Wearing multiple hats seems to be a way of life at Sony Santa Monica. David Jaffe is the studio's creative director, but he's also personally directing the upcoming party game Calling All Cars. God of War II lead programmer Tim Moss (whose Team Assault Q&A will appear later this week) doubles as Sony Santa Monica's director of technology. The same holds true for God of War II executive producer Shannon Studstill, who also serves the studio's director of internal development. Trained as a cinematographer at the American Film Institute, Studstill began her career at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) in 1998 as a lead artist, working her way up the ranks to producer on the futuristic racing game Kinetica before assuming the dual role she holds today. Having helped make a success of God of War, which was then SCEA's highest-budgeted game ever, Studstill is now in charge of the entire franchise. Here, she discusses the process of assembling the creative leads for a hit game; the differences and similarities between Cory Barlog and David Jaffe; and why more publishers should adopt her strategy of getting the reviews out well in advance of the game's ship date.

How did you and David Jaffe go about assembling the key creative leads and the rest of the team for the first God of War?

Assembling teams like the one here at the SCEA Santa Monica Studio is a long and arduous task--in all, about seven years in the making. We started development on God of War with a core team--some from a previous production, others from a title that had been canceled. Having a small group at the start was a benefit--it allowed us to identify potential leads and work closely with them as we evaluated their skills. I kept my focus on creating a team-based environment where everyone could be productive while David brought a sharp eye for something I call "player detail." Certainly, there were instances where we disagreed as to whether a person had the right qualities for a creative lead position. When someone demonstrates natural leadership ability it's easy to recognize. However, making someone a lead while getting them creatively in line with David's vision for the game proved to be a very difficult goal to achieve. As unfortunate and stressful as the situation was, the result was we did not have a traditional structure of one key lead for each department. Instead we relied on the production staff, individual initiative, and teamwork to maintain an atmosphere where everyone was expected to produce exemplary work, while keeping within the style guidelines David was communicating.

On design, David was very hands-on, and it became apparent quickly he would both lead the design team as well as direct the game. This was less a case of lack of talent on the design team and more a realization David's vision was singular enough it would be difficult to communicate through a separate lead. We were never able to secure a full-time art director on the project, so we looked for help translating between David and the art team where we could get it. Terry Smith (Terry Smith Creations) proved very helpful by coming in part-time as an outside contractor and assisting David in establishing the overall look of the game, especially the memorable characters, especially the enemies and of course the all-important hero, Kratos. Our environment team was comprised of an incredible group of self-motivated talents who quickly gelled and began providing feedback to each other, both directly and by constantly trying to outdo each other. That spirit of friendly competition and cooperation is like lightning in a bottle--almost impossible to achieve, but capable of phenomenal achievements when it happens.

Animation was the one area where a key creative person was able to come in and really take the game to the next level. We struggled for months to find what Dave was looking for, a search that involved some very, very talented animators. It wasn't until Cory Barlog came on board that things really came together. Cory knew a few combat animators and designers who were looking for a new opportunity, and this team worked closely with Dave to deliver the visceral fighting experience that is the crux of the God of War series.

Finally, I don't want to leave out programming. We consider our tech group a part of the creative process, and we're lucky to have some of the most talented programmers in the industry here. When you realize the first two God of War games were completed with roughly ten programmers, you begin to appreciate how much a talented, energetic, and engaged group can accomplish. They gave us the engine in which to put all the great content people love, as well as the tools to make those assets look, feel, and sound as good as they do.

What convinced you and the other powers that be at Sony Santa Monica and SCEA that Cory Barlog should assume the director's chair for the sequel?

After God of War, SCEA trusted me and David to make the right decisions for the sequel. We didn't need to give it too much thought--Cory "got" the game right from the start. In the latter stages of God of War, Dave had a chance to work closely with Cory and got a sense of Cory's perspective on things, not always directly related to the game. Anyone who knows David knows he has a wide range of interests and rarely constrains his conversations to a single subject. Movies, comic books, science fiction, Matt Drudge, porn--it's all fair game, but it also allows him to see whether someone's sensibilities mesh with his. With Cory, David felt he had someone who could carry the original vision of the game forward, not just continue it but make the next game even bigger and better. All this was evident to us at the start, and should be just as clear to everyone else now that God of War II has shipped. Cory has stepped into a huge pair of shoes and honestly has done one hell of a job. Once again, Jaffe was right on. Cory was willing to give his soul to God of War II, get the team behind his vision, and the results speak for themselves. It takes a special person to lead projects like these--I'm lucky enough to have worked with two of them.

