, but gameplay should not take a back seat to the visuals. Play some of the great older games, and analyze what makes them great. For the rest, see my answers above. [Ed: “What makes a great adventure game” and “What makes a great roleplaying game.”]


Rampant Coyote: What does the future of computer roleplaying games hold? Are we going to be stuck with Diablo clones from the mainstream market from here on out?

Scorpia: I certainly hope not! There will, of course, be some of those clones, which is not altogether a bad thing, if the games are done well. But such are not true RPGs. At the moment, it seems the D&D franchise, and Bethesda, are the only ones doing traditional RPGs (and Bethesda certainly messed up with the combat in Oblivion), though I hear Bioware has something in the works. However, it's not likely there will be as many in the future as there were in times past. Development takes much longer now, and there is an emphasis on allowing for online play.


Rampant Coyote: Anything you wished I would have asked? Or any other comments you’d like to make?

Scorpia: Nope, I've said (or typed) enough.


Thank you, Scorpia, not only for subjecting yourself to my nosy questions, but for not sending Fred the half-grue bouncer to break my kneecaps or anything else... unseemly. And I'm sharing this with everyone publicly now, so that if I mysteriously dissapear the next time I enter a dark area, well... people will know!

But seriously... thank you! And good luck with Scorpia's Gaming Lair! It's already become one of my favorite gaming sites, and I'd like to encourage folks to go check it out!


(Vaguely) related stories:
* R.I.P. Computer Gaming World
* Grown-Ups Like Videogames, Too
* Aveyond!
* Interview with Mike Rubin about Vespers 3D: An Experimentin 3D Interactive Fiction
* How to Get Me to Buy Your Indie RPG
* The Most Important CRPGs of All Time
* Great Game Moments

Labels: Adventure Games, Interviews, Mainstream Games, retro, Roleplaying Games

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