Game Designer Interview 1 John Hawkins

The first of a couple of interviews I did for the project I posted about before. This one is with John Hawkins of Big Huge Games. Here is his LinkedIn profile and here is Big Huge Game's website
What are the main types of games you work on? 
Most have been strategy games; although I have done some casual and role-playing. Specifically historical strategy games. It's been a range of mobile, console, pc, and board games.

How long have you been working in the industry? 
15 years

How does designing a single player game differ from a multiplayer one?
 It's a lot easier, but less fun to do single player - multiplayer adds in the fun of another person but usually leads to more interactive systems. 

When you are playing a game, what types of experiences do you find to be most rewarding?
 Me personally I like things that make me feel clever or like I'm making progress

On the other hand, what types of experiences are the most fun/rewarding to design (or are they the same)? 
Yeah the same. hah - although it is fun to design for a variety of player types.

What sort of skills or traits do you think are the most helpful to have when it comes to game design? 
You have to be equally creative and logical, and you need a variety of experiences to draw from. You also need to be able to empathize with other people since you need to understand their point of view when arguing your point or understanding what they enjoy.

What are some of the biggest challenges to overcome when designing games? 
Honestly the hardest challenge is getting the whole team on board with your vision. Otherwise it's trying to get the game to the point where it is actually fun.

What sort of things inspires you, are there any websites/resources you always look to for inspiration? 
Playing other games and living life - you find inspiration in the most random of places. 

Do you have a favorite project you’ve ever worked on? 
 Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties, because not only was the only I've done that was ever done ahead of time but also because my passion that led me to making games was Age of Empires II.

Finally, do you have any advice for students? 
Play games, makes games, network as much as possible. Be ready for opportunities, and seek them out.