How is working with Barlog different from working with Jaffe?

It's difficult to compare David and Cory, as their backgrounds are so different. David is someone who can visualize a project, get people excited about it, and then stick to his guns through the inevitable struggles of production to make sure that vision is honored. Cory brings with him an artistic and technical background, which means he approaches the whole process differently. Not better and certainly not worse, but with just a different perspective on what can be done and how.

Here's an illustrative anecdote: during production on God of War II, some enemies were on the chopping block due to time and resource restrictions. Cory came in on Sundays to complete the animations for them so he could keep his original design. That kind of ability in a game director is rare. At the same time, even today I'll do a double take because what I'm hearing come out of Cory's mouth is so similar to something David would say. Both have a passion for guiding a team to their vision of what a great game experience should be. Even better, they're both very good at it. Best of all, the team here in Santa Monica is great at what they do--it's their ability to take that direction and run with it that has led to games like God of War and God of War II.

What does your typical week look like?

Besides the standard, scheduled, production-centric update meetings I take each week, I try to operate in a manner that keeps everyone functioning and effective. Making time to have one-on-one, in-depth discussions is difficult, especially when those talks frequently become the start of a larger, more involved process of solving problems. But it's required if you're going to make games like God of War in a studio the size of SCEA Santa Monica.

How much influence do you exercise on the creative direction of the game?

I've always encouraged the producers to stay away from the creative process, and in this regard I have always tried to lead by example. Our time is better spent making sure the team has the freedom, organization, and support they need to make these games while ensuring senior level management is aware of our progress. Of course, I've still got my opinions, especially when it comes to Kratos and the physicality of the character, and I'm not shy about sharing them with the director.

How much influence does the creative side of the team exercise on marketing, promotion and publicity for the God of War games?

Our production and marketing teams have a collaborative relationship that I would say is rare to the point of uniqueness in the games industry. Decisions as important as naming our hero "Kratos" were made with the full cooperation of marketing. Charlie Wen, the lead concept artist for God of War II, was responsible for the box art for both games, as well as innumerable posters and magazine covers. From the start, we've supported all of our marketing department's efforts on behalf of the title. The goals of the two groups are intrinsically linked--to make and sell great games. It's to the benefit of everyone if we're an active partner in the marketing effort for the game.

If I'm not mistaken, the first God of War sold about 500,000 copies at $50. Those numbers, while strong, are still not commensurate with its incredible reviews. Why do you think God of War I wasn't able to sell more copies at full price even with great scores and a heavy marketing push? Once the game's price dropped to $20 as part of Sony's Greatest Hits program, sales picked up rapidly. How important was that dramatic sales increase to both securing a greenlight for God of War II and building a far more avid audience for the sequel?

My recollection is we were around 700,000 sell-through before the Greatest Hits edition was released. In any case, the original God of War proved to have great legs, as we're seeing impressive numbers even today. Fortunately for us the executive level management at Sony always believed in the game. I recently had a display of a very early version of God of War in its original state briefly installed in one of the hallways of the Santa Monica studio. It was displayed to illustrate to the team how far that game came in a two year period, to help remind them that the challenges that lie ahead can be overcome with a great director and a dedicated team. Shuhei Yoshida (now senior vice president of product development) and I stopped to look at the display on our way to review a build of the PSP title. We laughed at what the game had been in its earliest forum, and I asked Shu why in the hell he had so much faith in it. He said (and his actions have always attested to this) he felt there was a lot of potential. As it turned out, he was right!

The bottom line is this: it's hard to launch any new game title, much less new franchise, in today's gaming market, which is why it's such a rarity. As much as people want original gameplay experiences, $50 is a lot of money to spend for some people. Gamers want some clue they'll enjoy the game they're buying. Sequels and licensed titles are reassuring not just for publishers, but for the average gamer as well. We set out to establish a new franchise--the sales numbers on God of War were good by those standards; even better, they allowed us to move forward with the sequel.

The review scores for God of War II have been similarly outstanding. What's interesting is that online reviews are generally embargoed until very close to the game's release, but in this case, Web sites were allowed to post their reviews a month or so earlier. What was the thinking behind that decision? How much of an impact did the slew of positive reviews have on retail orders and consumer pre-orders?

I'd like to see this become the model for game releases. Games are home entertainment, and we should be looking at similar products, such as music and DVDs, and how they're marketed. These both have long lead times--DVDs get the benefit of the marketing push for the theatrical release and many magazines review the films again when the DVDs are released. Labels send out singles and review copies in advance to radio stations months before the album comes out. The best situation for us is the consumer knowing what game they want to play next, when it is coming out, and where to get it. Box art and in-store displays are great, but I want our product to be anticipated and the decision to purchase made before the consumer sets foot in the store. If we do our job and the reviewers like the game, why not let people know about it in advance?

With the addition of God of War PSP, you're no longer simply supervising a console project from an internal team, but also a handheld game from an external studio. Given those two differences, how are you approaching the production of the PSP game?

It's important as a publisher to respect the developer. We need to give them the latitude to approach the project in a way that fits their team's structure. At the same time, we support them with frequent reference material, technical advice, and feedback. The goal is to guide the extension of the franchise on to a new platform, maintaining the feel and look of the game that has captured gamers' imaginations, while extending the story and universe of God of War. Thankfully, Ready at Dawn has built a team of very driven individuals and it will be a great collaboration. Rest assured, however--Kratos and God of War are very important to the SCEA Santa Monica studio, and we'll do everything we can to ensure anything related to the franchise upholds the standards our audience has come to expect.

There were only two widely shared complaints about God of War II. One was that the game was an evolution, not a revolution. The other was that the title was made for PS2, not PS3. How much serious consideration was given to making God of War II for PS3?

We're trying to tell a story, as well as deliver a great gameplay experience. It took us a long time to nail down the core mechanics, the feel of the game, and the art style, which are the things the audience has responded to and wants more of. Our goal when starting God of War II was to continue the series, not define it from scratch. We know we'll never please everyone, but reading the reviews, the comments on message boards, and the emails we've all received, it's clear the vast majority of people who played the first game are enjoying the second at least as much, if not more.

The choice to continue production on PS2 rather than transition to PS3 was a difficult one. At the time, our expertise in developing for the PS2, our desire to get the game out in a timely manner, and wanting to continue the story while the first chapter was still fresh in gamers' minds made the decision an easier one to swallow. As we moved into mid-cycle production on God of War II and the game began to take shape, it was evident the right choice had been made.

That said, here were definitely team members who were disappointed not to be moving to PS3. But in the end, there are over 100 million PS2s out there, and anyone who builds a game wants as many people as possible to play it. Plus with PS3 being backwards compatible, owners of a PS3 can play it as well, which only adds the number of people who can play God of War II. That's a win-win situation.

For the PS3 version of God of War, you're going to face a number of challenges, not the least of which are the high expectations that your stellar work has engendered. From a producing standpoint, do you feel as though steering the team to narrow its focus--i.e. maxing out just one or two areas that will show off both the power of the PS3 and the capabilities of the team--will satisfy those expectations? Or will it be necessary--both to demonstrate that the team has mastered the PS3 as it had the PS2 and to re-convince gamers of God of War's AAA credentials--by pushing the technology equally hard in as many directions as possible?

If we are lucky enough to expand the God of War franchise to the PS3, we obviously want to be responsible in our scheduling and budget. At the same time, we're very proud of the work we've done so far. No one's expectations are higher than our own--the team would never be happy neglecting key elements of the story or gameplay experience to concentrate on one or two specific areas. It is more essential than ever that the producers collaborate and communicate frequently to keep production pathways open and moving swiftly so no effort by any team member is wasted and no one sits idle due to interdependencies being ignored.

Again, if we expand the God of War franchise to PS3, producing a game like God of War, with the standards that we've set and the standards that fans would expect, is a challenge in itself; staying within the schedule and budget we've been given even more so, as well as living up to both our and the fans' expectations. Core efficiencies can help a great deal, but sometimes you have no recourse but to change the scope of a game. Whether this means cutting features or levels, or simply scaling back the size of the game as a whole, a delicate balance between responsibility and the desire to make a landmark game must be found. No one wants to be in the business of shipping amazing titles that cost more to make than they earn in the market. We want to make SCEA proud and profitable, and if we expand the God of War franchise to PS3, this will no doubt be a tall order. But as I've said time and again--there is no team I'd rather share this challenge with.

Next: It's time to get technical as God of War II lead programmer Tim Moss joins the Team Assault.